For the first time ever I’ll dedicate a post in this column to one artist: The Motion Epic.
The Motion Epic is a Synth-Pop/Retrowave Project by Singer/Songwriter Pat DiMeo featuring Max Cruise & Sparkee and produced by Andreas Koliakoudakis & Kalimocho. And what they create is essentially exactly what the title of our playlist is, “More Eighties Than The 80s itself“.
We’ve obviously covered this artist before, but here’s his last two singles:
The Motion Epic – Runaway feat. Michael Oakley
By far most of the synthwave tracks we receive are of the uptempo kind. Strange really, since many of the most symbolic releases of the eighties indeed are ballads. One could really claim it was the decade of the ballads.
And here The Motion Epic has teamed up with a vocalist that essentially summon every single vocalist of the eighties and channel them into this track. Powerful yet sensitive vocals, with that ever so present hint of… Naive sincerity that I associate with that decade. From Richard Page to Phil Collins and Tony Hadley, they all dance around in what we hear here.
The Motion Epic – You’re Not Ready
Were upping the tempo with this next one, but the eighties soul is the exact same. So is the vocalist, even though not credited this time. Maybe he’s now become a part of the band?
And let’s sit down and fully appreciate the work being put into this. Cause it really is amazing. The sax solo here is so spot on eighties that one can begin wonder if we’re in an alternative 80s universe where what we heard from Genesis, Spandau Ballet and our other 80s heroes really are just imitations of THIS.
The percussion with all the delayed reverb, the synth lead and chords, the arps, oh man.
And now we’re only focusing on the technicalities here and omitting the fact that the songs themselves are totally solid melodies.
It honestly, positively and totally seriously can’t get any better than this, in my never much humble opinion.
Both tracks are obviously added to our Spotify playlist “More Eighties Than The 80s Itself“, and they’re gonna stay there for a good while. Regularly updated with vocal based synthwave, it’s one list worth following.