Synthetix Weekend Update

Moving into our Halloween Week Weekend Update on Synthetix.FM we find lots of ghoulish gems from the 80s inspired synth scene rising from their cold tombs with an insatiable lust for blood.

The Synthetix.FM Rhythm Vivisection Halloween Mixtape will be unleashed on Wednesday the 30th of October (this is Australian time, mind, it'll be the 29th in the U.S and EU) in time to hopefully be used as part of your soundtracks at your Halloween events. This mixtape is going to be epic in length and diversity, so prepare yourself now for the ensuing brutality.

A new radio show has cropped up covering some of the 80s inspired synth producers going by the name of Radio Pure Gently. In the current episode they spend some time with Berndsen and Le Chat Et La Fille among other artists, get on their feed on Radio Pure Gently site here.

In other radio show related news I was honoured to be a guest on KFAI's Synth Waves show this past week. Myself and Noah 'BenniMushu' Kaufman had a marvellous time discussing music and the scene and playing some killer tunes. You can listen to this broadcast on the Synth Waves site here. I'm also very pleased to confirm that I'll be appearing on Synth Waves once a month with an ongoing segment called 'Rick's Picks' where I'll present three of my favourite tracks from recent releases as well as some gems from the distant and not so distant past. This should be lots of fun and I'd like to thank Noah for this kick arse opportunity.

The radio show action keeps on rockin with  Beyond Synth interviewing Dana Jean Phoenix this week. It's a great interview that gives us a much more detailled picture of Dana as an artist in her own right with her prolific work in many areas of vocal performance. Check out Andy Last's chat with Dana Jean Phoenix here.

Time to open the heavens and cast down the armageddon fury from beyond reality with the new Synthetix Weekend Update on Synthetix.FM!


Kicking things out into the stratosphere is the incredibly beautiful new track from RF Extreme. 'Lighter Than Air' is a gorgeous piece of wistfully engaging synth romance, that speaks volumes in soft tones that build to a victorious finale. RF Extreme's craftsmanship in building an experience is so poignantly displayed in every second of this piece, it's a truly rapturous journey.




Not wanting to leave the mood of 'Lighter Than Air', the next track continues the beauty with Time/Switch's 'Silent Running'. This is my first experience of the of Time/Switch synthscape and I must say it's a rockin on. Smooth melodies and a wonderfully well explored narrative make for a very alluring musical journey. This track is available to own at a 'name-your-own-price point too.




Cobra Copter keeps on rockin hard and his new track 'Vegas Nights' combines beauty and action with a funky streetwise lead melody that means business. The Cobra Copter experience is always an exciting one and 'Vegas Nights' definitely reinforces this from beginning to end.




Jupiter Gang have been one of my favourite electro funk producers for the last couple of years, but sometimes it's a long time in between drinks with their music so when a new track is released it's always a red letter day. With the Gang's new track, 'Nostalgy' we get tonnes of rockin funk action packaged in a jazzy 80s format that flows with infectious rhythms and sublime homages to vintage sounds. It does finish a tad abruptly, but as it's available to buy I'm assuming this was the artists intention.




I'd previously covered the spectacular Highway Superstar remix of Peter Robinson's 'Why'd You Go And Break My Heart' and now we have the pleasure of getting the original plus an array of other hot remixes in it's full release. The original mix is absolutely charming with the spectacular vocals performed by Cheryl James combining with Peter Robinsons authentic synth work. There is a winsome air about this original vision that feels very authentic and is then taken in new directions in the remixes.



And what a line up of remixes there are!! Such a rockin original definitely deserves this amount of reimaginings and we're left with very few possibilities unrealised. A total of eight remixes take this song into modern and vintage retellings via the talents of  Highway Superstar, Pelifics, Vincenzo Salvia, Dallas Campbell, Peter Ellis, Shint, Mental Minority and Evanton. Theres disco, funk, house, italo and some even harder edges of the musical spectrum explored. The fact that all of these remixes rock is a testament to how kick arse the original song is and makes this single a must-have purchase for every fan of quality 80s synth pop sounds.


More new blood for Synthetix.FM, this time a producer using the monicker Neon Rebel. From his soundcloud it looks like he's just beginning his 80s musical journey but his sounds are definitely rockin already. 'Renegade' is a darker piece that canters at a slowed down OutRun pace and brings equal portions of action and drama. The length of the track allows for full exploration of the ideas and is sure sign that Neon Rebel will have many more intriguing stories to tell in the future. Many thanks to Corey Benedict for enlightening me to this producer.




Russia's Pulse 80 has graced us with another shining gem of vintage synth love 'Cruise Along The Night Coast'. The mood is calm and relaxing with a languid nature to the synths that intimates the freshness of he coastal breeze and the slow rise and fall of the rolling currents. Beautiful work again from this producer, who has also allowed this track to be available for FREE download.




Another new act on the scene is a duo from Sweden calling themselves 'Miami Beach Force'. Their music definitely likes rock with high energy as their latest track 'Highway Chase' is unrelenting in it's speed and intensity. The drama is kept high and the synths refuse to give any quarter as the ultimate fate for the hunter and the prey explodes in an orgy of neon violence.

 

The new track from Foreign Blade certainly moves into darker reaches of government cover ups and all manner of covert operations in 'Cybernetic Implant Installation Procedure'.  Melodies are cool and aloof with a highly detailled percussive track sharpening the focus. The mood is restrained, yet the threat of forces beyond our control never seem far away throughout this track. This is currently available for FREE download too.




Next up is the hot new EP from NightStop succinctly titled Fuel. Across the three pieces on this release we get to experience NightStop's take on 80s sounds via 'L.A. Heat', 'Fuel' and 'Harrison Ford'. The sounds are a combination of OutRun and italo flavours with a penchant for the dramatic and a flair for the epic as each of the three compositions are separated into new visions and ideas. Each track rocks hard, and as an even more radical bonus you can purchase this release on my favourite format: cassette! Get your copy of this asap through the link in the player below.



More new blood is ready flow as the Synthetix Weekend Update ventures into more salaciously erotic territory with the new track from Charlez Bronson beautifully titled 'Future Tits'. I'm not pulling any punches when I say the visionary video they've created for this video is supplying much of the magic, but as a two pronged attack on the senses the visual and audio combines into a highly exciting mix of old and new. Be sure to follow these rockers on their soundcloud page here for more rad action.


Future Tits ( . )( . )( . ) from Charlez Bronson on Vimeo.



To finish of this week's Weekend Update is gives me great pleasure to be able to share the brand new Neros77 video for Lazerhawk's Skull + Shark track. The master editor has spliced together visions from Jaws and The Fog to create a new nightmare that is full of spine tingling moments and night terrors. The result is the perfect companion to the title track from Lazerhawk's new album. Keep all the lights on in this one, you never know whats hiding in the shadows.






That does us for this week's Weekend Update on Synthetix.FM. I'll be back during the week with lots more rockin action from the 80s inspired synth scene, providing more soundtracks to your darkest nightmares.

'Til then, stay 80s and keep on rockin.