There’s something special about 80’s synthpop; call it nostalgia or a fondness for a special moment in music. Duke Dumont, who is arguably the biggest name in house music at the moment, has a penchant for paying respect to the sonics of highly regarded moments in dance music oftentimes going downright cinematic in order to hit us in the feels. The producer, hot off the news of a pre-release on his label, Blasé Boys Club, just put out an infectiously bumping ode to the synthpop era late last week titled “Ocean Drive.”
It’s a track that brings to mind the feeling of driving through the neon lit streets of a beach ridden paradise with the top down while sporting fine linen. It’s a track that reminds us that sometimes the best feelings in the world are a song away: put on a record and ease the pain as if it actually melts away. “Ocean Drive” harkens to a time in the discotheque where people weren’t so focused on Snapchatting the DJ, but instead just wanted a therapeutic cleansing of the spirit under a disco ball in a hot, hazy, dimly lit room. And as legendary house vocalist Robert Owens gives us the melancholic reminder that “We’re out of time on the highway to never,” the idea that time can stand still with the right soundtrack becomes even more relevant. This is the final shot, the penultimate kiss between the leads that makes us warm, fuzzy, and leaves us smiling.
Once again, Duke Dumont proves that with the right inspiration, a producer can spin out solid gold. It’s definitely more on the pop end of the house music spectrum, but damn – it feels so fucking good. Stream it below and download it immediately via all digital retailers.
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