It's been suggested the reason for the current resurgence in sounds from the '80s is simply because those old records still sound shockingly modern, while music from before the synthetic age has dated due to its more primitive technology. It's ironic for those who thought the synthesizers of the '80s were dating themselves when they were hip. Now, it's interesting to speculate how a new-century Canadian group like Diana will sound to people listening to its music two or three decades later. As it sounds in 2013, the Toronto group's debut album, Perpetual Surrender, is a throwback to an era that never actually happened. The smooth sax on the title track meshes so perfectly with the wall of synths and singer Carmen Elle's neutral delivery (she never winks or plays too preciously) that the charm of the easy-listening production is weirdly fascinating. The extra percussion on "Strange Attraction" tilts things closer to an avant-garde art project. The R&B vibe of "That Feeling" is met with percussion and synths as stiff as '80s hair.