#FeatureFriday: The Jet Age by Pocket Lint

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A love letter to an an era of songwriting that is often overlooked, a sound often misinterpreted. Not here though, the time is lovingly recreated without overdosing a nostalgia. It’s a tightrope well traversed. Guitars that are both angular, sharp and  melodic but then smooth and languid.

The vocals have a Terry Hall//Phil Oakey/Neil Hannon timbre. In parts they play with a call and response and each song is met with a velvety smoothness. A lyrical storytelling style that often sits back and lets the music tell the rest of the story.

There’s a Tascam lofi warmth to this which is in contrast to the icy cool disassociated Sheffield vocal styles. The electronic drum machines programmed to be an important component of the songscape.

Is that a Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence reference? In the chords if Carry On/Carry Off?

What I really appreciate about The Jet Age is it’s commitment to it’s musical theme and intent. It has an authenticity in its icy cold/sterile synths. An FM aloofness and 80s charm that is often missed.

Like track 2, German Messages this album has that build a synth now make an album pop inspired by Kraftwerk and expanded on vy The Human League. Add some post punk inspired guitars and you have a very cool mix.

Untidy Music

Here is the thing about nostalgia: it can give people the warm feeling of something comfortable and familiar, but it can also cloud their mind to the reality, that the past was not as friendly or glorious as they remember. What Pocket Lint did with “The Jet Age”, played with that concept of rose-tinted glasses… and added an aviation theme to it. As far as the music is concerned, it hit the spot of ‘80s synth pop that is pretty popular right now; think of the music of The Cure, Flock Of Seagulls and similar bands.

The beats come in at a driving pace, but not as fast as to feel rushed. Synths and vocals provide catchy melodies and out of nowhere, pretty tasty guitar riffs provide that little bit of extra texture. All of these things are what one could expect from something so retro, but where the real magic lies for me, is in the lyrics.

While there is an appreciation of the aesthetics of a period of industrial design, the title-lending jet age, as well as ‘80s inspired pop, the lyrics and intent behind the songs go farther back; right into post punk. There is an expression of longing and loneliness throughout the album; the desire for connection becoming more palpable and clear the further the listener makes it through the tracks.

Occasional bits of social critique and an understanding that the world was not really a better place back in the day, round them out further. “The Jet Age” is an album that is very easy to get into and that gains in depth, the longer one deals with its topics. And on top of that, it’s remarkably catchy. Just try to get “German Messages” out of your head again! It definitively is an album that I can recommend to basically everyone.

Florgoth

The Jet Age by Pocket Lint is an album inspired by that era, its style, and its films. It is extremely easy to imagine many of the tracks in the soundtrack of such a film. There are lovely athmospheric moments, as well as many with a sonically fun 80s bounciness to them. Comet, fifth on the tracklist, is a standout for me that would fit so well in a dramatic moment on a cinema screen.

KoteBlue

Updated: January 16, 2026 — 6:10 am

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