New wave synthpop band Animotion returns to music 26 years after their last work. Both of the original frontpeople of the group, Bill Wadhams and Astrid Plane, are back along with a revamped line-up for their new album Raise Your Expectations, which released 20 January via Invisible Hands Music. Animotion burst onto the fertile new wave back in 1985 with the mega hit “Obsession” (UK: #5 / US #6 on the charts), as well as further hit singles Let Him Go and “I Engineer” from the group’s 1986 release, Strange Behavior. Sadly, the original group broke up after that, and another album appeared in 1989, but with none of the original members.
“Last Time” is a classic new wave tune with cinematic synth waves, bubbling beats, and New Romantic vocal crooning. On this new song, Animotion reminds us why so many of us fell in love with new wave in the first place.
Bill Wadhams says, “when we were recording our new album, Raise Your Expectations, we met Noah Kentis, the son of our record producer Chuck Kentis. Noah was editing a video for the band, Sailors. We were impressed and asked him to direct a video for our song, “Last Time”. Astrid and I weren’t going to be in it, but as the production came together, we were pulled in. I’m not sure what is going on with the pink goo, but it got me dancing. You’ll have to ask Noah about Sasquatch.”