Music critic Simon Reynolds argues that Donna Summer’s 1977 disco smash hit “I Feel Love” “can be pinpointed as where the 1980s began”. The song is characterized by a driving electronic rhythm, which Reynolds describes as “brutal futurism”, with the robotic and precise sounds of the synthesizer countered by the more human element of Summer’s soaring vocals. This contrast would characterize the electronic pop music that proliferated throughout the 80s, reflecting a sense of human isolation in a new digital age.

Question

Music critic Simon Reynolds argues that Donna Summer’s 1977 disco smash hit “I Feel Love” “can be pinpointed as where the 1980s began”. The song is characterized by a driving electronic rhythm, which Reynolds describes as “brutal futurism”, with the robotic and precise sounds of the synthesizer countered by the more human element of Summer’s soaring vocals. This contrast would characterize the electronic pop music that proliferated throughout the 80s, reflecting a sense of human isolation in a new digital age.
Text 2
Kraftwerk, the pioneering West German music ensemble, began using electronic synthesizers as early as 1973. As the band developed its sound over the next decade, it would provide a blueprint for the synth-pop musical style that came to prominence in 1980s Europe. By embracing new digital instruments and recording styles, and by using robots and mannequins to stand in for band members during photoshoots, Kraftwerk deliberately blurred the lines between man and machine. But while songs like 1981’s “Pocket Calculator” play with this idea of lost humanity, they also project a cautious optimism about the technological pleasures of modern life.
Based on the texts, how might the author of Text 2 respond to the underlined portion in Text 1?
Choose 1 answer:
Choose 1 answer:
(Choice A)   By arguing that early electronic music could also reflect a more positive relationship between humanity and technology.
A
By arguing that early electronic music could also reflect a more positive relationship between humanity and technology.
(Choice B)   By suggesting that “Pocket Calculator”, and not “I Feel Love”, should be seen as the origin of 80s electronic music.
B
By suggesting that “Pocket Calculator”, and not “I Feel Love”, should be seen as the origin of 80s electronic music.
(Choice C, Checked)   By agreeing that “brutal futurism” accurately describes the sense of isolation and loss inherent to early electronic music.
C
By agreeing that “brutal futurism” accurately describes the sense of isolation and loss inherent to early electronic music.
(Choice D)   By claiming that technological themes aren’t a defining feature of electronic music in the 1980s.
D
By claiming that technological themes aren’t a defining feature of electronic music in the 1980s.

GPT-4o mini · Answer

The most appropriate response from the author of Text 2 to the underlined portion in Text 1 would be:

(Choice A) By arguing that early electronic music could also reflect a more positive relationship between humanity and technology.

This answer aligns with Text 2's perspective, which highlights how Kraftwerk's music, while acknowledging themes of lost humanity, also projects a sense of cautious optimism about the relationship with technology.