In honour of an FM radio station that no longer exists that I used to listen to religiously in the 80s (EON FM) I'm going to call this new section Airborne. Airborne is going to cover the EPs and LPs that I don't have the space to review or doesn't technically meet the criteria for a full Synthetix.FM review but still is well worthy of your attention. The reviews during the week on here are all about the music that moves me and I fall in love with, and I give them the full treatment. The Weekend Updates are for my favourite tracks that have come out through the week and the odd EP, with the new Airborne section it gives me the chance to share more great music with you.
AIRBORNE This Week
Paris76 - Sandy Dreams Debut EP from this promising producer, with great 70s and 80s influences and crossing over a wide range of genres.
Kid Quasar - Mega Drive Another great debut EP, this time taking the 80s in more experimental directions, highly recommended to fans of the Klockhaus brand of soundscapes.
Cheap Talk - Let's Get Electric Lots of great 80s pop sounds given a modern coat of gloss with a dreamy, charming lo-fi aesthetic.
Nightcrawler - Metropolis Debut album from Nightcrawler covers a massive ranges of styles and genres with some marvellous atmospheric pieces and collaborative work.
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SaiR is back with a hot new track 'Leaving Earth'. Smooth and funky sounds jam along with a sumptuous glow and explore deep melodic passages with just a hint of sexiness. Superb arrangements and full of that rockin SaiR magic!
MUSCLE is new rocker on the scene and has created quite a buzz with his track 'Our Bodies In Heat'. Only his second track but he already has a great understanding of 80s sounds and has some excellent progressions that really build up the excitement. Currently available for FREE download, too!
Bixby Snyder's rockin the Valentine's Day spirit with his totally rockin new track 'Moon & Back'. Working with vocal talent Heidi this synth pop gem bridges the 80s pops standards as well as some Italo flavour cast into the mix for more good times. You can purchase this kick arse song here.
Offic3r is rocking some supremely engaging work with his new track 'Close To Harmony'. The foreboding melodies are accented by chilled, emotive leads with deft flourishes of effects highlighting the action. The drama is dangerous and threatens to explode but is held on a tight leash throughout.
A new producer to Synthetix.FM is Infinity Cobra from Austria. He's been sharing his music on soundcloud for about a year and his latest track is rather special. 'A Cyberpunk Story' is very atmospheric in it's synthscape and retains an uncomplicated lightness through it's chapters. The lead refrain is fantastic and becomes a haunting mantra. Available for FREE download currently.
Destroyah is another new producer but definitely demands some attention with his new track 'Neon Knight (1980-14 Mix)'. The music is emotive and very creatively engineered with a stellar variety of sounds creating high points in the synthscape. It's hugely atmospheric and vast while retaining poignant touches of intimacy. Be sure to check out the other tracks on Destroyah's soundcloud too.
More Valentine's themed love, this time from scene legend Sferro with his sensuous track 'Endearment'. Melodies come in and out of focus with a deep embrace and lingering synths form deeply enriching passages. In the spirit of giving Sferro has also made this track a FREE download to celebrate Valentine's Day.
Danger Mode keeps on rockin all the right ways and his latest track although on the short side is totally sweet. 'Burning Rubber' gets back to OutRun basics with a devilishly infectious melody set afire with searing synths and high speed thrills. Marvellous work!
Next up is a track that's sure to divide audiences but is definitely something new for the scene. As I mentioned in last week's Weekend Update, I was wondering where Blokkmonsta would take his 80s journey next and my question has been answered rather vociferously! 'Night Life' is a collaborative piece with Swagbot rockin the synths over aggressive beats and a rap vocal in German that I'm pretty sure isn't a Valentine's Day themed love poem. I'm still on the fence, personally, but it's definitely something new for 80s inspired synth scene that could lead to more exciting music in the future. Also check out Swagbot's killer new solo track 'Natural High' for more rad rockin.
One of the highlights of my listening this week is the totally rockin new track from Waveshaper titled 'Deep Circuits'. This piece is arranged for maximum excitement and engagement and has a lead melody that is k-rad to the max. A marvellous blend of 70s prog and 80s sounds makes for a tonne of aural magic.
Robert Parker is a producer I was only recently made aware of and now I'm trying to catch up as much as possible. His new track, 'Brooklyn Bridge' is a wonderfully atmospheric composition with emotions that run deep and true. Make sure you check out his killer Drive, Sweat, Play release on Bandcamp too!
Pulse 80's new track 'Automation' is sure kick the 80s Electro Rock sounds beautifully. This Dub version is a apparently a B side (as well this Bonus Beats mix) but I'm unsure when the A side will appear. Either way, this track rocks to the max and both pieces are up for FREE download.
Haunting melodies are the order of the day for Kruiser's new track 'Childhood'. There is a palpable air of melancholy about this piece, but perhaps it's this affectionate memory of times in our youth that are sure to bring a tear to our eyes. Emotionally driven and crafted with much beauty, this is a riveting experience. Kruiser's very new to the scene, but I'm certainly looking forward to hearing more from him.
Keeping things melancholic with a bit more of a pop angle is Decades/Failures new gem 'February 14th'. The distorted Joy Division-esque vocals tell a tale of broken hearts and the emotional mess left behind after the romance has gone. The sweet synth melodies are full of 80s homage and make for a great counterpoint to the much more raw vocals. This song is currently available for FREE download.
Miami Beach Force are having a bit of Valentine's sadness too in their new track 'The End'. Morose and moody melody build with powerful rhythms pounding unforgivingly. The searing lead synth is beautiful and fragile as it climbs higher and higher into the nothingness above.
Bringing back some romance to fix our broken hearts is the rad new collaboration between Femmepop and Timecop 1983. 'Our Time' is a fantastic modern take on 80s pop sounds with sweetly passionate vocals and synth melodies that smoulder great beauty. You can pick up a copy of this song on Bandcamp here, and you can also watch the official video for 'Our Time' here.
The final piece for this week's Weekend Update comes to us from synthwave auteur extraordinaire Neros77 and his video from Palm Highway Chase's 'Atari Prime'. His source material is one of my favourite 80s ads and befits the music to perfection! I'll be reviewing Palm Highway Chase's Arpnet album on Synthetix.FM next week, so enjoy this candy flavoured taster until then.
That does us for this week's Weekend Update, I'll be back during the week with more of the raddest tunes from the 80s inspired synth scene, 'til then stay 80s and keep on rockin.
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