Request: Expert in 80s and 90s pop
 

Hey guys, this is my first time posting but this has really been bugging me. This song by Empire of the Sun called Walking on a Dream (since I'm not allowed to post url's yet, the youtube tag is this: /watch?v=eimgRedLkkU) sounds to me so much like a song out of the 80s. Why? What is it about the melodius synth and monotonic singing that makes my ear scream 80s?

Can anyone point to a band and possibly a specific song that parallels this modern song? It seems to me one thing that limits (and helps) the search is that Walking on a Dream has no bass guitar and no electric guitar--the melody comes completely from the wavy-80s synth.

For whatever reason the first guy that comes to mind is Phil Collins but there's no way that's right. Possibly there's some similarities with the beginning of In the Air Tonight but once the breakdown and bass come in it veers. I was thinking also possibly Duran Duran or Electric Light Orchestra? I don't know.

An answer from someone who has extensive knowledge in 80s and 90s music would be greatly appreciated.

Are you sure about it that? The main instrument in this song sounds a heck of a lot like a guitar to me.

Anyway I guess it reminds me slightly of Gang of Four's more poppy stuff:

Thanks a lot for replying Janszoon.

You're absolutely right, there is guitar and bass. Let me revise what I said to, "Walking on a Dream has little movement in the guitar line and a simple bass line. The melody (to me) comes from the synth".

mediafire [dot] com/?62osuqs1k2sxgip
mediafire [dot] com/?zd0rd6d3ca5bcgc

Above I've uploaded two versions of the song each of which are different from the original.

In the one called "Walking on a Dream - BASS.mp3" I've tried to equalize the song to reveal both the bass and electric guitar. From this, it's easy to hear the bass line and the strumming guitar. The bass line is nice, but nothing special (like the bass lines in most pop songs) and the guitar is simply boring (yet, when equalized correctly with the rest of the track adds a nice springiness).

In the second, called "Walking on a Dream - SYNTH.mp3", I've tried to equalize out everything but the synth melody. This is where I believe the heart of the song is. It sounds so familiar. Not legitimately familiar, but as if I've heard the guy behind the keyboard play before. Do you know the feeling?

(Admittedly, I did a terrible job at trying to equalize the track. I've never done it before and I used GarageBand. You have been warned.)

Janszoon, the Gang Four song you linked is similar in that there's a strong bass and a quiet guitar in the background but it misses that synth! Can you think of any other songs?

Thanks.

I know this may not answer your query exactly but it may interest you! Luke Steele was in a band called The Sleepy Jackson before EOTS.

They are an absolutely fantastic band and well worth a listen if you like EOTS.

Nosferatu, thanks and good thinking, I'll check them out. In the song you linked, you can definitely hear the similarities of style because of Steele.

I registered just to answer this for you real quick...

I'm here to save the day. I don't know if they ripped it off, but probably not. It's just a good melody, and may be one of those cryptomnesia events.

In any case, it's the same as the backing section/keys/major melody as Tom Petty's "Learning to Fly"