Don’t tell me. You’ve seen the press photo, placed above and it is seriously, giving you Savage Garden vibes. The same shock of nostalgia happened, with me too when I came across the press release about “Drive All Night” by the Arkansas, alt-pop duo joan. Although I haven’t formally introduced the EQ readers to joan as yet, it is not the case, I haven’t heard of these chaps before. As, last year, they provided a guest vocal for rising, Irish electronic producer EMBRZ (Jack Casey) on his track “Like It Or Not” and I had the pleasure of premiering the soothing JNTHN STEIN remix of it.
joan who are Alan Thomas and Steven Rutherford, really do deserve some blog love of their own, from us. The duo’s debut EP “Portra” was so good actually. Dreamy, pop with more than a splash of electronics and lyrics which tug on your heartstrings. I’ve listened to it more than a few times myself. They have since signed with Carl Falk’s “Snafu Records” which is quite a big step for a little two-person outfit from Arkansas. You don’t need reminding Carl has helped write, produce and work with Madonna, One Direction, Ellie Goulding and Ariana Grande.
The track “Drive All Night” is joan’s sophomore single for the label. It shows a notable push forward in a synth-pop direction from the dreamy style of their initial music releases. Nothing is holding them back, they are definitely tapping into the 80s grooves. (Which If you didn’t already know or guess is EQ’s favourite decade in music.) I wouldn’t mind betting they’d be presumably planning on taking a flight in a Delorean on the follow-up release to this single. With this current song, the guys are taking more than a few nods of inspiration from the kinds of tracks which found themselves placement on the soundtracks to the hugely popular series of John Hughes movies.
While 80s big hair doesn’t need to make a return EVER. Synth-pop influenced from the best decade in electronic music is always news worth SHOUTING about here on EQ Music Blog. In my humble opinion, joan are getting it very right.
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