Dan Bejar’s Destroyer embraces its inner Sade on Kaputt, an unabashed mélange of smooth jazz, ‘80s soft rock and synth-heavy pop that brings back memories of watching “Miami Vice” and shopping at Chess King. That’s not to say Kaputt isn’t good. In fact, as someone who has little prior exposure to Destroyer’s oeuvre and is getting tired of all the various forms of ‘80s revival music these days, I find these songs totally enjoyable. Just retro enough to instill a sense of nostalgia, yet with plenty of Bejar’s personality and style to make this his album that stands firmly in the year 2011, not 1986. “Savage Night at the Opera” is an upbeat dance track that recalls New Order while “Kaputt” and “Chinatown” are dreamy synth-pop tracks that are as smooth as a jungle cat on the prowl. – Written by DBosket
SIMILAR | Ariel Pink, Dominant Legs, Gayngs, New Order