Two heads are better than one, we’re told, an adage that must be doubly true in music as nearly every post I’ve written thus far in 2020 has featured a duo. Here’s one more.

Newtimers are a synthpop twosome from Sweden — an automatic stamp of approval — but what’s noteworthy is that Andreas Cavaco and Tim Lundblad have their ears trained on ’80s soul. After releasing a couple of singles in 2011 and 2012 (“Falling” and “January Love”), Newtimers have released their debut EP, Ego, featuring five new grooves that make no secret of their love for Michael Jackson, DeBarge, Jermaine Stewart and associated R&B brethren of the Reagan era (with some Stevie B also running through the midsection of “Trains”).

You don’t have to take your clothes off to have a good time — it’s not exactly balmy in Stockholm at the moment — but I doubt Newtimers would mind if listening to Ego inspired you to lose a few layers. We’re not even a full month into 2020 and these Swedes have delivered one of the best EPs of the year.

Purchase Newtimers – Ego EP via iTunes, Amazon MP3.