Eumir Deodato - Motion (2011) [Hi-Res]

Motion, released in 1984, is an electronic affair. Deodato fully engaged the keyboard-drenched production of the 1980s and it is in full flower here, with Linn and DMX drums programmed all over the place to further enhance the multiple layers of synthesizers that coat every cut. In fact, the very notion of song takes a back seat to the terrain of sound itself. This is music for the dance club, but it has little to do with disco -- its rhythms are looped and linked but remain utterly uninteresting, and the sonics, while bright and silvery, are paper thin. The album's single was "Never Knew Love," a characteristic bit of urban pop-funk tossed into the mix for balance. Katreese Barnes' lead vocals are a breath of fresh air after the futuristic funk catastrophe of "S.O.S., Fire in the Sky." The funky disco fusion of "Bus Stop" is catchy but utterly unimaginative. In fact, most of this record sounds like it could have been cranked out in Deodato's sleep. -- Thom Jurek