do the twitch

Every Wednesday at The Ramrod, DJ Mac spins new wave, goth and industrial tunes in a toe-tapping time warp called Twitch. Next Wednesday, Twitch switches into high gear with live sets from local new wavers Burnt Fur and Daniel Ouellette.

The continuing appeal of the new wave sound, a blend of rock and early electronica, is no surprise to Burnt Fur's Scott Harrison, who says that the rise of cookie-cutter musical acts in the '90s only highlights the passion lurking beneath those shimmering synthesizers that characterized so much of the music of the 80s.

"After Nirvana were a hit, it was more important to the industry to fit into the fad than find the substance in the songs," he theorizes. "In the '80s if dozens of lead singers started mimicking Robert Smith, we would have gleefully crucified them all! The individuals were overwhelmed by the look-alikes in the '90s. I think of my favorite alternative music in this decade as an attempt to pick up where we left off at the end of the '80s."

For Burnt Fur, that means a slightly dark but very danceable blend of guitars and synths, a retro sound reminiscent of New Order but with up-to-the-minute lyrics inspired by the struggle for marriage equality in Massachusetts. Ouellette's style blends high drama and deadpan quirkiness into songs about having a crush on Superman and visiting Monster Island. (Imagine Klaus Nomi covering The B-52's.) The two acts channel the spirit of fun creativity that prevailed in much of the music of the 80s - and that has never gone out of style.

Burnt Fur and Daniel Ouellette play at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12 at The Ramrod, 1254 Boylson St., Boston. 21+, free. Info: www.nightclubramrod.com.