H2O

The early ’80s was a golden period for Hall & Oates, and on their 11th studio album, H2O, the duo perfected their special blend of gauzy R&B, twitchy synth-pop, and rocking New Wave. “Maneater” manages to sound bouncy, jazzy, and eerie all at once, while “Delayed Reaction” demonstrates the pair’s masterful fusion of soul and power pop. Songs like “Crime Pays” convey heartache via woozy, electro-spiked boogie grooves, while “One on One” remains the duo’s most ineffable pop confection: skeletal, smooth, sincere, and seductive.