Thomas Dolby - I Scare Myself (Parlophone)

Thomas Dolby, man or maniac? Nobody's been able to make up their minds about this oddball. Having Magnus Pyke in an early video did nothing to help his cause, but the superb 'Hyperactive' did much to lay the ghost. 'I Scare Myself' is a real gem. Snazzy and light, it swings along with Tom tinkling away on piano. This should give him a really big hit at last - and there's not a single synth in sight. (Paul Bursche, No 1, March 24, 1984)

Master Dolby leaves the lab, stops his quest for the perfect eighties synthesis of man and machine (so far a no-score draw), and delivers his most warming 45 to date. To do so he's made a nearly inch perfect copy of the Dan Hicks original, but nevertheless "I Scare Myself" is so hot with swooning acoustic guitars and delicately muted brass that I'll forgive him for that. (Jim Reid, Record Mirror, March 24, 1984)

Clipped off his fine album The Flat Earth, this is something RATHER special. Written by the extremely eccentric songwriter Dan Hicks (ideal for Tom really), it's a stunning song performed with delicate restraint and sung in a way that brings tears to the eyes of grown men (and women). Touches of The Wild West and today's technology have created a haunting atmosphere. Fab. Single of the fortnight. (Ian Birch, Smash Hits, March 29, 1984)

Thomas Dolby - Airwaves (EMI)

Runner-up of the week - a strong, atmospheric performance of a catchy ballad with arresting imagery but a curious choice as a single given the odd subject matter. Excellent 'B' side too - a powerful near-instrumental about a plane crash ["The Wreck Of The Fairchild"]. Mark this man down as a star of the future. (Red Starr, Smash Hits, February 11, 1982)

Thomas Dolby - Radio Silence (Venice In Peril)

A perky performance that trampolines on elastic drums, bubbling synthesisers (Depeche Mode's producer Daniel Miller lends a hand here) and some extra vocals from Akiko Yano (everyone has to have a Japanese on their record at the moment). Tasty! (Ian Birch, Smash Hits, April 15, 1982)

Thomas Dolby - Hyperactive! (EMI)

The mad professor of the music world is depicted on the cover with a shock of hair standing on end, fiddling away manically at a violin. It's what comes of making records with Magnus Pyke, I s' pose. Still, looks like Tom's come up with a winner this time, and should get that British hit at last. It's title sums up the record - its' a furiously fast blast of choppy funk with some fearsome vocals from an unidentified girl singer. (Karen Swayne, No 1, January 14, 1984)

Another brilliantly-produced single from Thomas. It has a high originality factor and deserves to be a success. However, one can't help thinking that the chart buyers aren't willing to accept a record that doesn't appear to have an identifiable chorus. It's only a matter of time for him anyway and working with Michael Jackson (which he's just done) is probably more exciting than having a British hit. So who cares? (Him probably.)  (Martyn Ware [Heaven 17], Smash Hits, January 19, 1984)

Note: The girl singer providing backup vocals was Adele Bertei, who had her own hit a few years later with "Just A Mirage".