Monday, April 30, 2012

A Combined Effort Produces A Glorious Mirage

80s synth maestros Lueur Verte and Perturbator have released their first collaborative effort aptly titled Mirage. Both of these artists have created some incredible music in their own right, I've covered Perturbator on the blog previously, and will be covering Lueur Verte in a future post, but this combined work is a tour de force of expansively cinematic brilliance.



To describe Mirage as moody and dark is like calling a tsunami a high tide. The music works and builds in deep and morose directions with danger and mystery around every turn. The guitars elevate the atmosphere even further with scintillating solos that scythe through the darkness. Over this near nine minute epic you'll be lead into realms of pure unhinged digital fear and by it's end you'll be on your knees begging for more.

Mirage is a work of sheer majesty that is hopefully not the last time Perturbator and Lueur Verte work together, and is only a slight hint of what artists can achieve together. Dare we hope to see an 80s inspired synth supergroup sometime in the future? Time will only tell! To follow Lueur Verte on soundcloud click here, and here is his Facebook page. Perturbator can be found here on soundcloud and here on Facebook. Be sure to give them both lots of love and support!

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Synthetix Weekend Update

This past week has seen a monstrous amount of great new releases in the scene that have made this weekend's update even more jam packed! I hope you enjoy this bumper crop of 80s inspired synth music from some of the world's most talented composers of the genre.

Let's kick off with a powerful new track from Starforce. Dreamfuse is the perfect title for this piece; the intro almost metaphysical in it's dreamlike haze. The music continues to build perfectly and eventually plateaus across the tops of the clouds into a bright, sundrenched sky. This is a very impressive next-level-step in Starforce's sound.




We land back on the city streets with Fanateek One's new electro funk masterpiece Weird 1986. I love the production on this due to it's completely smooth sounds. Thus music is like glass. Totally uncomplicated but still rivetting. Laid back, yet full of passion. Fanateek One's jammin on the one out the ying yang with this chart topper.

 


Synthetix stalwart Lost Years is back in action with a new work entitled Escape. I've loved everything Lost Years has ever released to bits, but this lasted release is one of his all time best. Even in this short teaser the breadth of the sounds used and how totally dynamic it all works together is magnficent. The full length cut of this can't arrive soon enough.

 


Something I'm surprised doesn't happen more often in the 80s inspired synth scene is theming tracks based on movies and using dialogue samples from it to complement the music. NeonFlashDrive has done just this in his Colonial Marines compositon. A synth soundtrack channelling quite a bit of John Carpenter, but using a myriad of classic samples from the movie Aliens. This works together perfectly and I hope this kind of thing gets made more of in the future.

 


As we leave the confines of LV-426 lets hit some of the clubs in nearby galaxies on the way home. Sure to be playing is the new anthem Moonshine from Final DJ's. Tauted as their summer jam for 2012 I can't help but be carried away by the beautifully crafted melodies. Yet another great Final DJ's release that channels so many classic vintage sounds.

 


Keeping the energy up we'll next pay a visit to Patrick Baker. This producer 'gets' the 80s like he should and in a new demo enitled Slip Away he works a great vocal in to the perfect 80s synth pop sound. Lovingly made layers of of sounds complement eachother perfectly, reaching a vibrant climax with the shredding guitar solo towards the end. A text book example of how to do the 80s right in 2012. Totally rockin.

 


Lets wind down next with some new Dynatron. Jeppe has set a course for pure thrills and drama in his brand new Aurora Nights track. Over a glorious eight and half minutes the music is a space ride of cosmic synths and galactic melodies. The production works perfectly in creating the vastness of space and keep an infinite horizon directly in our line of sight. Stellar work in every respect.


 


Last, but certainly not least for the week's Weekend Update is a new album teaser from prolific French producer Perturbator. Not inclined to resting his laurels after his superb Night Driving Avenger EP (covered on Synthetix here) he's now released a sampler for his first full lenght album Terror 404. As expected these snippets tease a dark and action packed release of 80s inspired synth music. It's going to be a wild ride, I'm sure, and I can't wait to buckle up and get ready for lift off when this hits. Stay tuned to Synthetix for more details and dates about Terror 404 as they happen.



That does it for this week's Weekend Update. Next week I will be on vacation, so updates may be more sporadic, but posts will be back to normal come next weekend. Till then keep the 80s dream alive and keep on rockin!

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Tuned In To Tommy's Future

As far as artists in the scene with raw gifted talent go there are few as prolific as France's Tommy. It seems I get spoiled by new works from Tommy every week or so and each new listening experience elevates even further than the previous. Finally Tommy's grouped six of his tracks into an EP entitled Tuned In To The Future. As a 'name your price' release on Bandcamp I'd encourage everyone reading this to first listen to the tracks below and then dig as deep as you can!



Thematically this EP is a post apocalyptic nightmare of panic stricken atmosphere in an uncertain future. Tommy's music is purely cinematic and from track to track you will find a new chapter in the story that is truly engaging. All six pieces work together as one experience that tells a tale of excitement, devastation, thrills, rekindled romance and hope.

Tommy's swirling sounds and heartfelt melodies feel like they're hanging by gossamer, threatening to break and collapse at any moment, but somehow they manage to keep things together enough to push on through the mental and emotional barriers to the next part of our story. It's a great understatement to say there's a deeper connection to the music than just 'hearing' them. The music draws you in and each note, each beat, each second you can tangibly experience in a soulfully deep way.

By the end of this EP you'll have been on a rollercoaster ride that will give you long lasting memories. You'll want to revisit these times and places in Tommy's future over and over again. Each time seeing a deeper meaning and experiencing an even more fulfilling journey. As anyone with a passion for this music will understand, this EP isn't something to be taken lightly and demands your attention and rewards you accordingly.

This is definitely the strongest work yet from Tommy in my opinion, maybe this is due to the six tracks outweighing a single release, as it should. But these hand picked vignettes work so beautifully well together that it widens the horizons to contemplate what Tommy could offer in a full length album, which as an eventuality I do hope happens soon.

To purchase your own copy of Tuned In To The Future please visit Tommy's Bandcamp page here. Also please support Tommy on his soundcloud and Facebook pages too.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

An Introvolution To Sgreyes

Russia's Quasars have been making immaculate 80s inspired synth music for a while now and are one of my favourite acts in the scene due to their consistently authentic releases of aural 80s love. A new side project from Sergey of the Quasars is Sgreyes. With only one track released so far this project is already sounding totally rad.



A dash of French Touch and heaping helpings of pefectly honed 80s sounds and melodies results in one amazing piece of music. This Introvolution is definitely a promising start to this project of Sergey's and I for one can't wait to hear more synth magic from this talented producer.

Make sure you give Sgreyes all your lovin' on his soundcloud here and with any luck we'll have more of his work on Synthetix soon.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Driving With DreamWave Dave

Apart from reminding me of one of my favourite GPK stickers, DreamWave Dave is also a glorious reminder of how beautiful 80s synth music is. This 28 year old resident of LA is creating some delectably delicious synth-magic that is a genuine aural treat.



Dave's sounds and melodies check all the rockin' boxes on the list for making authentic 80s sounds, you can hear and feel the love for those golden times in each of his compostions. Driving The Night Away is a suite of three parts that go together into one thematic experience perfectly. The climax of which is absolutely scintillating.

Although just starting out, it's artists like DreamWave Dave who I really like to promote, to help them reach a wider audience and hopefully get more support. Be sure to give him all your 80s love on his soundcloud here.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Digital Native Dance Electrifies!

I always love discovering new producers with creativity and massive amounts of love for 80s music and such is the case with Tom Welsh's solo project: Digital Native Dance. The beautiful craftsmanship in all his compositions is no more apparent than his latest piece Bal Harbour Shakedown.



This is a textbook example of 80s perfection in writing, sounds and total execution. The cinematic intro sets the scene for an onslaught of fast paced synth rhythms; laced with gleaming layers of classically tuned 80s sounds and adding a final polish is the guitar riffs. Such excellent uses of melody and accents make this track work like a magic act; full of showmanship, precision and excitement. This is but only one of the opus's on Digital Native Dance's soundcloud. All his original works are rife with action, drama, suspense and flourish of pure 80s colour.

Make sure you give Digital Native Dance much love on his soundcloud here, hopefully we'll be granted even more totally kick arse music from this gifted artist soon.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Synthetix Weekend Update

Another week packed with great quality sounds from the 80s inspired synth scene has made for an action packed Weekend Update.

Elite maestro Richi Summers came to my attention this week with his supremely amazing song: Gladiators of Love. A superb mix of space italo disco complete with a robotic vocal track. Special mention must go to the disco hi-hats in this, totally rockin.




Some exciting new Camille R surface this week too, a very ambient synthstrumnetal piece entitled $tilknocks. I'm unsure as to whether this is a teaser or experimental compostion. Either way it's a beautiful work from one of my favourite artists.




Synthpop master Mirror Kisses released the powerfully epic Takeover this week. A really deep composition of gorgeous 80s sounds and the best bassline I've heard for a long time. Hoping for a 5-6 minute extended mix of this at some stage.




Klockhaus has been spoiling us with some incredible music of late and this is magnified tenfold in his latest track Brainchild. The swell of the melodies and the soundscape he creates in this is utterly gorgeous. Incredible music.




Another gifted producer, Thomas Barrandon, gave us a beautifully crafted piece of space synth wonder with his latest Absolute Magnitude. An interstellar delight that begins with the perfect intro and then builds and builds into a work of great majesty. An epic journey to say the least.




The final piece in this week's Weekend Update continues our journey through the cosmos with Dynatron's Space Operator. Peppered with samples from astronauts the music is packed with drama and spatial orbits around heavenly bodies. Very classy space synth indeeed.




Thanks for sharing another Weekend Update with me on Synthetix. Next week has some surprises in store as well a new EP release from Tommy and my long overdue review of Miami Nights 1984's most recent album. Till then, keep on rockin!

Thursday, April 12, 2012

The Retrological Future Of DJ Ten

DJ Ten has just put out his Retrological LP. This record is a concerted attempt to bring classic 80s style to modern music. After being disenfranchised with current electronic music DJ Ten began a one man crusade to bring the 80s to a new audience, one which I applaude, of course. The Retrological LP spans many diverse sounds and influences from the 80s and each track offers the listener a new adventure in the classic-new and modern-past.



Early 90s club sounds make up the album too, especially in the use of vocals, but the 80s vibe shines through with some of absolutely killer synth rhythms, stabbing melodies and sublime percussion. There is a definite mood and energy about the whole album, something that courses through tracks like Beat Street 2012 and Freak-Bots On The Dancefloor, but is also present in more diversionary tracks like Brighter Shades of Darkness. Some elements I don't think work as well as others, but this more nitpicking on my behalf than anything that should prevent you from giving the album your time.

But this is the magic of DJ Ten's album. It's a genuine mix of classic sounds that you'd normally not hear together, but somehow it just works. My personal recommendation is to pick up the Deluxe version of the album as the two bonus track are very worthwhile indeed. One thing I can guarantee is that you'll not hear an album like Retrological any time soon, or perhaps ever again. It is definitely it's own master and this point alone makes the record a very recommended Synthetix experience.

Get your copy of Retrological on his official Bandcamp page or on iTunes and be sure to keep up with all things Retrological on his Facebook and soundcloud.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

7he Myriads Cosmic Adventure In Antares

I love 7he Myriads. I remembering hearing them for the first time a few years ago and instantly falling in rapturous love with their sound. Tracks like French Wind, Starlight and Number One have been mainstays of in my "most favourite" compilations for a long time and I keep going back to their music time and time again. Only recently I'd given up on ever hearing anything new from them, like a lot of 80s inspired bands from a few years back that have since moved on, but I could barely contain my elation at finding them on soundcloud and then experiencing their new EP.



7he Myriads' Antares EP is an entirely beautiful three track affair of space synth disco combined with a healthy dose of prog rock that blends together into one incredible sound. Guitar solos soar over synths while the natural and electronic drum sounds provide even more lushness to the ambience. Hopefully this EP is a sign that 7he Myriads are back in full swing and will be rocking harder than ever.

Be sure to show your love and support of them on their soundcloud page.

Monday, April 9, 2012

A Blockbuster For Alpha Boy

Hot on the heels of Alpha Boy's Follow Me EP comes his brand new full length album: Blockbuster. A perfectly apt title for this record too as it's one powerhouse of classic 80s synth and electro that has been crafted to perfection. This album not only includes the four pieces from Follow Me but also eight new compositions and on top of this two collaborative works with Jowie Schulner and Noir Deco. To say this is an action packed album is a huge understatement, Blockbuster is a monumental release that cements Alpha Boy as one of the scene's most valuable producers.



The most interesting aspects of this album are how well Alpha Boy has taken on more styles that are definitively 80s in sound but are also weaved with his own signature production qualities and sounds. The results make for a story that begins with with the Follow Me EP and then takes the listener on even more action packed adventures. From the neon crispness of Glow Flash to the drama filled Lightstorm the opening chapters of Blockbuster are massively entertaining. Experimental sounds and instrumentation highlight Alpha Boy's talents perfectly, and give purpose and space to the previously experienced tracks from Follow Me.

Onward through the experience the soundscapes change from vibrant italo, through to melancholy soundtrack style ambient pieces through to massive vistas of majestic and powerfully and emotive synth mastery. The inclusion of historical news soundbites give more than enough verbosity to the instrumental compositions, making a tangible time and place to where the listener is throughout the journey.

The third act of Blockbuster ups the ante even further through swirling visions of the past with modern arrangements from the future. It's an exhaustively exciting ride with each new composition complementing the previous track while at the same time opening the door for the next. I'd find it hard to single out individual tracks as they all work so well together and work superbly as a whole of many parts.

It is a complete opus and this album goes great lengths to show how well 80s inspired synth music works as complete album. I'd say this is a true concept album in the respect that it's many moods and dimensions are all tied together in a way that makes the listener want to listen to it again and again from start to finish. Just like a great movie that you've seen once, and can't wait to watch it again from beginning to end; to relive the experience all over again and delve deeper into what we are presented with. In this way especially Blockbuster will give you many, many hours of purely elevating entertainment and will inspire much wonder and joy with each and every listen.

Buy your copy of Blockbuster on Alpha Boy's Bandcamp page here from the 10th of April. As always make sure you give Alpha Boy lots of love on soundcloud and Facebook too.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Synthetix Weekend Update

As Easter washes it's chocolaty goodness over all of us lets up rock it to some of the musical highlights released this past week.

Let's begin with a truly atmospheric and cinematic piece from famed synth produced Pyramid. A-Void Me is a slowly evolving and expanding galaxy of sound, the sparseness of the spatial echoes and almost organic melodies are a joy to behold.




Ukraine's Andy Fink is getting some seriously kick arse music in his repertoire and his latest teaser for his new EP is a wild 80s style synthphony of vibrant sounds. This EP is going to be something special indeed.




Synthetix favourite Horror Machine put out the beautifully sinister Desire this week. A darkdisco synth piece that is a great example of making a melody work throughout the whole song and thus make every other sound introduced make all the difference without sacrificing the mood. Wonderful.




Nickee B's been at it again with another instant synth classic. This man's talents in creating perfect 80s style music know no bounds. Testarossa is yet another brilliantly written and produced slice of synth laden goodness. A perfect example, yet again from Nickee B, of what this music is all about.




Another one of my favourite artists; Flash Arnold, has created another work of supreme majesty in his latest outing City Limits. The pitch bending accents on the melodies are truly inspiring and the guitars add an extra layer of totally kick arse sound to the proceedings. Flash Arnold once again gets everything perfect.




I'd like to preface this last part of this week's Weekend Update by stating I really love Futurecop!. These guys were instrumental in my discovering of new 80s style music and their early EP's are still some of my most listened to and favourite music of the last 5 years or so. However, their seminal piece Starworshipper was reworked on the 2010 release It's Forever, Kids with two vocal tracks that I personally didn't enjoy in any way at all. Futurecop! have now released Starworshipper as a single along with it having their first music video. The real highlight is that two of my favourite 80s synth scene producers Mitch Murder and Jowie Schulner have had their remixes included as well as ones by Lenno and Out There.

The magic spun by both Mitch and Jowie on their remixes is definitely worth revisting Starworshipper once again as they definitely provide some more dimension to the new song's sound.




That does it for another Weekend Update, make sure you tune in to Synthetix next week for coverage of the exciting new Alpha Boy album, the brilliant new EP from 7he Myriads EP and a bunch of other hot rockin action!

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Silenx In Space Love

Silenx has been a very well regarded producer for a couple of years now. Silenx's remix work has garnered much attention, but his strength is definitely in the italo cosmic disco synth original pieces he has released sporadically. Now the Portuguese producer is spoiling us with a four track release on Silhouette Music with two brand new tracks and two previously released pieces.



All four compositions are delightfully entrancing, with grooving basslines, spatial synths and an air of absolute cosmic excitement. The energy Silenx creates is individual and his trademakr sound is recognisable in all his work. If you've not had the pleasure of Silenx's company before this EP will prove to be the perfect introduction and begin a very longterm love affair with his beautiful music.

Be sure to pick up this EP when it's released on April 9, visit Silhouette Music's site here and be sure to give Silenx lots of love on his soundcloud and Facebook pages.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Jordan F's Abandoned Streets

Australia's own Jordan F has put out a new experience in 80s inspired synth music in Abandoned Streets. I say experience in it's most definitive meaning as this trilogy of works traverses realms of vision and adventure over the course of it's 10 and a half minutes that seldom, if ever, have been encapsulated so perfectly before.



The original Abandoned Streets was one of my favourite early Jordan F tracks, this reimagining of it with no less than two more chapters on the theme is something very special indeed. Each section of the entire composition is strengthened by the previous one and the palapable tension and foreboding atmosphere is at fever pitch by the climax.

There is 'something' that binds all three parts together. Something magical. It's the idea that has been allowed to germinate and grow to it's total fruition into a powerful and forceful experience that is the definition of epic. The ride is fraught with danger, excitement, terror and massive doses of drama; keeping the listener spellbound by the aural magic.

This format works EXCEEDINGLY well as I personally find the 3-4 minute single that is predominantly released only seems to scratch the surface of the melody's and music's potential. This of course is only my personal opinion, but the deep and rewarding experience that Abandoned Streets delivers throughout all it's 10.5 minutes will from this point on be a yardstick by which all other themed EP's of this genre will be compared. Some music suits one format better than others, and much like Short Circuit's Afterburner EP (which I reviewed here) of last year the mere sum of it's parts are exceeded by the whole in a magnificently magical way when multiple compositions are weaved into one experience.

Abandoned Streets is a modern masterpiece of 80s inspired synth music that ushers in a multitude of new possibilities for the entire genre. This is one of those vastly important releases in the life of this young scene that will prove it's worth for years to come. Be sure to to follow more of Jordan F's work on his
soundcloud and Facebook pages and be sure to check back here in the coming days for a direct link to buying your own copy of Abandoned Streets on Bandcamp.

Monday, April 2, 2012

A Midnight Run With Laserama

Laserama has been one of my favourite artists doing very classically style italo disco. I'm not talking about nu-disco, which I love, but the true mid 80s italo style that was produced in delightfully mammoth amounts. Laserama has captured the spirit and sound of pure italo disco and his new five track EP with racing basslines, sweet melodies and hand-clap accented percussion.



All five tracks have individual personalities that instantly become entrancing. As instrumental pieces all the compositions are fully of character and the rhythms and melodies speak for themselves. Italo is a very energetic style and Laserama's new vision of the genre is supercharged with gigavolt thunderbolts.

Mignight Run is available on iTunes and is also on Bandcamp here. Binalog Productions has done it again with another totally scintillating release,be sure to follow them on soundcloud for even more quality releases.