“Deep Blue” by The Midnight

The Midnight’s Endless Summer was one of my favorite albums of 2016 thanks to its synth-driven, nostalgia-packed ’80s sound. Or as I wrote in my review, “nearly every song on Endless Summer seems intent on being the perfect soundtrack for a montage about a couple of teenagers in love taking one last summer evening drive alongside the Pacific.”

And as “Deep Blue” — one of the first singles from the duo’s upcoming Monsters — shows, Tyler Lyle and Tim McEwan are still sticking with the formula that’s worked so well for them to date. Earnest vocals singing lyrics filled with longing and regret; pulsing synthesizer arpeggios; catchy melodies; blazing sax solos and guitar riffs… all of the usual elements are present in full measure, and I love every single second of it.

The Midnight is a perfect example of music that becomes so retro and referential that it goes full-circle, breathing new life into decades-old clichés and making them feel fresh and fun again.

The Midnight’s Monsters will be released on July 10, 2020.

On a related note, if you need a pick-me-up, then I highly recommend watching this joyous performance of “Sunset” (my favorite song on Endless Summer).