Duett has been around for a while, but just came to my attention via Bandcamp's Instagram account last week. I was drawn in by the stylized artwork and colorful pastels on the album cover of their newest offering, Leisure. The contents of the album sound exactly like you would expect from looking at the cover. Over-the-top synths bathe the listener in the color palette of the 1980's. The aesthetic is so completely intact, that the opening track, "Gallery," sounds like it was pulled from an 80's film about Wall Street.
At times, the synthisizer parts sound a bit like a softer, more radio friendly, Com Truise or a band on Jim Smith from Teeel's Synth Recordings label. While the synths dominate, though, there are other instruments that also cling tightly to the sounds of the Regan era. Ostentatious guitar solos pop up in places like the track "Lifetime" and remind you of the chase scenes that were a staple of blockbusters and b-movies alike back then.
Most of the album is instrumental. It's a surprise when, the vocals appear four songs into the affair, in "About You." With vocals in the mix, the band reminds me of Sophie and Peter Johnston, albeit with less range and variation.
You won't find a shortage of bands showing their allegiance to the sonic staples of the 80's. I'm not tired of it yet, though. I need that nostalgia to get me through this decade. I'll happily daydream of John Hughes movies and DeLoreans while listening to Duett.
