Esteem by Machinations

Esteem, the first album from Sydney synth-pop outfit Machinations, came out in April 1983 on White Label, the Mushroom Records offshoot that had signed them on the strength of their single "Average Inadequacy", and A&M picked it up for America. The band had grown out of Tim Doyle and Tony Starr writing songs on electronic instruments, with their school friend Fred Loneragan up front on lead vocals, Doyle on guitar and Starr on keyboards, vocals and drum machine.

Most of the record is chilly, shadowy synth-pop, all cold pulses and uneasy moods. The exception is "Pressure Sway", a bright, funky pop number that packed the dance floors and became a top 30 hit. Esteem itself peaked at No. 54 on the Australian album chart, a modest start for a band that would crack the top 20 with Big Music in 1985.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.