I’ve never hidden the fact that I absolutely love 80s music. This adopted homeland of mine, Aotearoa New Zealand, appears to be rich with talented musicians, many of whom seem to share this love of all things 80s. isunray and Cosmic Address evidently fit into this clique. Kudos to them, says I!

These two intrepid chaps have released an E.P. called Four Track. It’s four tracks. And the 80s was all about four track recording sessions. See what they did there? I’ve given the whole thing a listen, and I can tell you it captures the feel of a number of memorable teen movies – which was one of the 80s strong points, so this is a big compliment. The Breakfast Club, 16 Candles, Footloose, Risky Business, Weird Science, St. Elmo’s Fire, Pretty In Pink, Some Kind Of Wonderful… oh my days, oh my days. The musical soundtracks to these movies were as memorable as anything else released during the era. And the track I am reviewing, more than anything, screams to me movie score.

This song, from the opening sounds of warfare, through the uplifting hi-energy synths with that 80s signature sound of the Giorgio Moroder sequencer ever pervading, to the understated, introspective (but not introverted) vocal, says New Wave front-runners/Brit-pop inspirations, those gloomy faced yet catchy-tuned Mancunian legends New Order. With a timbre very alike Bernard Sumner, the beat, instrumentation and composition dripping with mid 80s influences (think Vince Clarke meets Martin Ware post-Human League and early Heaven 17 phase), and you have some idea of what to expect. Very catchy, very, very at home at Manchester’s legendary/infamous Hacienda Club.

The track itself tells the incredible tale of WWII SOE agent Nancy Wake, known as La Souris Blanche to the French Resistance (les Maquis, named after the fact that they hid amongst the scrub and bush to conduct their campaigns against the German occupying army) and her SOE contacts in London. La Souris Blanche translates as The White Mouse – and she was no mouse, I assure you, as she attests to at the end of this song. Some of her testimony to her travails the guys have added there to complete the tale. The chords and melody are emotive and well considered, giving deep heart to the song and keeping your feelings raw as Nancy’s husband Henri tells the tale before his execution.

Recorded, mixed and penned by isunray and Cosmic Address, mastered by the latter, this is professionally performed and definitely aimed at the 80s lovers. It’s got a contemporary feel to it, yet still I feel it would do justice to the soundtrack of a movie made from the ilk of the great 80s stuff I listed earlier. The whole E.P. has that feel, actually, but I’m reviewing this single. Where else would it fit? It’s a lively track, so at the gym, on a run or walk? Road trip with the gang? Yeah. I reckon. You try. Give it a listen and maybe you let me know where’s good!

Pop on t’interwebs and look the guys up. Give them some support and some likes and follows, because this is great stuff. Highly entertaining and performed with heart. As with everything I review, the song’s now on the Flash-Trax Spotify playlist too.

Great work, and I look forward to more from this act.