Few bands are as clearly enamored of '80s new wave aesthetics as Australia's
Gold Fields
. Their 2013 debut,
Black Sun
, felt like a modern successor to the frothy, mousse-dipped dance-rock of bands like
Duran Duran
and
Spandau Ballet
. With their sophomore album, 2019's
Dalawa
,
expand upon that vibe with an even more expansive sound that feels less akin to "Hungry Like the Wolf" and more like a vinyl single of the
Thompson Twins
' "If You Were Here" melting on your car's dashboard on a hot day in Melbourne. Once again showcasing the vocals of
Mark Robert Fuller
(which means "two" or "twin" in Filipino) is less straightforward than its predecessor, with songs that favor woozy keyboard atmosphere and dreamy electronics over hooks. There are even two almost-instrumental tracks here in "Tetris" and "Cocoon," both of which find
Fuller
's breathy vocals buried under a spacy, new age synth-mosphere of
Carl Sagan
-level keyboards, and in the latter's case a shimmering disco beat. That isn't to say there aren't plenty of infectious moments here. "Dreams" is a dusky, '80s new romantic-style anthem replete with xylophone accents and falsetto backing vocals. Similarly engaging are "Let This Go" and "Glow," which combine the moody fluorescence of '80s
Yazoo
Peter Gabriel
. Elsewhere, they also evince their own brand of late-'80s/early-'90s acid house on "Waves" and the sparkling "Ones." ~ Matt Collar