The surge in Human League-influenced music and 80s worship in the last decade has produced an overload of synthpop. Usually when I listen to the next new electropop band or synth-heavy single I am bored. Don’t get me wrong, some of the stuff is great—La Roux’s “In for the Kill,” Cut Copy—but a lot of it is just redundant and not distinct. But Brooklyn’s Class Actress stopped me in my tracks when I heard the latest single “Weekend.”
The song is fun, relevant and danceable, very danceable. On first listen it made me—someone who nearly always refuses to dance since my only move is the head bop—want to go to a club and dance all night. The chorus demands, “Bring it on, bring on the weekend,” creating the perfect built-in soundtrack for any weekend adventure. One such adventure that comes to mind includes late-night cruising with friends, the windows down and blasting the so-sing-along-able song.
Singer/songwriter Elizabeth Harper’s nonchalant vocals hark back to the 80s synthpop sound. But she also adds a hint of lightheartedness and airiness, such as the soft way she elongates “ooo-ah-on” during the chorus. As you can see, I’m obsessed with this song. I’ve already listened to it 10 times today.
Harper works with producers Mark Richardson and Scott Rosenthal. Their debut LP Rapproacher will be out October 18.