Disillusionment, isolation, cog-in-the-wheel existential crises, the overwhelming feeling of disenfranchisement and  desensitization… are only some of the dark, jaded emotions that were expressed often in the art and music scenes of the 80’s.

City populations grew so dramatically, that the lost individual, disconnected from reality, became a symbol of new life in 80’s American cities. ‘I am an island, lost in an ocean’ Leon Else sings, on a backdrop of a darkened synth landscape, a low pulsating rhythm that sets off the brightness of his echoing vocals. Else brings sharp production to his 80’s revival track, generating a bittersweet feeling for an era I’ve never lived through but can absolutely relate.

The loner, racing down an empty highway going somewhere but nowhere in particular (also visualized on the single’s album cover) is a renewed visual corollary, reminding me of Sam’s character in TRON: Legacy, before he found his virtual escape, or Knight Rider, and of course Ryan Gosling’s character in Drive.

Perhaps this is why 80’s music and culture seems to resonate so much with millennials  who are experiencing the same feeling of disconnection with reality, under the influence of social media, polarizing politics and mundane jobs.