Mitch Murder's Interceptor

By Rick Shithouse

It only really dawned on me today, while going through my fourth or thereabouts listen of Mitch Murder's new album Interceptor, as to why he's such a stand out talent in 80s inspired synth sounds. This is really because his music isn't 80s inspired at all. Instead it is pure 80s in its make up and essence; you won't find any hallmarks or influences from any modern electronic music or otherwise in the Mitch Murder synthscape and this is one of the facets that is so pure and alluring. Taking authentic 80s sounds from varied styles and genres and combining them in new ways that come across fresh and still authentic is what that Mitch Murder magic is all about.

A new Mitch Murder album is an event. Much like Current Events and before it Burning Chrome the Mitch Murder album experience is an ambrosial pleasure in pure 80s music listening. Interceptor marks the third journey milestone for Mitch Murder and the synthscape created is definitely a natural progression and feels more accomplished in subtle ways that make a big difference.



This. for me as a fan. was a supremely welcome surprise, as in the back of my mind I had a suspicious, nagging feeling that Mitch Murder was in danger of becoming a parody of himself with his music. It wasn't anything I could put my finger on but on some pieces since Current Events I've thought Mitch Murder is trying too hard to sound like Mitch Murder. Now that Interceptor has arrived these suspicions were completely unfounded and this new record takes the Mitch Murder experience in a direction that evolves his music into an effortlessly soulful synth spectacular.

The overall presence of the music is smoother, lighter and ethereal as the classic 80s jazz fusion and library influenced Mitch Murder melodies are taken to a higher ground of nuance and warmth. The familiar tones of 'Saturdays' sets a golden glow, bloomed out sequence of melodies hung by shafts of streaming light. The crispness of the new day air is invigorating and every single element of the synthscape is uplifting; buffeted on warm breezes rich with positivity.

Mitch Murder's music is purely transporting in its capturing of the 80s flavours, keeping the tones pure and honest while exploring them deeply. The inquisitive nature of many of his pieces flit from drama to freeze frame free fall in seconds whilst retaining a flow of molten energy. 'High Performance' personifies these qualities and the boundless depth of the details within each progression illustrates visually and aurally with sharp dexterity all while feeling utterly effortless.

This magical combination of high calibre musicianship that never loses its soul is one of the qualities Mitch Murder has taken into the stratosphere on Interceptor. Melodies are unforced and naturally formed and the drifting elements are choreographed in an unprocessed manner that gives life to the pieces. You feel 'The Touch' and its magical glow in this way and it warms you deeply

A new maturity is felt in the melodies spun by Mitch Murder as the emotions are allowed to dance and illuminate even more than in his prior releases. Although 'Race Day' will be a familiar piece to many fans, the subtleties and richness of notes resonate with feeling eternally. That brand new freshness is an essential part of every Mitch Murder structure and you'll want to revisit that feeling over and over again.

This continues into less well lit sectors in the title track 'Interceptor'. Opting for a slow paced soundtrack   ambiance that opens as many doors as it locks we get to delve into  the longer shadows and feel the burning within. The exceptionally crafted minimalist synthscape has become one of my personal favourite Mitch Murder styles as it allows the melodies to sing their magic in a totally unfettered and free space. Twisting the screws on these elements towards the conclusive (or inconclusive?) final sections gives the darkness the upper hand. A different kind of intensity than much dark synth fare, but certainly no less moving or menacing.

'Snow Crash' creates more lovingly minimalist aural pleasures only this time casting lightness across the palette. Shimmering with a vibrant light and glacial melodies (especially by Mitch Murder's standards) we get to take a slow dive into the sparkling icy powder with leisurely exploration allowing for a full appreciation of the epic vistas of our surrounds.

The beauty of the mountainous countryside gets traded in for urban electro rockin with the exemplary 'Breakazoid'. I always thought the Mitch Murder sounds were the perfect match for classic electro funk breakdance music and this comes off superbly with energy levels high but the groove cut deep. Catchy refrains are milked for all their worth and more subtle expositions ensure that funk is kept rockin hard.

Mitch Murder revisits the timeless allure of the video game arcade next, channelling inspiration from many classic early 90s Japanese video game soundtracks that are then wrapped up in highly polished gloss, while still harkening back with delightful homage to his own early work. The triumphant tones of 'Thanks For Playing' provides the ultimate theme for your favourite arcade game's credits while you bask in the glory of its electronic defeat.

One piece I'm constantly surprised by on Interceptor is 'In The Fast Lane'. The combination of love-theme intimacy delivered with a jazz funk presentation creates one the purest Mitch Murder experiences I'm yet to hear. The absolutely feather-light synths are like gossamer spun from clouds and the bassline tone is engineered to complimentary perfection. The energy, the flavour, the details; it's all pure Mitch Murder magic.

The tones become even jazzier and livelier in the following track 'Stages'. The classic Japanese 80s jazz fusion sounds get painted all shades of vibrant colours and the interplay between the lead synth melodies and the drum tight rhythm section becomes the essence of 80s excitement. The smoothness of the production gives this an especially prominent 'live' feel and comes across like a jam session of highly trained musicians, feeling the love and energy for their music flowing and weaving wizardry through every element.

The minimalist approach returns with the musically vast 'Nocturne' that plays out as a follow up to 'Interceptor' beautifully. The mood is no longer fraught with darkness and instead sends ethereal Siren's calls, mysterious and inviting but balanced with solemnity. The beauty of this track is bracing and entrancing. The grip holds firmly and the deeper you go in the more fragments of the story you'll discover with a final chapter that is stunningly wondrous.

The mystery doesn't end there though as 'Nocturne' is followed up by the deep atmosphere of 'Traces To Nowhere'. Shades of Twin Peaks return and begin to materialise into the synthscape with Mitch Murder allowing the bassline to dictate the action with strings and synths providing deep, rich flavours. The presence in this piece is undeniable and the relaxing soul of the music becomes metaphysical in its shining grandeur, completing the album perfectly.

To say this album is superbly crafted and incredibly rewarding to experience is quite the understatement as everything that makes Mitch Murder's music so wonderful has been developed considerably on all levels throughout Interceptor. The huge variations in sounds span vast amounts of musical space while making every composition intimately personal and you can feel the love and emotion invested by the composer through every beautiful second.

Mad Decent presents Mitch Murder's Interceptor album on iTunes here and it's also available (in my own personal fantasy realised) on double vinyl with a bunch of other kick arse goodies on Mad Decent's site here currently for pre-order. Mitch Murder's Interceptor is a stunning example of how beautiful and imaginative 80s sounds can be and is a bona fide Synthetix Reference Experience. This is the record that will make 2014 a very special year for lovers of the highest quality 80s sounds and will no doubt usher in many new devotees to Mitch Murder's own brand of synthesized musical magic.

Kasia's Secret Diary

By Kasia

Sunday, 1st June, 2014

Timecop 1983 (featuring Dana Jean Phoenix) - Dreams



With you
I feel like I am living in a dream
Everything is possible and everything depends on me
I can do whatever I want 
Only I can set the boundaries 
And only I can break them.
All my wishes and thoughts can come true if I just want it
I feel like your beautiful sounds are giving me magical power 
And letting me finally break all the walls in my head 
I used to be trapped in my mind's limitations
But I am not anymore, and you are the reason 
We all have dreams 
And deep down we know what is best for us
Just believe in yourself and always follow your heart
Time flies..
Door's open...
Away goes the past, it's okay...
You wanna go...
There is no turning back...
The world is yours!



Monday, 24th March, 2014

Mosaik - Sky Fighter



So the fight is ON!
But you know what? 
I am not afraid.
Not at all
Because you are here with me 
And this is our shared fight 
We stand shoulder to shoulder
Me and you... 
Against the world...
Against all odds 
The more I listen to you
The more sure I am that we can win this battle
Together we can defeat the bad things
And we can find the biggest treasure
Happiness and peace.
It's worth fighting for 
Keep up the spirit and dont give up
We are the best pilots of our lives
We decide where to fly
And no matter how far away we are
We can always change direction
We are skyfighters!




Sunday, 8th December, 2013

Robert Parker - Unfinished Symphony



There is something good about unfinished things
You still have a choice 
And you still have the chance to make it the way you want it to be 
Nothing is decided yet 
The options are endless.. you just have to pick a path to follow
There are some sort of mysteries and uncertainties 
Every sound makes me feel more and more excited 
I want to know and I don't want to know how it will end at the same time 
Our story is like an unfinished symphony.
A neverending story
But has it even started yet? 
In case it has, I have to write my own ending
Maybe the stars will give us the answer...

Cluster Buster In Total Terror

By Chris 'Python Blue' Day

As a synthwave musician specialized in darker atmospheres, I already knew many of the big names in the dark synth scene. Oddly enough, however, I hadn't heard much material from Cluster Buster beyond occasional SoundCloud tracks, though I was aware of his presence as a contemporary of musicians like Perturbator, Carpenter Brut, and Dan Terminus.

Then I got a hold of his latest album. Total Terror is an obvious tribute to 80s horror films, made even more clear by the fittingly-edgy artwork for the music that is occasionally even darker. It is not as aggressive as producers like Carpenter Brut or Perturbator, but what it lacks in intensity at times it makes up for in spookiness, effectively keeping Cluster Buster qualified as a dark synth producer.

  

The album begins with the title track, 'Total Terror', which, unlike much synthwave, is extremely convincing for the opening cue for a movie such as Halloween or Friday the 13th. It is a bit short but then it is meant as an intro track, and it's a great incentive to listen to the rest.
After a hanging note 'Total Terror' shifts suddenly to a beat with 'Valentine Bluffs'. Evidently, this is a theme for a Valentine's Day gone wrong, and the minor, somewhat chromatic scale for the melody makes it all the creepier. Bell sounds loom over much of the track, suggesting that this is indeed one screwed up holiday occasion. 'The Bodycount Continues' follows suit. While the title seemed a bit early for the album as a whole, it's still a great track as the mass murder in the story goes on.

While some pitch shifting in synthwave sounds a bit iffy for me, Cluster Buster pulls it off well in the beginning of 'Don't Go Skinny Dipping', successfully giving the track a somewhat creepy vibe, though the track appears to otherwise be a lighter mood. 'Deranged' fits well as the main theme for the serial killer of the tale, a rather creepy melody fitting his state of mind.

The beginning of 'Pierced by Shears' is ridden with flanged sound effects, easily reminding me of the soundtrack to Halloween 5. The rest of the track starts off slow, then suddenly picks up into an unusually fast-paced synthwave track, perfectly representative of pop-themed chase music. Another personal favorite from the album.

'Female Protagonist' starts off with lots of vinyl cracks, and it changes to a driving beat comparing to a rather on-edge female hero a la Sarah Connor. 'Hypovolemic Shock' has a very haunting, atmospheric tone despite the use of drum machines, a description comparing well to the mental state of those still alive in Cluster Buster's narrative. 'Cleaver vs Cleavage', while an interesting pun of a title, is easily one of the darker tracks from the album, with a backing melody remarkably reminiscent of the Halloween theme.

'Axe You a Few Questions' is particularly interesting to me as a soundtrack fan. Some orchestral strings are thrown in, in addition to the usual purely-synthetic sounds, giving a good Psycho-like vibe to the track at times. Definitely something to check out if you want more variety of sounds in your dosage of synthwave.

Gearing up for the 'Showdown', as the name would suggest, is very foreboding, suggesting an impending fight as the killer and his remaining targets prepare themselves for the other. Great preparation/workout music overall.

Evidently, the killer has won for now the title of the next track says, 'He Never Stops'. Another good mid-tempo track with nice synth strings trading places with orchestral strings every so often, all over drum machine-based rhythms.

'Nightmares in a Damaged Brain' is a nice horror track shifting in and out of chromatic melodies, making it fitting for the corrupted dreams of the survivors. Near the end of the story, the police finally begin to get a clue of what's going on with 'Crime Scene', which is perfect soundtrack music for a crime-themed movie or TV show. A rather troubling, cliffhanger of an ending of the album with 'The Dead Next Door' ridden with fuzz guitars and on-edge brass and string instruments.

Overall, this is an amazing piece of work. The mastering is not over compressed like some other dark synth albums but loud enough to be deemed a good adrenalin hit for audiences. The choices of instruments, both synthetic and acoustic in nature, fit very well with the ideas. Definitely something I'd recommend for synthwave fans who prefer its darker side.

Future 80s presents Cluster Buster's Total Terror album on their Bandcamp page here and is very, very highly recommended by Synthetix.FM. There appears to be no physical release at the time of this review, though hopefully that will change soon. This album is simply too good for any fans of noir and horror influenced synthwave sounds to miss.

Synthetix Sundays

Suit up, pack your favourite side arm and lock and load with a powder keg episode of Synthetix Sundays ready to blow you sky high with hollow point rounds of pure 80s energy!

This week's huge show features Marko's conversation with jetset playboy Robert Parker, fresh from making Modern Moves up and down the sexiest coastal destinations in Europe. We also get to hear from Killstarr as Marko goes deep into his Memories with his brand new EP.  

The rockin ain't stoppin there though! Marko's managed to track down Mild Peril to discuss his phenomenal Matter release and also gets down and dirty with previous 100 Followers Or Less feature Powder Slut as the rad-ness turns into madness with ricocheting synth weaponry being unleashed at a thousand rounds a second!

Regular features from Paul Dress2Kill Daly and Quality Time With Shithouse will ensure you'll be kept on the edge of your seat while EXCLUSIVE tracks from Powder Slut, Hide And Sequence and Gost are sure to keep you up all week long!

Synthetix Sundays airs LIVE at this time on Radio Pure Gently wherever you are on the planet and will be available for download on Monday, so be sure to check back here to grab your hot rockin copy of Synthetix Sundays so you can feel that Marko Magic whenever you desire!



Quality Time With Shithouse tracks available for FREE download:

 

Flashback Friday

Savage Streets (1984)

Happy Friday Retroholics, it’s time to dig up another forgotten 80’s film. This week I’ve chosen a revenge flick starring a stunning, tough as nails Linda Blair and features a totally rockin’ soundtrack.

1984’s Savage Streets was written and directed by Danny Steinmann and stars Linda Blair as Brenda, a high school student enjoying a night on the town with her deaf sister Heather, and her girlfriends. After a gang named The Scar’s nearly hits Heather with their car, Brenda and her friends decide to teach them a lesson by stealing and trashing their car a few hours later. Looking to get Brenda and her friends back, The Scar’s gang-rape and brutally beat Brenda’s sister Heather while Brenda is engaged in a shower room fight with a jealous cheerleader. With only days until her best friend Francine’s wedding, Brenda and the girls celebrate at a local bar. The Scar’s show up and force themselves on Francine which causes a bar room brawl, where Francine cuts the face of Jake, the gang leader. Now looking for revenge Jake, the leader of The Scar’s, chases down Francine and throws her off a bridge. When one of the gang members shows up at Heather’s hospital room to confess he was sorry for what he did, Brenda confronts him. He tells her Jake killed Francine. Now fueled by vengeance, Brenda arms herself with a crossbow and sets out to deliver justice for her sister and Francine.

The score is full of suspenseful synths composed by John D’Andrea, and the soundtrack features some awesomely enjoyable tracks performed by John Farnham. An amazing synthwave album to accommodate this film would be Makeup and Vanity Set’s Charles Park Trilogy, which sets the tone for unstoppable vengeance. Certainly an album you don’t want to pass up. So if you’re looking for revenge on that long work week then kick back, grab your crossbow and enjoy some ass kicking vigilance! Till next week, take care and have fun rockers!

Magnum Crockett

AIRBORNE

Kristine - The Deepest Blue

By Shazeb Bhatti



Kristine’s newest EP, 'The Deepest Blue', is probably one of her finest releases yet. I felt as if she really took her work to the next level with this. The EP consists of essentially one track, 'The Deepest Blue' that was then sub-sequentially remixed by a plethora of quality synth artists.

The original track, mastered by Synthetix favorite Highway Superstar, sounds more 80s than a lot of Kristine’s other work. Perhaps it’s the perfectly done synth sound or maybe even her beautifully raspy vocals, but the track sounds straight out of 1983. 'The Deepest Blue' features uplifting synth schemes, an inspired guitar set, and a wonderful vocal progression- the kind that gives you chills if you listen intently enough.

The Miami Knights 1984 remix of 'The Deepest Blue' is also definitely worth taking a look at. The track, unlike remixes in general today, actually builds upon the original and gives it a deeper twist by emphasizing the feel-good synths. Props to Miami Knights because their remix is legitimately well-crafted, and thought out and therefore deserves to be heard!

Buy The Deepest Blue here on iTunes



Alpha Boy - Beverly Hills

By Sam Häggblad

Alpha Boy is back, stronger then ever with his album Beverly Hills. On this release he iis doing all kinds of styles from funk - to more deep thoughtful pieces.You can really hear the passion for the 80's in his tunes, coming across loud and clear. Beverly Hills is a super gem that is crushing down like a burning comet in the midst of summer and Alpha Boy is giving you a perfect balance between uptempo party rockers and some more ”get into” romantic stuff. I really have to applaud Alpha Boy for the production on this album which is super good. 

'Deadline' kicks off the album with a cozy bassline. A really slick ambient track. Definitely an evening track that gets you in a great mood and then is followed by 'Refreshing', this track is perfect for a day with your boombox at the beach, or if you want to boost your ego a little bit while walking down the strip with your walkman. It has the perfect summer vibe and groove we all love so much. A really rocking drumbeat, with a great bassline and smooth keyboards on top. One of the best summer hits so far this year. The saxophone just makes it top notch.

 Get on your bikes and ride with 'BMX ’83'! This is a really slow, romantic track. Great for relaxation as the lead saxophone works together with the piano and makes for the perfect lobster dinner song! Love it! Now I just want to throw myself out of that stargate! 'Daily News' starts off with a slow keyboard intro but a snare fill takes you right into one of those hopeful ”you can do it” feelings. Love the lead keyboards on this one. Once again, a great bassline that takes you to an arpeggiated climax at the end!

Once again Alpha Boy shows that he can master the funk grand style on track five: 'Talkman'! A real fat bassline with a great groove. That saxophone just makes you fall in love with this track. 'Harbour Transactions' is a really groovy ambient track that puts me in the Axel F mood. Once again superb bass and saxophone, and I can’t help myself falling in love with those lush e-pianos over and over. Super! One of my favorites on the album is 'Department'. As a drummer i can’t help falling in love with the beats and that ”in your face” snare! It has this awesome ”Lets do it!” feel, with really smooth keyboards on top. The final track 'The End' is a good closer that sums up everything thats good on the album, great drums, great lush keyboards on top and some real groovy bass and saxophone.

A favourite aspect of this EP  from my point of view is production, since i think its so accurate and 80s sounding. I think everybody who knows me knows Im a sucker for that true old 80s mixing sound, (as a refference go check every italo track produced beetween 84 -85). And its hard to walk that fine line, not falling in the gimmick or tribute spot when staying true to the sounds we love. Thats why I think its so important to evolve those sounds at the same time. Ill be completely honest with you, it's bloody hard work to get a mix sound fresh and not mouldy and at the same time retro rocking. Thats exactly what Alpha Boy is doing to perfection on this album. 

It's so fresh and the high-end frequencys sounds so good. Usually with some releases like this I get fed up with too much high-end in the mix that's just there to make stuff glossy. Not at all with this release, it's just perfect. The amount of high-end just blends in with the low-end perfectly making those low-edge basses etc come forward and sound really crisp and strong. Alpha Boy has really set a new 

mixing and mastering standard in the scene which I can only hope more producers will take to heart and keep evolving. Great work Alpha Boy!

To sum it all up, a must have for all you fans of summer-party, vice styled synthpop! Go check it out, and you will be in for a long hot summer this year, top notch stuff.




Wizard Lady Bros - Stay Sexy EP

By Rick Shithouse



A really kick arse surprise I discovered recently was the auspiciously titled The Wizard Lady Bros and their Stay Sexy EP. This combination of vintage and modern sounds combined with really rockin songwriting and arrangements have made for a great little EP that goes into the quirky sides of 80s sounds with relish. The synth pop stylings have driving funk behind them courtesy of the guitars and basslines with the opening track 'Human Jeans' being smooth as silk. The falsetto vocals are delicate and characterised beautifully throughout the EP and take on a vastly entertaining aspect in the epicly catchy anthem 'The Bros'.

The title track, 'Stay Sexy' bring in more drama and night moods as synths become sultrier and the temperatures rise totally rockin guitars reminiscent of an 80s classic that is on the tip of my tongue but refuses to come to mind. Definitely the highlight of the EP, this track is gentle when it needs to be and a sexual powerhouse at just the right times for maximum enjoyment when the chorus brings on sequential climaxes. The final track is the galloping synth beauty of 'Foxy Mulder' that creates tension and intrigue in a heartfelt homage to the X-Files.

I'm really taken by The Wizard Lady Bros reinvention of 80s sounds and the instruments used. The songs a arranged magnificently well, which makes me think they (or he) has been writing musical for quite a while and this is not their/his first release. I hope the journey into 80s sounds continues for The Wizard Lady Bros as this EP is totally rad and leaves the door open for all kinds of 80s destinations in the future.



Robert Parker - Modern Moves EP

By Edward Kidd



I think Robert Parker’s mind inhabits the same 80s world as mine; a place where everyone is lounging on a beach in a white linen suit and pink pastel t-shirt, smoking a cigar, sipping a mojito and enjoying the smooth sound of a DX7 electric piano.

80s inspired Swedish producer, Robert Parker’s new 5 track EP, Modern Moves, takes you just that bit closer to this world, inviting you to sit back and let the synth waves wash over you.

Released on the effortlessly cool Future City Records, Modern Moves opens with a mid-tempo driving track, cryptically titled Velour Virtues. Apparently ‘velour’ is a kind of knitted fabric? Was velour big in the 80s? Is Parker some kind of 80s knit-wear aficionado?

'Velour Virtues' opens with a big bass-line pushing it forward, and a funky picking guitar gluing it together. Cool hand-claps, disco toms and a silky DX7 electric piano breakdown take this track home to a big synth-lead solo finale.

'Velour Virtues' is a strong opening track that establishes a palette of sounds and production values Parker keeps consistent with the next cool instrumental, 'Bayside Boogie'. The groove gets going with a nice quick-paced picking muted guitar, synth pads and thick bass. A sweet saxophone riffs over the top with a very catchy melody, proving Parker’s skills as a composer, as well as producer.

Next up, sharing its title with the EP, is 'Modern Moves'. Again, Parker uses discoey drums and Nile Rodgers-esque synth guitars to underpin big synth-lead solos that demand attention. This is very much travelling music in my mind. There’s a real sense of journey and adventure in this track, and Parker knows how to keep things moving, evolving and driving forward harmonically and structurally.

The penultimate track, 'Phaser Peril', introduces an arpeggiating synth, and more lush leads. Using bass to create suspense, this track concludes with a synth brass melody that again, evokes a late disco feel.

Parker brings Modern Moves to a close with a slow-jam that happens to be the highlight of the EP for me. Sunset Stroll opens with a silky beat and warm synth pads that blend with funky palm guitars, synth strings and a jazzy electric piano that’s so smooth and relaxing, you might be in danger of falling asleep at the wheel of your Ferrari.

The late disco sounds and authentic early 80s grooves in Modern Moves, make this a highly recommended summer must for boys and babes looking to blast their boom-boxes on the beach.

Kasia's Secret Diary

By Kasia

Monday, 14th July, 2014

Le Cassette - Electric Paradise



I know everybody talks about you
I know that you are everywhere
I know that I should probably concentrate on somebody else
But how can I do this if I think about you all the time?
How can I pretend that you are not there?
I wouldn't be myself if I did not try to talk to you and tell you how I feel about you.
I have nothing to lose. If you never try you will never know
And what I know for sure is that you're giving me everything I need and more!!
I don't remember how long I was waiting for you but it was worth it
Me and you - perfect match ! 
I'm lost in your music
I'm lost in your voice
I'm lost in you
My electric paradise.
I don't care who you belong to, because for these 4 minutes and 18 seconds you are only mine.




Friday, 4th April, 2014

Droid Bishop - Moonrunner



I feel like I'm living at the edge of the world
There is nothing in front of me
Just dark space full of amazing sounds
The more I try to catch them, the more they run away 
Letting me chase them around
Even though I know I will never be able to touch them, I feel simply happy
An indescribable feeling, one of the moments worth living for
It's so unique that I never want to forget about it
It doesn't matter how far away you are 
I will keep searching for you throughout space because I am a Moonrunner
And even though I might not find you
You will always be in my heart 
And I will never stop trying.


Tuesday, 10th December, 2013

Bestrack - Sparkle



Choices, choices, choices. It's all about them
10000 choices to make every single day
What to eat?
What to wear?
Where to go?
But I am old enough to make my own decisions!
I do not wanna have a boring life!
I do not wanna be unhappy!
I do not wanna let other people decide whats good for me!
But... I do want to have YOU in my life! 
Why?
Because with you I am finally myself!
Yes! 
Your magical sounds give me the energy to change the surrounding reality
No risk, no fun!
So let's do it! 
Let's finally be happy! 
Together!

A Matter Of Mild Peril

By Jazzi Marzcat

Tales of chivalrous knights, mystical swords, epic battles, timeless love and transcending magical spells, can all be found in the latest album by Mild Peril, called Matter. I first discovered Mild Peril, (a.k.a Chris Gilbert), with his synthwave covers of the Game of Thrones theme song, called "Throne of Swords", and 'Throne of Swords (Red Wedding Dance'. Being a fan of the show, it was hard not to fall in love with Mild Peril. The covers kept true to the melody of the theme song, composed a sense of darkness and danger with deep bass lines, thunderous drums, and best of all, featured the metallic clanging samples of striking swords. I mean how cool is that?!

Mild Peril also has released a number of EP's. Some contain earlier works, and demos. Body Party is an EP full of smashing dance beats, dedicated to the Endurance night club. Four EP's contain lengthy improvised, minimally edited, and sometimes even live performances of synthesized cosmic journeys into the unknown, appropriately named, Unknown Zones. All are available on Bandcamp and can be found here, (including a cassette offering of Unknown Zones).

For the album Matter, the title itself takes on a lot meaning in describing the inspiration for the music that follows. As Chris states on the Bandcamp description, " -the title of the album references medieval legend and story cycles, i.e. ‘the Matter of Britain’." Upon looking this up for more understanding behind the inspiration, I discovered the term was created by a french poet Jean Bodel in the 12th Century to describe the mythical tales of medieval literature, not only in Britain, but also from France, and Rome. With all that history and literature influences, already this album is promising something unique, and a well fleshed out concept.


The opening song 'Paladin's Theme' is an example of this. Paladin is term used to describe the foremost knights of Charlamange's court in the 12th century, not unlike King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table. I found the song to be very exciting, with very catchy melodies, moments of spacey guitar solos, and a Italo Disco beat that makes it impossible to sit still while listening. Keeping with its medieval theme, the song features the sounds of sword clashes, thunder crashing, and horse whinnying. The horse whinnies usually signal that something quite spectacular is about to happen in the song. Just a very fun, and pleasing track to listen to!

On a side note, curious enough, there is a 1983 Italian-made movie about the paladins called Heart and Armour, with a very awesome synthwave soundtrack by David Hughes, (who also composed on C.H.U.D.). This song would fit perfectly in with this movie. (Hint, hint, if anyone might think of making a video for this song, Heart and Armour would be the movie to use!)  )

The Matter continues it's tales of chivalry with the track 'Excalibur'. Starting off with more sword clashes, the song has a distinct beat that sounds familiar to the Men Without Hats song 'The Safety Dance', further instilling the 80s recreation of medieval themes. Although instead of breaking into full dance mode, this song maintains a slower rhythmic beat, with spacey synth melodies and echoing choruses, bringing out the ethereal mysticism of the power to behold of the sword Excalibur. I love how the outro has the last sword clash echo away into the distance, as the tale of Excalibur floats away into the darkness of time.

'The Duel' is an exception on this album, being more of an OutRun track, with a heart racing beat and tension rising arpeggios. I imagined an epic battle between two opponents that are of equal speed, skill, and agility. At one moment, the beat descends volume, as it feels like the opponents are re-sizing one another. The battle continues, until finally, boom! The final blow is struck, and this song's story comes to an end. A very breathtaking track!

'Galatine' offers another fun Italo Disco piece. This time the setting is on a beach, with samples of the the ocean waves rolling, and the seagulls crying. I couldn't help but move myself to the delightful dance beat, and the really catchy and addictive melody. However all is not what it seems. Straight in the middle of the song, a freaky maniacal laughter is heard. A surprise and surrealness that I quite enjoyed!

Staying on the beach, 'Song of the Water' is definitely a song for lovers. The ocean waves continue to roll, as a soft bassline, and percussion, keeps a slow, but seductive rhythm. The soft sounding melody, with a whisper of tubular bells, gently rises towards the middle of the song, where a single spacey synth lead guitar solo takes over. The melody slowly rejoins, greatly increasing in intensity, until a very satisfying crescendo is achieved. A quite pleasurable song indeed!

The album ends with an epic, 17 minute track of spellbinding proportions. 'The Spell' begins off quite innocent, with the sounds of birds chirping. Slowly, the melody winds it's way in, with a addictive bassline that creates a mystical tune that never seems to lose its interest regardless of it's length. Mild Peril has a delightful video on his YouTube channel that showcases the beginning of this song. It begins with showing images of monotonousness daily life, like waiting for an electric kettle to boil. However, a cat runs out of a door, ants wreck havoc on a snail shell, and a butterfly mobile sways in the wind, all giving an indication that there is more to life than meets the human intuition. The video is also titled The Spell of Dingley Dell, further enhancing the mysterious meaning behind the song.

This album is just all together very enjoyable to listen to. Its music is highly imaginative, and has a very well thought out concept of medieval sorcery, with a nod to the cosmic future. Mild Peril has quite the talent to create fascinating electronic music, with addictive beats, and gorgeous melodies that never tire. His use of sound effect samples, such as that as the sword clashes, thunder rolls, church bells, and ocean waves, helps to create mental images, and enhances the music's story telling abilities. It was also recently picked as Synthetix Sunday's Album of the Week for the week of July 13th, 2014, by not only host Marko Maric, but also co-host Corey Benedict as well!

Telefuture Records presents Mild Peril's Matter EP on their Bandcamp page here on digital formats and limited edition cassette and I hereby rate this musical adventure a Synthetix Reference Experience. For a fan of synthwave, this album incorporates enough styles of music to please not only fans of progressive rock, but also fans of OutRun, Dreamwave, and Italo Disco. Accents like the use of medieval sound samples really sets Mild Peril's music apart from the rest of the scene. And for fans of fantasy, science fiction, and mythical legends, (such as myself), it is EPIC!!!

Synthetix Sundays

It's only mere hours until the next instalment of Synthetix Sundays gets set to explode with Marko Maric! The show airs LIVE on Radio Pure Gently at this time and is an unstoppable warmachine on a path for unrequited vengeance with the Dark Lords Of Synths Part 2 lined up in the sights and the trigger ready to squeeze. 

Interviews with Dan Terminus, Cluster Buster, Daniel Deluxe and Ed Harbinger will ensure the grip of terror will be unescapable as the darkness envelopes proceedings entirely! But all has not succumbed to the black arts as regular segments from Paul 'Dress2Kill' Daly and Quality Time With Shithouse shed some lighter 80s powers with swords of synth justice raised to the heavens.

All this rockin is sure to set your world afire and to add even more excitement an extra special exclusive track from Mental Minority scheduled into the programming.

Tune in LIVE here and rock it harder than a melonfarmer, each week and every week!

If you can't make the live show be sure to come back tomorrow for a link to the show that you can download and enjoy in your own time and I'll also be posting the tracks from Quality Time With Shithouse that are available for free download.

On a final note, Sunday the 20th of July marks International Boombox Day and in celebration of this auspicious occasion I've created specially themed mixtape that will be an annual specially themed mixtape, similar to the Halloween, Valentine's and Year End mixtapes I do.

The Stereo Sonic Electro Rockin Mixtape focuses on the funkier electro end of 80s sounds and contains a stellar line up talent from the scene. Rock your own copy of the Stereo Sonic Electro Rockin mixtape with the  download link in the player, full track listing available on the soundcloud page. High res cover art is available here. 

Flashback Friday

Never Too Young to Die (1986)

Happy Friday Retroholics, it's time for another dose of forgotten nostalgia-filled 80's film gems. This weeks choice, suggested by Rick Shithouse himself, stars a pre Full House John Stamos, a cross-dressing Gene Simmons, Robert Englund as a nerdy scientist, and the lovely 80's pop-starlet Vanity. Along with its great synth score and James Bond-esque parody, this film is sure to fulfill your cheesy retro movie desires!

 1986's Never Too Young to Die, directed by Gil Bettman, features John Stamos as Lance Stargrove, a college gymnast who's CIA father Drew Stargrove (George Lazenby) is double-crossed and murdered while on a special-ops mission by Velvet Von Ragner (Gene Simmons), a ruthless drag queen gang leader. Von Ragner has plans to poison the local drinking water with toxic waste with the help of his lead scientist Riley (Robert Englund), but they must acquire a disk that Drew Stargrove died refusing to give the location of.

During a visit to his newly inherited farm, Lance meets his fathers former partner Danja Deerling (Vanity) but they are soon attacked by Von Ragner's leather bound cronies and narrowly escape. Now, with Von Ragner and his ruthless gang hunting them down for information about the disk, Lance must team up with Danja to escape Von Ragner's clutches, avenge his father's murder, and put an end to Von Ragner's sinister plans.

The score to this film was composed by Lennie Niehaus, featuring suspenseful backing synths as well as a handful of obscure but enjoyable pop tracks, including one by Dee Dee Bellson during the steamy Stamos/Vanity love scene. To top it off, Stargrove even has his own rockin' opening theme song. If you're looking for a great accommodating synthwave album, then check out Fantastisizer's most recent EP, Last Call which does an excellent job of creating a suspense filled mystery your synth loving ears can't help but enjoy.

So if you're interested in seeing a gender bending Gene Simmons in leather and lace, or Full House hunk John Stamos mack on "Nasty Girl" Vanity then this film is definitely a train-wreck you don't want to miss!

Until next Friday, have a fun safe week my fellow rockers!

Magnum Crockett

Le Cassette Create Magic When Left To Their Own Devices

By Rick Shithouse

Long awaited releases always seem to mark recognisable progressions in music. Music that was hinted at and barely allowed to glow then shines ever so brilliantly once fully unveiled. Over the last couple of years these glimmers have been witnessed at odd intervals with tracks from Le Cassette making lasting impressions as open threats of a full length album somewhere in the near future made one's imagination buzz with the possibilities.

Le Cassette have been one of my favourite talents of the 'new generation' of 80s synth producers as their aesthetic was an entirely under represented style back in 2012 and, ironically, still is in 2014. This style of the early 80s new romantic synth pop sounds brought to mind the likes of Human League, Simple Minds, ABC and Spandau Ballet all in one. The Le Cassette experience is hugely vocal driven and is incredibly authentic to the classic 80s style and tones. To complement this the songwriting has always been there, in step with the vocals, making for some of the scene's strongest songwriting as balance of homage and modern creativity blended seamlessly.

This brings us to July 2014 and we are finally allowed to experience the entire sum of Le Cassette's parts as one full length LP that leaves no questions to be asked about what the trio of Adam McNab, James Nalepa and Joe Wood have been doing for the last couple of years. The honing of each element has resulted in some of the finest craftsmanship one will experience in an album the makes the 80s sounds vividly fresh and rejuvenated. The range of the music and vocal performance is something special to behold and right from the outset you know you're in for something uncommonly detailed and fine tuned to the nth degree.


This is not to say that this record has become over-produced or become sterile in any of its many facets however. Familiar tracks that have been long time favourites feel fresh and brand new and each piece's context and structure feels carefully placed with loving touches and genuine affection. The opening pieces usher in the Le Cassette elegance with the intro taking us far away from every day mundanity on chrome wings into a new realm of 'Digital Power'. The music has a texture of suppleness and is liquid to touch while McNab's velvet vocals are delivered as an even warmer layer of welcoming comfort.

The soul of the music begins to pulse in wonderfully rendered colours through 'Electric Paradise' as the emotional dexterity of the music and vocal combination characterise the perfect bittersweet pop ballad. The range of McNab's voice continues to astound through this piece and the intimately inquisitive melodies pleadingly ask for some kind of solace.

The spatial limitations of Le Cassette's perceived synthscapes are blown apart in the following instrumental piece that broadens their shapes into electro-fied synth energies, bringing in some 8bit action and even some sax for that jaunty and crisp kiss. The upbeat nature of this piece cleanses the palette perfectly before the epic synth pop majesty of 'Arms Of Mine' makes a return. This is a fantastic song that I've previously voice my unabashed love for on Synthetix.FM but given its new place in the album experience takes on a fresh lustre of magic.

Left To Our Own Devices is all about range and diversity and the unassumingly titled song 'Radio' begins to really give some totally rockin new perspectives on their 80s pop sounds with a track that makes an 'impossible' 80s song a reality. The taking of different elements from different parts of the decade and reassembling them into this utterly breathtaking new experience of what modern iterations of 80s inspirations can be.

Another huge surprise was the vaporwave laced piece that follows titled 'This Is All We Know'. I'm not  exaggerating when I say this track completely does my head in; in the most k-rad way possible. Sounding intentionally like a sample based vaporwave track in an original piece of songwriting and capturing the essence of the genre so well, whilst giving it an immeasurably wider scope just blows my mind. Cliche's like 'game changer' come to mind, but all that matters is it just kicks arse like nobody's business.

Experimentation echoes throughout the rousing 'Here I Am' as universes of sentient life cry out to the deaf heavens before the eventuality crashes the system and the rockin begins in a synth groove cut from   a silken OutRun chequered flag with intensity rising as power levels increase dramatically. The contextual placement of 'You Are, You Are' next is yet another stroke of genius as this new chapter of life's energy begins a voyage of self awareness in a synthesized plane of digital existence.  The soliloquy delivered by McNab is honest and pointed with a glint in each phrase that provides humanity in the face of technology.

Le Cassette get saucy and sassy in their 'Magnifique' track which follows and continues a further expansion into different 80s pop styles as the bubble gum is popped with sweet candy flavours drifting into catchy and sugary synth melodies. It's great to see the depth of Le Cassette given a shallower space to work in and come up with such a shiny, tasty treat.

'Tokyo Blues' is one of the earliest Le Cassette tracks they shared and it is another individual gem that shines with entrancing azures once again. The more stripped back nature of this track gives an intimate and emotionally raw message, a message still as fresh and relevant as it was upon initial release. I do believe the way Le Cassette have built this album and shared the pieces they previously have has been a master stroke of genius. Even though I've heard some of the pieces on here many, many times previously, never once do I feel the need to skip past them to a newer track on repeated listens. I guess the Le Cassette magic burrows deep into one's heart and imagination and once there forever shall remain.

The delightfully rousing '1-UP' features next as a pure spectacle of videogame themed elements join Le Cassette in a celebration of sound. The following piece, 'Tonight' has been a mainstay in one of my favourite circles online in Project Friday where this track has become something of a national anthem. The tone of this track is one of its most attractive features as a futuristic detail is applied to the vocals and synths with an arrangement that crosses decades of influence and inspiration and the 80s stamp becomes just a little less indelible as Le Cassette eye the unknown horizons of the future.

The wave of emotional synth pop magic really crests at an incredibly high point with the second last track on the album, 'I Will Show You'. A later 80s dramatic aesthetic akin to Mike And The Mechanics' 'Living Years' is channeled with a thoughtfully introspective melody telling a story as rich as the vocal performance. The piece is faultless in its integrity and brings even more fresh ideas into Le Cassette's own personal emotional investment in their songwriting.

Left To Our Own Devices finishes with a slow goodbye titled 'Getaway'. The sun dips low on the horizon, and final embraces are relinquished with reverence and poignancy becoming a chorus of unwavering affection. Hands drift apart in slow motion with final memories fading from sight but becoming forever etched into out memories until the point we realise it is already over.

Telefuture Records present Le Cassette's Left To Our Own Devices album on their Bandcamp page here on digital formats as well as currently being available for preorder on CD and cassette. The rare beauty of this album is something you will find in the details and facets of each song. At no point did I think of any track as a weak link or a lesser experience, instead the redefining of their musical styles, inventiveness in songwriting and implementation of vocals in every single track made each experience shine in its own individual way.

Life is breathed into each feature in a very organic manner and even when Le Cassette are being cold; their aura is always warm. Left To Our Own Devices is a high water mark release for 80s inspired synth music and is an unequivocal Synthetix Reference Experience. This is the album you will come back to time and time again as it is as evergreen as it is effervescent. Truly great music is timeless and this record will be one I look forward to revisiting many times in the coming years and feeling that Le Cassette magic anew all over again.

The Return Of Kasia's Secret Diary!

by Kasia

Thursday, 28th November, 2013

Sunglasses Kid featuring Bret Grace - Class Notes



With you everything takes on new meaning
It is a cloudy day but I can look at the sky 
And count all the stars out there
Your music makes the sky so blue
Everything is suddenly crystal clear
I feel like I want to be close to you
I want to have you around
I feel that with you my all dreams can become real!
I want this magical journey full of great sounds and positive vibes to last forever!
I will always follow you no matter where you go !




Wednesday, 14th August, 2013

Valente - The Distant Lights (Anoraak Remix)



If you asked me to choose a track which always brings me hope 
I would choose YOU
Yes you, because every single word of your lyrics 
And every single note of your music lets me believe that no matter how bad things are,
there is always a solution to make things better
And there is always somebody ready to help us 
Even though we usually can not see it 
We are fighting under the same moon
I just love this sentence
And though I know you can't see us 
We are out here
We're all out here 
We are right here
Never give up. 
Never let anybody destroy you or put you down
Always believe in yourself because you are the best thing you have...
You will find what you seek if you just keep swimming towards the distant light




Sunday, 8th June, 2014

Oligee - My Electric Heart



Every single day brings us something new 
A further piece of the future
What I like about this day is that it gave me an opportunity to meet you
My electric heart 
Mmmm I really wanted to write something nice about you
And to describe you with the most beautiful words
But everything that comes to mind seems to not be good enough
You are just a pure listening pleasure
So fascinating...
Dreamy...
And also so different 
So smooth and so unique
Sometimes sad and sometimes so happy
So emotional 
I have so many different visions in my head when I listen to you
It's amazing what music can do to ones mind
Some people have hearts of stone
Some of them I think don't have a heart at all 
And even though I don't know anything about your heart
I know for sure that you have a beautiful and colourul soul 
And I hope that nothing will ever change it!

20SIX Hundred's Player One: A Diverse And Innovative Musical Journey

By Jon Of The Shred

20SIX Hundred's Player One is a release I've been looking forward to for a long time. 20SIX Hundred provided numerous samples and full tracks online before the release, and it certainly built the anticipation amongst the Synthwave community. It was a no-contest for my second choice in album reviews for Synthetix.FM, especially, as a fellow guitarist. The album starts appropriately, as if someone has walked up to an arcade and entered the coin. And so their journey begins.


'First Person' kicks into a rockin' groove, laid back and slightly ominous. As the song progresses more melodic elements continue to be introduced. As a gamer I could see this song starting up after you wait too long on the “Start/Options” screen, when the game gives you a short cinematic/basic story rundown. These were actually quite prevalent in arcade games, obviously, as they stand waiting for the player to join the game.

'Career Mode' starts with a great descending line harkening back to the 8bit/C64 era. The bass is driving, and the melodies infectious and catchy. The song builds a taste of wonderment and awe, as the player begins their journey into pixelated lands to exact pixelated justice on pixelated foes with pixelated weaponry. After soaring to a melodic hook, we are treated to a very trippy section with all kinds of awesome audio effects. It's a wonderful blend of gaming and synth technology, walking the fine line between chiptunes and synthwave without committing fully to either, standing in a unique realm of its own, (or a unique arcade, I should say).

The next track, 'Over World' starts off with quite a mellow groove. The sensual sax is used here with the sex dialed turned up, conjuring images of neon-lit city slums, streets lined with drug peddling derelicts and working girls as fog creeps into the sky out of sewers. Certainly sounds like an interesting over world. The guitar that kicks in takes things up a notch, playing the perfect complimentary notes, and rising in complexity as the track progresses.

 'Hack N' Slash' is up next, with ominous tones taking us from the slummy cities and alleys mentioned before and replacing them with dark forests; housing even darker dungeons, crawling with murderous psychopaths. When the track really kicks into its groove, it hits this Pink Floyd-esque peak that's just mesmerizing  The way the clean, delay-drenched guitar gallops along with all the other musical elements makes this track a very unique and satisfying blend, continuing the trend of new variant of genre exploration in each track. If Pink Floyd had composed the soundtrack to a game about a survival horror slasher game, I imagine THIS is what it would sound like. Phenomenal stuff.

After dodging the blades of slasher foes, it's time to reap the benefits of survival and 'Level Up'. The track starts with ominous, Tangerine Dream-esque drones and sequencing, before going into a more upbeat number, complete with claps to lighten the mood. The ascending chord progression definitely gives the impression of one levelling up. The guitar solo towards the end of the track is another welcome addition of axe work on the album. As I mentioned before, as a guitarists, these are always a highlight for me.

“Vehicular Combat” is a track that slowly builds in cadence before exploding into a driving number that packs punch. Acoustic guitars gallop along with intensity as dark, ominous melodies fill the air above them, the whole track bubbling with tension and drama. The break down is very cinematic, bringing great tension to the table. Any video game would be lucky to have music this badass and well realized in it's soundtrack.

And so it goes, track after track kicking ass and taking names. It's as if each song is a different thematic level of this giant game that is about different kinds of games. 20SIX Hundred has crafted a truly unique, signature sound. Not only does he stand out in the scene as his own entity, but each track on this album offers a diverse take on this signature sound he's crafted and serves it up differently each time, while still maintaining the musical cohesion of a continuing narrative.

20SIX Hundred presents the Player One album on his Bandcamp page here and it truly is quite the accomplishment, both musically and thematically.  Player One is well deserving of the ultimate Synthetix nod of approval (as well as my personal Jon of the Shred nod of approval). This album is a must. It's diverse, fresh, unique, and well realized. This is without a doubt a Synthetix Reference Experience.

Synthetix Sundays: A New Adventure Begins!

As some of you have known, I've been doing a Quality Time With Shithouse segment on Marko Maric's Synthwave Sundays. This has been a lot of fun and in the plans of the new-developments of Synthetix.FM the two of us have now combined forces further and the show is now the official Synthetix.FM radio show; transformed into Synthetix Sundays on Radio Pure Gently!

This episode will be the final one with the Quality Time With Shithouse covering past releases from early days of the 80s inspired synth scene and from next week on Synthetix Sundays will have the content that was previously covered on the Weekend Updates on Synthetix.FM. I'll be presenting the most rockin tunes from the past week and myself and Marko will be adding in all manner of news, scene banter and other things we can come up with.

The Weekend Updates were always done in a radio-format as far as my writing went and I hope you too find this as exciting as I do with being able to deliver the hottest new tunes to you in format I always wished I could.

Synthetix Sunday airs LIVE at 10PM Perth time in Australia, for those of you not sure what time this is in your locality please consult this image to find out when it'll be on for you. If you can't tune in live this post will get a download link to the show on soundcloud that you can then listen to at your leisure on your favourite digital audio playback device, so please come back tomorrow to get your copy that you can then enjoy all week long.

This week on the inaugural Synthetix Sundays Marko has a thunder cracking show co-hosted by Corey  'Magnum Crockett' Benedict and Marko will be interviewing Alpharsic, Ed Hardbinger, Florent Campana and Mael Nesti from Blazestation, 80s synth scene legend Alpha Boy and Joey Cato, the creator of the My 80s TV project. Of course there will be regularly scheduled Quality Time With Shithouse that features a very special album to the history of Synthetix.FM too.

Exclusive tracks from John Of The Shred and Alpharsic feature in this four hour juggernaut of raging synth fury. You can tune into Synthetix Sundays LIVE here, and please follow Synthetix Sunday on Facebook here.

Marko and myself are super excited with the possibilities of what the rockin new Synthetix Sundays show will be able to cover in the 80s inspired synth scene and I hope you, too, support this kick arse new initiative. Many, many thanks to Marko Maric, Micky Dodds and Radio Pure Gently for making this happen. The rockin has just begun!


Listen to or download Synthetix Sundays Episode 1 here:

Flashback Friday

Strike Commando (1987)

Happy Friday to all you Synthetix.FM rockers. This weeks Flashback Friday Film is packed full of one-liners and explosive action. Along with an intense synth score and it’s ripped-off Rambo: First Blood 2 theme, this film is definitely a hidden gem you should check out.

1987’s Strike Commando, written and directed by Bruno Mattei stars Reb Brown as Sgt. Mike Ransom. While on a covert mission to blow up a Viet Cong military base Ransom barely escapes alive after his commanding officer Col. Radek sets off the explosives too soon, killing his fellow Strike Commando’s. Behind enemy lines he befriends people in a small village terrorized by Viet Cong along with a Russian meathead named Jakoda and his Russian forces. With the help of the villagers and his Major, Ransom is extracted but delivers news to Radek that the Russians are aiding the Viet Cong. Radek orders him to go back into Vietnam to get real proof, where he finds the villagers murdered and realizes Radek is helping the commies. Looking to settle the score Ransom becomes a one man army and dismantles the Russian and Viet Cong forces then hunts down the traitor, Radek. The film concludes with Ransom force feeding Jakoda a nice healthy Mk2 Grenade followed by a humorous explosion of body parts and a scream that outlasts the explosion.

The score to this film was by Italian composer Luigi Ceccarelli and features blood-pumping synths, perfectly suited for this Rambo-esque knock-off. If you’re looking for a great accommodating synthwave album, I highly suggest Jupiter-8’s Codename: Firesnake OST. It’s an intense eleven-tracker that’ll immerse you into a covert mission of your own.

So if you have some time to kill this weekend then grab your M60, grit your teeth and pull the trigger! This is one mission you’ll definitely want to complete!

Until next week, keep rockin'

Magnum Crockett

Questioning The Existence Of Trevor Something

By Alex Bramer

My name is Alex, I'm 15 and also 1/2 of the synthpop duo In On It. I enjoy writing, both music and literature. I like all things 80's-whether it be music, art or hardware. I'm into many different genres, from Chillwave to Synthwave to Witch House to Surf Rock. I collect cassette tapes-old and new, and like jamming out to the early work of Toro Y Moi on vinyl. I look forward to reviewing many albums from many of the great artists in this awesome scene. 




'The Beginning (Intro)'

A swelling bass, deep voices, stern and commanding-but welcoming. Plucking synths-like sirens in an old sci-fi film, bending and mutating to a satisfying degree. The swelling bass once more-fading out to nothingness.

'In My System'

The familar swelling bass fading back in, now with a partner in crime-a deep, acidic, square synth. A voice arises-is it even human? An android? Lush and dreamy-but with a bite to it. Glitching and mutating, a new section is introduced. A happier tone than before. Dreamy pads, and plucky synths, surprisingly C418 esque. Now comes the dark tone once more, unpleasent, high-pitched sounds arise, but now-drifting away.

'Come Back Down'

 A re-interpretation, of two classic 80's hits in one. The android voice returns, a jumpy synth bass-peppy, catchy, and dancefloor-worthy.

'Summer Love'

Tuning in, filtered and lo-fi, like a radio. Rising, a quick burst of momentum. Returned to a habitual state. Summer vibes, top down, speeding down the highway. Dreamy synths, lush pads, stopped. Losing momentum, tuning down.

'Infatuation'

A poppy synth progression, brassy, and retro. Acidic, staccato bass follows, and now the voice returns. It is now familar. Arps dancing about, I want you-I need you, the voice says. A breathy solo, then back to the voice. Ending in a glitchy, detuned, mess of percussive fun.

'Searching'

Remix of DJ Ten's The Inner Voice. A haze of dreamy voices, swelling basses, and delayed snares. A rush of excitement rushes throughout, and then back to the bass progression, catchy, quick, and staccato.

'1st Wave (Interlude)'

Spacey arps rise and dance about a bed of deep noise. Where am I? Am I in space? This is just a dream. The first of many.

'So Far Away'

Lazerhawk cover. Dreamy synths and guitar twinkle in the stars. Deep, bass arps and heavy drums dance about. Retro toy tom samples flicker between pulses. I see a battle, between spaceships. What are they fighting about? I wonder-about these things.

'Mechanical Love'

Cover of Com Truise's Hyper Lips. Brass arps dancing, thick drums, the occasional clap or two. A deep progressing square bass, mellow and excited at the same time. A trip into an alien world perhaps.

'Sega Genesis'

Cover of Grimes' Genesis. The familar bass progression, only now with a new voice, different than before. The android-esque voice replaces the once shrill and lush voice that once filled the void before it.

'Chun Li's Revenge (Interlude)'

Retro arps dancing, 8bit synths chirping-like birds, cyborg birds. Downsampled drums, like sound effects-explosions.

'Into Your Heart'

Remix of Miami, by Jasper Byrne. Sounding like M83, a darkness surrounds-it is night. Driving down the streets of miami, driving all night, driving right-into your heart.

'Something About You (Remix)'

More bitcrush goodness-only now, in a more downtempo style. Slow, progressing, head bobbing the whole way. Effected and delayed vocals add a layer of atmospheric bliss-like floating in space-only as your planet behind you is exploding-in slow motion.

'2nd Wave (Interlude)'

Dreamy, lush-but building tension. Once again I must ask-am I in space, floating? Or is it a dream? A slight eeriness, confusion maybe.

'Stay'

Dreamy synths, deep, progressing drums. Voices, asking you-stay. A slight darkness surrounds, retro tom samples here and there. A haze, an aura, an ambience.

'Enjoy The Silence'

Cover of the classic Depeche Mode track. An ambience is formed, dreamy, and dance-floor worthy with the deep pulsating drums, and stiff, staccato bass jabs. The once android sounding voice is now revealing a more human side, making me wonder-it must have been programmed well.

'What Is Real (Outro)'

Synth arps fill the void-like stars passing my gaze. Floating uncontrollably, in a deep sleep. But this fades, as momentum is gained. Thick, reverbed drums and a mean bass arp rise. You have awoken from your deep sleep. Still in a dream-like state, you ask-what is real?


Trevor Something presents the Trevor Something Does Not Exist album on his Bandcamp page here and this album comes highly recommended from Synthetix.FM as a departure from reality into realms where what is real and what isn't real becomes a blurred haze of synthual ambiguities. 

Ron Cannon Commits Blue Light Murder

By David S. Walker

After settling in for the night with the lights low, the winds howling and the atmosphere primed; I give Ron Cannon's 'Blue Light Murder' a spin and take a ride back to the early 80s, making a detour via Camp Crystal Lake and Elm Street, with sightseeing narration by John Carpenter. Blue Light's greatest feature and most immediately noticeable is its authenticity, both in its efficient minimalism and sparse, haunting soundscapes.


'Opening' sets a dark scene of street lights and deserted neighbourhoods, slow and methodical synths pulse calmly as the sounds build, thicken and layer into a collection of textures that Cannon stays true to throughout the album. The textures vary from the pleasantly familiar pulsing basslines that are a staple of the synthwave genre, to analogue insanity as Cannon's abstract scary moments grind and scream out of what sounds like authentic hardware.

Cannon sticks to his guns as the album moves on, effectively scoring a horror movie that was too dark to ever see the light of release. This is where the release shines above others in its field; it has a goal, it has a concept, and it rigidly sticks to it. It makes for a few predictable moments toward the end of the album.

'Back There' and 'Future Kill' land exactly where a viewer would expect the pace to heighten in a horror movie of this era. But where Cannon knows to let his chase scenes come in, he knows how to throw a curve ball in and catch us unawares with 'Back There' moving into a beautiful synthscape that fits right in with the rest of the album, but stands out, showing that Cannon is a man that could score for other films cooked up in his imagination outside of the horror arena.

Ron unapologetically takes his time with his slower, more brooding tracks. 'The Lonely' is a great gear shift into something much more delicate and although it clocks in at just under 2 minutes, compliments a scene that'd give its characters a chance to catch their breaths. 'Last Exit' brings the album near to the end as frantic breathing holds the pace of the track as the now-familiar synth patterns swirl and dance around it.

Cannon knows his stuff, that much is obvious, as he effortlessly picks apart soundtrack elements from Friday The 13th and The Fog, and makes them his own. 'Unsafe' feels like the single of the album, something that wouldn't suffer from having vocals added to it, but doesn't feel lacking in any way. The album closes much as it began with 'Midnight', which as I mentioned earlier is where Ron Cannon has excelled; by sticking to his palette and remaining consistent.

Future 80's Records presents Ron Cannon's Blue Light Murder album on their Bandcamp page here and this is a very highly recommend album for Synthwave fans looking for something on the authentic side. It wont be for everyone, but producers and fans of the slasher genre will find some wonderful nostalgia here and a schooling in how this kind've music really was.