79 - Thomas Dolby - Oceana

Our RETROactive Eighties week concludes with Thomas Dolby, best known for “She Blinded Me With Science,” an early New Wave hit on MTV. But, a quick listen to any of his studio albums reveals a much deeper melodic sense than that quirky synth hit. Dolby took a great deal of time off from the music business to concentrate on developing new technology (he actually created the synthesizer that plays ringtones in most cellphones!). Now, he’s back with a brand new EP called Ocenea, a preview of a full-length album called A Map of the Floating City, due in the summer. Dolby talks with Icon Fetch about why he’s concentrating more on organic sounds these days, his unique studio built out of an old life boat, and the early days of MTV.