Follow Me Into Pure Excitement!

U.S based artist Follow Me has just released another totally killer new track in A Mission Nocturnal. This is something really special and is loaded gorgeous melodies and superlative production.



The nuances in this piece are wondrous to the point of complete epiphany. A building introduction serves as a gateway to realms of pure synth ecstacy. From the key changes to the absolutely incredible guitar work this is one total package of synth love that delivers more and more upon each listen.

Follow Me should be followed by all on soundcloud and liked to the max on Facebook.

Feel The Starforce

I love it when a new act or artist simply comes out of nowhere and has the love for 80s synth music down right from the outset. These two gentlemen from Finland have this and if this first song is anything to go by then theres going to be lots of Starforce love in the future on Synthetix.



Starting with a luxuriously beautiful build Golden '85 culminates in a melodious wash of sweeping synths with driving percussion completing a very exciting aural experience.

To say I'm looking forward to more music by this Finnish duo is a massive understatement and I encourage everyone to follow them on soundcloud and show them some love.

New Worship EP Teaser

Worship has been long established in the scene and I've been a fan since hearing Lights Dome Partt III on the seminal MOTU 2 V.1 compilation. Since then we've had some sporadic releases until the excellent Out There EP of last year. Now we have cause for celebration as Worship is releasing the Horizon EP on March 19. Please enjoy this teaser of the EP's three tracks.



There's much to be excited about from all three tracks, lots of great synth and italo sounds that are all wrapped in tight layers of Worship magic.

Now's the perfect time to follow Worship on soundcloud and catch up with his other great originals and remixes. For more information for the impending release of the Horizon EP keep up with Worship on his Facebook page.

Synthetix Weekend Update

Every weekend I'll be posting a mini-catalogue of new releases that have cropped up during the weak. These might be pre-releases, old material being re-released or single tracks. This will serve to be a bit of a weekend catch-up for those wanting be kept fully abreast of the week's happenings in the scene.

First off a great new teaser from Australia's own Countach with On The Horizon. Another beautifully downtemp moody piece, perfectly composed as per usual from this artist.




Lameboy Advance released another killer track in Irreversible Act. We'll be covering a lot more on this artist in the coming weeks, but this is a great introduction to his style.




Pilotpriest proved his wonderful talents yet again in the synth soundtrack fuelled The Last Dragon. Pilotpriest had a very interesting and entertaining sound, one I'm a great fan of, and one I'll be looking forward to experiencing and sharing more of.




Kid Machine kicked things up a notch with his track Cyborganism demo track. This is pure 80s synth love, complete with a futursitic robotic bent that works exceptionally well. As a demo track this promises to deliver in spades!




One of the backbones of the 80s synth scene, Lost Years, also released a gorgeous new piece called "Cold: 80s Film Score (2012 Version)". This is a classic piece of Lost Years gold, beautiful melodies and meticulous production.




Lastly, but certainly not least, we have a very exciting new teaser from Silent Gloves entitled Allskate. This little piece of heaven is one hell of a wild ride. Can't wait to hear more from this artist.




I hope you enjoyed this first Weekend Update, and look forward to sharing more exciting and enlightening new music with you soon!

Mitch Murder Double Hit

Mitch Murder's been going through his extensive archives of unreleased material and has graciously shared two of these great tracks with us courtesy of soundcloud. These little gems go to great lengths to show the artists musical dexterity as they're essentially jammed out tracks for his own personal amusement. Even still, both tracks are resplendent in glorious Mitch Murder Magic.

The first is The Mr T Fashion Show. A funk filled synth explosion of vibrancy and colours. A totally kick arse cover of the equally killer music in this original classic piece of Mr T propaganda. This is a the dictionary definition of 'feel-good' music.



The second track is Metro City Breakers, which is a brilliant homage to the arcade classic Final Fight. This is another creative flurry of electro rock and massive drums. The end sequence being a true delight!



The best part about these tracks is they're available for download right now!! Add these stellar works to your Mitch Murder collection now by going directly to his soundcloud here.

Thanks for the rockin' good times, Mitch!

Protector 101 Turns Up The Heat

Protector 101 is creating very exciting new music that's overflowing with beautiful 80s synth love, his back catalogue of songs is growing weekly on his soundcloud. This U.S artist is preparing for an album release of new material soon enticingly titled Neoncholy. The first single of this opus is Summer Heat: Los Angeles.



This newest work from Protector 101 goes into some very postapocalyptic new territory with a sound that warns and terrifies. The climax of this track is some of the most startling I've heard from the modern masters of 80s synth music. The sense of dread and panic is completely overwhelming.

It promises to be a very good 2012 for Protector 101 and I'm champing at the bit to experience the petrifying nightmare that will be Neoncholy's soundtrack to the future.

For more on Protector 101 follow him on Facebook and bookmark his Bandcamp page too.

Malibu B's New EP

The new EP from Hungarian producer Malibu B has been released on soundcloud and is a sumptuous feast of beautifully orchestrated 80s synth love. The first track, Endgame, is an etherally epic piece that has an aptmosphere all it's own. Gorgeous soundscapes enshroud the listener as the melodies rise and swell with each moment.



The second track entitled Loss is another beautifully constructed piece of atmospheric synth work. Part Vangelis, part Jean-Michel Jarre and all brilliance.




These two tracks are very strong pieces and are a promise of even more quality synth music from Malibu B in the future. For more exciting devlopments from this burgeoning artist please follow him on soundcloud.

The Magic Of Neros77

Although I mainly post about the creators of this fine music, I'm also going to cover others in the scene that don't make the music, but add creativity and dimension to the music we love in other ways. The first of these people I want to write about is Neros77. This multitalented Danish artist lends his talents to many disciplines and mediums, and one of his most impressive ones is in video editing and production.

In short, Neros77 gives vision to 80s inspired synth music in a manner that pays homage to many classic movies as well as offering exciting new ideas.

My first introduction to Neros77 was his incredible video that he made for Camille R's insanely good track: Thrasher 83. This was a pivotal moment for me as I finally found someone making great videos for the music I was just discovering. This song and video will always remain very special to me and I'd love for those of you who've not had the pleasure to enjoy this spectacle now.



Another one of my favourites is his electro magenta montage for Lazerhawk's Dream Machine. Brilliant pop art elements and classic footage combine to create an experience completely befitting the music.



The final video I'd like to share is the one Neros77 recently did for Com Truise's epic Flightwave track. This is a surreal journey into scientific terror that compliments and builds on the atmosphere of uneasiness inheirent to the composition.



I highly recommend subscribing to Neros77's channel on YouTube for a vast amount of audio visual entertainment. There are new videos being uploaded regularly and you shouldn't miss any of them. Please click here to visit Neros77's channel, or follow the link I have in The Enlightened Ones section on the left of this page.

Jowie Schulner's New Day

Jowie Schulner's just released delicious new teaser for his track A New Day. Though Jowie's well versed in many style of electronica his 80s themed works are always stand-out tracks and this one will be no exception!



His remix work is also of super high quality and more can be heard on his soundcloud, but I also have to share one of my favourite Jowie Schulner tracks as well. The remarkably beautiful Sorrow.



This artist is also founder of Boombar Music, a label created to promote and release more of the music we love. Jowie's work is something that deserves as much support as possible so please show your love on his Facebook page and the Boombar Music page on Facebook.

Greetings Program Escapes To New York

Greetings Program has been getting rapturous applause (and deservedly so) for his excellent remix of Beyoncé's End of Time, but his recent cover of the seminal theme to John Carpenter's Excape From New York deserves even more kudos!

This re-envisaging of one of the most memorable themes of the 80s is pure love.



On his soundcloud there is a bunch of entertaining remixes and covers but please give his original work your attention. They are truly beautiful compositions and are a sure sign of Greetings Program having all the love and talent you need to create superlative 80s synth music.



Greetings Program's future looks bright enough to warrant buying shares in Ray Ban, so please show your appreciation for his fine work on his Facebook page.

The Klash of Kirill Junolainen

If you've never heard of Kirill Junolainen then you've been missing out on one of Europe's most prolific and productive purveyors of classic 80s disco synth. Under his Datarocket label Kirill is releasing lots of totally rockin music and his latest release is another feather in his disco-fied cap. This is a reissue from sessions recorded in 2004-5 under the name The Klash and is packed full of beautiful synth disco love. Kirill's been making electronic music since the early 90s his experience and love of the classic styles shines through.



The above album preview will hopefully inspire you to pick it up off Datarocket's Bandcamp for the miniscule sum of €6. Be sure to check out the plethora of other releases on there too, as theres a whole world of 80s inspired electro disco synth music to discover.

As always, please show some love and support for Kirill's work on his soundcloud and Facebook pages.

Pilotpriest Gets Totally Rad

Pilotpriest has been on the fringe of the 80s synth scene for a few months, I've been keeping an ear on his work as it always has a certain joie de vivre that is enticingly magical. With Anthony Scott Burns' newest release to soundcloud, the magic is a pulsing and enrapturing piece of synth drenched disco magic.



Rad by name, rad by nature. This will make your Monday a much more rocking one.

Please follow Pilotpriest on his souncloud for more great tracks, and although in it's infancy at this stage, liking his page on Facebook is a good way to support this burgeoning talent as well.

Final DJs In Neon

Two excellent new tracks form Final DJs have surfaced and what gems they are! These guys have their own smooth synth, 80s electro disco sound working to perfection on Neon and they're reenvisaging of the Bee Gees' ESP is one wild and ride into exciting new territory. Both are currently up on soundcloud for free download, so get on them both quick!





Final DJ's always stay true to their sound, but also manage to add subtle new layers and nuances; and each new release is something everyone should be looking forward to. Keep up with the latest developments from these fine artistes of quality music on their soundcloud and Facebook pages.

The Return Of Alpha Boy

To celebrate the impending release of Alpha Boy's next EP, Follow Me (due to out on the 21/02/2012) I thought it'd be a great time to have a bit of a chat with Alpha Boy himself, Norman Knight, about the direction of his new material and also to learn a bit more about an artist who's music I've loved, but never knew much about. So while we sit back and take in a track off the new Alpha Boy EP, lets get to know Norman Knight a little better.



Hello Norman! First off, lets get some of your vital statistics.
Hi Rick. I am 26 years old and I live in Berlin/Germany.

What genre do you call your music?
I would describe my music as 80's Disco/80's Soundtrack.

I intend on asking every artist I interview what style they call their music particularly, I find it fascinating how many different genres there are for the music we love! How long have you been making music for?
When I was 14 years old I started making electronic music in a very simple way by using a Playstation 1.

I loved playing with MUSIC on my PS1! Great title, what else do you do besides make great music? Work? Hobbies?
Besides working on music I love to create cover arts. That is my second hobby. I am primarily working in the real estate industry.

The creative spirit is strong then, I look forward to seeing more of this work. What lead you to create this kind of music in particular?
After the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989 I watched Hollywood movies from the 80's such as Beverly Hills Cop and Terminator for the first time. These movies especially the awesome soundtracks made by Harold Faltermeyer and Brad Fiedel inspired me when I was a kid. I dreamt of making that kind of music.

I can definitely hear the inspiration of Terminator and Bladerunner in your new music, it works exceptionally will with the Alpha Boy sound. What else inspires your music writing?
Yes, Rick you are right. The whole EP is inspired by these movies. Everything about the 80's is inspiring me. I can not explain why, but the square designs, the apocalyptic mood of the movies, the neon arts, the simple 2D games, the colorful fashion and the awesome synth music of the 80's touched me so deep that this decade is a part of my soul now.

Ahh we're of the same mind and heart indeed. I always say theres so much to love from the 80s on so many levels, that you can always find a new experience and inspiration in the decade. What are your favourite 80s artists that provide you the most inspiration?
Oh, thats a very good question. If I have to make a decision, I would say my favorite musician is Vangelis. During his career he composed a lot of fantastic and innovative music. The more often I listen to his music the more often I find new details. It is just amazing.

Indeed! He's one of the most prolific and talented composers of our time, his soundtrack work is absolutely timeless. Speaking of which, the 80s inspired synth music in general takes many cues from movie soundtracks, and it's often referred to as soundtrack music. Is writing a score for a movie something you'd like to do?
Definitely. It's my biggest dream as an artist. Since this week my dream came true as I composed a soundtrack for a short film. My first musician mentor Vito Illuminati and me we composed the soundtrack. This is the first step on the ladder to my dream.

This is fantastic news! Congratulations!! Please let me know when this gets a release, I'd love to cover it on Synthetix. As you've worked with others, do you have a dream composer or artist you'd love to work with in the future?
I think, it would be Clint Mansell. In my view he is the most talented soundtrack composer ever. He has a very special style to transport strong emotions in form of music. Working together with him one day, would change me forever.

He's certainly come a lonng way from his days in PWEI! It's a testament to the man's talent that he's still creating such stellar work in an entirely different field today.

What is your opinion on vocals in 80s inspired synth music? A lot is purely instrumental, adding to the nature of a soundtrack. I believe it's very, very hard to get vocal track "right". Your new music has excellent use of spoken word samples, but is working with a vocalist something you'd like to do with Alpha Boy?
There are some really good 80's tracks out there with vocals. For example FM Attack - Memorex from the Dreamtic Ep. This track has a very high level of authentic 80's vocals. My opinion: More music like this please

Amen to that! When it's done right there's nothing quite like that authentic experience. The more artists experiment, the greater the rewards I think. Which brings us to the new EP.

The overall sound is much more dark and atmospheric. You've gone to these kinds of places before in previous releases, but this EP definitely takes it to a whole new level for Alpha Boy. Is this a new direction for future Alpha Boy releases or is the Follow Me ep more of an isolated project?
With this Ep, I would like to make a restart and begin a journey with my fans into the universe of the 80's soundtrack feeling. That is why the Ep is called "Follow Me".

I think this darker side works exceptionally well, and I'd like to congratulate you on this new EP, 2012 is looking for good for Alpha Boy already. What do you hope 2012 has in store for Alpha Boy and for the 80s synth scene in general?
I am so happy right now because their are so many artist in the 80's genre out there. So all the fans can listen to a big variety of 80's music. I wish that 2012 more and more people discover this music for themselves especially here in Germany.

Beautifully put! I think the scene is in a very healthy state right now, as you say, theres a lot of diversity, and this is really what keeps everyone interested in the music at the end of the day.

Thanks for your time, Norman. It's been fantastic to get to know the man behind Alpha Boy that bit more, thank you for taking the time to share this small insight into your music. Anything else you'd like pass on?

Finally, I would like to thank my wife for all her support and thanks that I can live my dream. I would like to thank Marco Castagna aka Neosolyt as well especially for his fantastic mastering and his help.

Keep on living the dream Norman! Rock on, brother!


Don't forget, the new EP is due out 21/02/2012 on Alpha Boy's Bandcamp, and please follow him on his soundcloud and Facebook pages for more beautiful music.

Buy ActRazer Now!!!

One of the pioneers in the 80s synth revival is ActRazer, an artist very dear to my heart not only cause he's named after one of my favourite Super Famicom games but because he was one of the first modern artists I heard making this music and his music is still regarded, by myself, as some of the best exponents of the genre.

ActRazer's work is incredibly vital and it was previously almost impossible to collect all his works, especially in any kind of quality. Until now! He's just released all nine of his tracks to bandcamp at the ludicrously low price of $6 for the album. This is MUST have gear!

Buy it hard, buy it now, buy it here!!

Further eventualities of the ActRazer experience can be had on his Facebook and
soundcloud.

Thank you VERY much, ActRazer!

The Synthetix Review: Lazerhawk - Visitors

Lazerhawk's second album entitled Visitors has just landed. A space themed flight of unconstrained proportions that bends time and space itself across the thirteen compositions that make up this album.

It's often said that second albums from artists are evolutionary, not revolutionary. That the sound evolves as the musician does. It's more often the case that an artist re-invents themselves in a revolutionary manner in their third or fourth album, when breaking new ground and expanding their horizons.

Visitors from Lazerhawk is revolutionary. It's sound, aesthetic, mood, production and almost every other facet is a complete revolution in the sound we've been accustomed to on the Redline release from early 2010. I adored Redline and played it front to back, back to front many, many times over the the last year or so, I thought I knew who Lazerhawk was and exactly what he was about, but after having Visitors on repeat for most of today I've experienced a whole new dimension to what constitutes Lazerhawk's work.



From the opening theme we are treated to powerful, emotionally charged sounds. The sky fills with swirling lights and sounds. The atmosphere becomes electric and in a blinding flash we are embarking into the expanse of space. The sheer power of the sound is something to behold, setting the tone perfectly.

One thing that is immediately noticible, right from the first track, is the deliberate and restrained pace of the the experience. Nothing is rushed, songs evolve in their own time. There's no haste, and no rush in taking in all the dimensions of the sounds as they wash over us. We can appreciate the sound because we've been allowed to, I don't know how many times I've heard beautiful hooks or melodies or arrangements that are over just as they begin, having me wish the artist had expanded more on the idea or even repeated it, rather than just move to the next one. Visitor's tracks allow for full contemplation and contentment of every single nuance.

Spread throughout the album are three "Distant Signal" pieces. These excusursions provide narrative, and context in our journey. Often experimental and noticibly different in mood to the main tracks, the Distant Signals add even more depth to the album as a whole and bind the tracks together into a truly thematic sequence; telling a story beyond words and providing brilliant context to the concept. Distant Signal 2 with it's cassette tape bias production and rock laden electric guitar, as if recorded from some distant interplantetary radio station is a work of genius.

Lazerhawk's disco love isn't forgotten on Visitors. Those, like me, who loved the classic 70s disco coloured pieces on Redline will not be left wanting. There is much cosmic disco laden music that shines like the brightest stars in the sky, benefitting greatly from the more atmospheric production that is the nebula holding the the fabric of space together.



There is nothing sterile about the sound on the entire album. It all feels very live and organic, a feat difficult to get right, but the balance is always perfect. The swirling synths and powerfully rich percussion are engineered in a way that envelopes the listener through it's many layers, it's a beauiful soundscape that is as surreal as it is real.

As a soundtrack, I think Visitors is a perfect example of a movie that doesn't need visuals. The journey is complete and the experience is one of total immersion. It's rare for me to listen to an album that is so complete in how it is listened to. My imagination has already created the vignettes to each track. The lovel lorn So Far Away belies a totally different story to the previous Shoulder Of Orion, and takes us into a romantic sidestory which then forms the basis to Distant Signal 03, a transitional piece that then takes us to the action packed Disco Planet. The entire album plays out like this, a masterclass in the idea of the concept album.

I need to make special mention to the track Star Hustler however. A space opera double cross that provides one of the most mindblowing experiences on the album. From the bass line to the absolutely perfect guitar track this is a totally engaging composition that I can't get enough of. The deliberate pace, the layering, the melodies, the contrast of sounds. It's just totally perfect and captivating, and is one of those tracks you can feel yourself coming back to months and years from now to recapture those cosmic feelings.

As a second album Visitors takes massive strides in displaying the diversity and talent of Lazerhawk. This is brilliant exponent of 80s inspired synth flavoured with disco touches and atmospheres beyond our previous conceptions. A truly stellar release that will provide countless journeys through the stratosphere and beyond.

Lazerhawk's Visitors should be bought from his Bandcamp as soon as possible, and please show him some love and appreciation on his Facebook and soundcloud.

The First Release From Countach

Once called Jordan F, Countach is the new identity for the Australian synth soundscape producer. The evoloution of this artist's work is something I've been following ardently and if this first release under the new monicker is anything to go by then then we're definitely in for some great new musical experiences!

This first release is a sensually slow piece entitled Love Theme that brings to mind steamy bedroom scenes, lit with pink neon and venetian blind shadows draped over crumpled white bedding. An exotic, sex fuelled trip indeed.



Countach's soundcloud and Facebook sites will certainly be well worth keeping firmly abreast of.

Alpha Boy Feat. Jowie Schulner: Lost in Space

To continue this week's trend of space synth Monday, please enjoy more cosmicly atmospheric aural delights from Alpha Boy's recent collaboration with Jowie Schulner. Both these artists have been contributing a great amount of music in the scene, and this track shows off the strengths and dimensions of both composers.


Alpha Boy feat. Jowie Schulner - Lost In Space from Alpha Boy on Vimeo.

Both Alpha Boy and Jowie Schulner will be covered in more detail in the future, and on the nearest horizon Synthetix will interviewing Alpha Boy and covering his next release!

Silenx Takes Us To Outerspace

Silenx has been one Portugals greatest musical exports in the synth scene with lots of great originals and some of the most memorable remixes in his portfolio.

His newly released Lunar Landing tracks is beautifully epic piece of gorgeous and spatial space synth.



This track is so deep it creates it's own atmosphere and will draw you into it's spellbindingly magical sound. The perfect way to start the week at Synthetix!

Please follow Silenx on hissoundcloud and support him on Facebook.

New From Lost Years

Sweden's Lost Years has been producing finely constructed 80s inspired synth music that's always dramatic, cinematic and climactic! The body of work from this artists grows on a seemingly daily basis with beautiful new sounds being released to soundcloud regularly.

One of my favourite aspects of Lost Years craftsmanship and process is the releasing of different versions of his tracks before they're finalized. This is a wonderful window into how these symphonies are perfected over time. Prepare for the majesty of Pump V1.



This track in particular is full of gorgeous melodies, stellar percussion and an epic scale that personifies his work. Lost Years was recently featured on the excellent Rimini Grooves Vol.1 Compilation with his track Connections, another perfect example of his work.

A short teaser has also been released for his new track Storm. I can't wait to hear the full version of this.



Lost Years can be followed on his soundcloud and his Facebook page. It's artists like Lost Years that continually deliver nothing but pure love and quality sounds for this genre, please support him!

Lost Years will surely be a regularly featured artist in future installments of Synthetix.

- Tommy -

One of the real goals of Synthetix is to cover the up and coming artists making 80s inspired synth music, and hopefully expose their work to a wider audience. Tommy is one of these such artists.

Tommy is from Beauvais, France and that's about all the information I know. He does however make exceptional music that is packed with 80s spirit and wonder.

Experience this for yourself:



You can follow Tommy on his Facebook page here and you can hear even more Tommy magic on his Soundcloud page.

I wish you all the best for the future, Tommy and hope to cover more of your wonderful music in the future. Keep on rockin.

Welcome to Synthetix

Welcome to my new site where I'll be attempting to cover all the latest and greatest happenings in the synth-wave, dream-wave, 80s soundtrack synth music scene. This has been something I've wanted to do for a couple of years and I believe this blog can provide a home for fans of this music and make the synth scene a bit less fractured.

I'll be posting as many times a week as needed. As soon as I hear something new that is of interest I will be posting here, I won't be waiting to do weekly updates or posts in batches, so please check back frequently.

For Synthetix inaugural post it's rather serendipitous that one of the leading artists in the genre just released a new track mere hours ago. Heading South by Mitch Murder sets the tone and style for Synthetix perfectly and it's an honour to be able to share such high calibre music with you right from the outset.



Mitch Murder is one of the mainstays of the 80s inspired synth scene and is constantly redefining the genre with each and every release.

For those uninitiated with Mitch's work I highly recommend chasing down his two full length albums, Burning Chrome and last year's masterpiece Current Events.

As well as posting newly released tracks on Synthetix I'll also be posting older favourites from new and vintage artists to help fully capture and represent the great exponents of this music.

I hope you stick around for this glorious ride into a neon lit nebula of synthesized symphonies and look forward to seeing you again soon.