Synthetix Weekend Update

For those of you unaware, every month I make a new Synthetix.FM Mixtape that goes up on my soundcloud page. These mixes are my personal favourite songs of the previous month and often contain some music I don't get the chance to cover on here. I've just shared the final regular mixes for 2013 and wanted to make a point that these will be the last mixes I do in the Side A and Side B format. I've seen over the years that the Side A often gets double the listens as Side B, so as of 2014 the mixes will be one complete ninety minute experience, possibly with a gap or interlude in between the two mixes.

The final mix for the year will be the 2013 Synthetix.FM UltraMix which will feature all my favourite tracks from this year in one monstrous mega mix of scintillating synth sounds. This will be part of the second Synthetix.FM Year End Synthstravaganza, which will hopefully provide much excitement around the mid December mark before Synthetix.FM closes shop for the holiday break.

For now, I hope you enjoy the latest Synthetix.FM Mixtape and feel free to go back through my soundcloud for any others you may have missed throughout the year.






Lets get rockin with a bevy of beautiful music in the Synthetix Weekend Update!


First up is a hot new funky synth odyssey from Starion. This is absolutely rockin to the max with catchy melodies and a futuristic, spacey atmosphere. Special mention must go to the brilliantly implemented bassline that holds the entire experience together.




The introductory passages to the new Android Automatic track had my interest piqued; wondering what direction this was going to take. The story evolves slowly with a deliberate pace that introduces bewitching melodies and structures with great beauty.




A new rocker for Synthetix.FM is City Project, and his wonderful new track 'Dirty Workout'. The tone and production of this piece creates a gorgeous neon vista of endless night skies, full of both earthbound and cosmic dancing lights. Spectacular in every respect with an epic narrative driving the experience.




Run Vaylor is rockin hard on his new track 'First Contact'. The build is immense with a huge payoff in the way of dramatic melodies and driving percussion. The unrelenting nature of the experience makes for a very exciting journey, complete with otherworldly synth layers bringing the alien theme together perfectly. This track is currently available for FREE download through the player.




The Giallo Disco master himself, Vercetti Technicolor unleashed another odious soundtrack to the cannibalistic tropical nightmare in 'Ferox'. This excursion into the inhuman horrors hiding in the darkest jungle depths is explored spectacularly as haunting synths accent the tribal inspired percussion work.




KFDDA is rockin the dark side of the synth this week too, with his melancholy piece titled 'Dark Answers'. The synthscape is accented superbly by the morose guitar track that adds a wonderful depth to the atmosphere. This track is currently available for FREE download through the link in the player.




A collaboration that came out of nowhere this week and blew my mind is the new track from the beautiful minds of Cougar Synth and Palm Highway Chase with their appropriately named combined venture 'Cougars On The Highway'. This undulating synthscapade is absolutely righteous with it's myriad of synth layers all coalescing into one rockin experience. Even better, it's currently available for FREE download! Be sure to check out Palm Highway Chases other release this week, Vangelis Gravity for even avant garde synth gold.




The debut EP from Orax was just released by Future City Records and it is a glorious synth journey that is as rich in beauty as it is in craftsmanship. Orax's Dreaming EP is delicately started by the wonderfully entrancing piece entitled 'Life'. This is so beautifully arranged and explored that it touches the soul with it's incredibly intimate melodies.  It also introduces the Orax synthscape as one of emotionally driven journey's into the subconscious powers and needs within us all. This motif is continued on the title track which ebbs and flows with the pulse of the universe, contemplating it's existence through melodic excursions inward via the mind's eye.


Many dreams are unexplainable, based on our mind's relating to us that which we can't fully comprehend in waking hours. In 'Memories' is feels like Orax is presenting these kind of theory as upbeat elements are restrained by haunting ghost synths, twisted with a dream-like skew that creates it's own un-reality. The saxophone pieces take this into even more fascinating territory throughout the piece. The 'Unknown Man' adds even more of an air of mystery to our unconscious surrounds as the pulse begins to race through nocturnal obeisance with frenetic melodies guiding the adventure.

Dreaming concludes with the delicate frailty of 'Dawn And Friends' which rouses the spirit in a building, intimate exploration of time, space and our place in it. The final ticking moments signalling the time of dreams has ended, we must now rise to new challenges. Throughout this EP I was drawn into moments and thoughts that were truly uplifting, Orax's grasp on how 80s emotions exist and thrive in music is marvellous to behold.

Synthetix.FM very, very highly recommends The Dreaming EP from Orax. You can pick up a copy through Future Ciry Records' Bandcamp page here, which I hope you do as soon as possible.



Time to rock some quality Italo Disco courtesy of Supervox and his new track 'Nature Of Earth (Version 2)'. I love the energy of this piece, it's full of authentic sounds and is fabricated in a way that explores all possibilities of the melodic elements. I'm a little unsure as to whether this artist is calling himself Super Magic Records or Supervox, so please forgive me if I got this the wrong way around.




Even more golden Italo Disco surfaced in the latest track from Paris76, 'Sandy Dreams'. The combination of modern and vintage elements is kept balanced beautifully as synths are layered in, carefully building to a majestic crescendo or glimmering brilliance.




NFD Music has gone back to school with his latest excursion into the 80s, 'Science Project'. The story is full of teenage inadequacies and those glorious emotions that lead to the memories we'll have with us forever. I love the spoken word piece through the middle that is directly inspired by the John Hughes classics of the day. This is currently available for FREE download.




The new track from Mitch Murder take his trademark style into a softer, plush environment that is luxurious and tactile but driven by melodic intimacy. The structures are finely detailed and exhibit muted colours of 80s pastels against a night snow fall. It's a warming experience in seasonal synthphonies that Mitch Murder intimates most eloquently.




Cobra Copter has proven to be a genuine force to be reckoned with in the 80s inspired synth scene over the last three months. Each week theres a new synth epic shared and each time it's an awesome experience in quality 80s sounds and emotions. 'Rebel Heart' does the Cobra Copter style action synth style spectacularly well with vivid synths pulsing with drama and heroism.




Our final piece for this week's Weekend Update is a totally kick arse video from Maraud. Using a wonderful clutch of talent from the 80s inspired synth scene he's crafted a very 'Drive' inspired video to explore the possibilities of a new camera lens. I know,  the premise is not to be taken too seriously, but one can't deny the perfect marriage of visuals and sounds throughout this piece. I hope this leads to more movies from Maraud in the future featuring our favourite artists.



That does it for another rockin Weekend Update on Synthetix.FM, I'll be back during the week with more hot action from the 80s inspired synth scene. 'Til then, stay 80s and keep on rockin.