The retro wave scene is full of synth-driven albums that capture the spirit of electronic music in the 1980s but, far too often, the music dissipates into the ether. It’s always a pleasant listen but the songs tend to sound somewhat anonymous with time. On new album Modern Romance, the UK duo of Alastair Jenkins and Bobby Cole celebrate the spirit and production of a pastel-colored decade with songs that are undeniably built to last in 2022. A rotation of vocalists are tailored to the songs which gives the album a freshness that shimmers in the summer sun.
Winner of BBC’s All Together Now, Shellyann, shines on four soulful tracks that bring an R&B flavor to the pop that is reminiscent of when Annie Lennox and Aretha Franklin came together in 1985. Laura Jane Davies provides the vocals on “Wyld Love” and the slow-burning “New Body” and it leaves you wondering what Kylie Minogue might have sounded like in the 80s if she had left behind the Stock-Aikman-Waterman sound sooner. Regardless of who sings, Taurus 1984 get the music right on every track with sax solos coming in at just the right times.
Another All Together Now star, Karl Lewis, sings opener “America” and it’s the album’s strongest moment. The 1975 have come close to capturing the same vibe but Taurus 1984 have nailed it on this single. It’s hard for someone who wasn’t dancing at the clubs in 1984 to understand the lack of boundaries between pop styles at the time. R&B, Synthpop, Top 40, and Rock all found some common ground for a few beautiful years and music felt larger than life. On Modern Romance, Taurus 1984 rekindle that feeling with songs that are firmly grounded in 2022.