Orax's Cometa

By Jerry Herrera

ORAX has been, to me, a fixture of the synthwave scene, releasing tracks here and there for as long as I can remember. There is a darkness to his sound and I think that while he’s been a prolific and great artist, the channels (literally) through which his music has been released have gotten him all wrong. Forgive my criticism but I’m very tired of a “retro” image and a logo slapped onto it passing for a video.



Enter Cometa, the first full length album from ORAX. It’s one of those albums that grabs you right from the beginning and makes you wonder why our little genre isn’t bigger than it is. It’s ten beefy tracks long and full of a lot of imagination and intricacy. Broken is the first track and it’s one of those songs that you start off listening to and maybe you nod a bit and say “okay I like this” and then it hits its stride and you go “GOD DAMN” and suddenly you’re a fan.

The way the album is constructed is very smart as well. Each track is its own entity but as you go through the album you notice certain hints of a theme, recognizing certain instruments and progressions as though you were reading an author who wrote ten different novels but you understand his style. ORAX figures out a way to weave his signature into every one of the songs on Cometa.

I also feel like these songs are incredibly personal to ORAX. Maybe I’m reading too much into it but each track, with their succinct titles, is meant to convey a certain emotion or atmosphere. I think that the person behind the music went very deep into his life and experiences and composed from the gut. I say the gut, as opposed to the heart, because the heart heals extremely quick but I can remember every single time I’ve been punched in the stomach.

Cometa is thusly an album full of darkness and plodding, thundering noises. Even though there are jazzy, R&B inspired songs on the album, they still stick to the roots of morose wandering. This album is the perfect soundtrack to a broken hearted exploration of your nearest gathering of tall buildings.

Here is where I begin my criticism of Cometa. It’s not a synthwave album. There’s nothing resembling synthwave tracks at all, anywhere. I didn’t feel like I was breezing through a coastal highway during the sunset, I didn’t feel like I was being chased through grimy city streets, I didn’t picture myself at the club where the Terminator finally caught up with Sarah Connor.

What I did experience was a dark journey down the avenues of an odd mind. All the thumping kicks, the glittering, glassy melodies, the sad horns, all came together in a strange way and while ORAX is a synthwave artist I think this effort goes further beyond genre and the trappings you’d expect.

Is it game changing? No. But there is a lot of meat to Cometa and it is not so easily tasted or digested. It’s a very different album than what we are used to and I think it’s also very personal as well. It’s an achievement in that the retro sound is used to explore the heart of a man as opposed to setting the scene of a cheesy narrative. Of course it’s been done before but ORAX has composed an album that is unique in how personal it is.

ORAX presents Cometa, which is available through New Retrowave Records here and comes very, very highly recommended from Synthetix.FM.

Synthetix Weekend Update

As the year rolls along new producers appear and others fade away, seldom are producers permanent fixtures but such is the way. The circle of life in the 80s inspired synth world ebbs and flows with each week that passes and it is unfortunate that this week we say good bye to Cougar Synth. The duo has removed their presence from all online services and called it a day. The back story to this is unknown to me and in all honesty is unimportant; when anyone makes a decision to end a project we have every right to grieve but no right to demand explanations. We should instead rejoice in the beautiful music Cougar Synth shared with us and appreciate the time they gave us. Synthetix.FM wishes both members a bright future elsewhere on our little blue planet.

In happier news, compilation season continues with a totally rockin new release from Future 80s Records with their Compilation Vol. II . Thirty two tracks provide a smorgasbord of 80s synth delicacies from the rich stable of Future 80s talent including the likes of Absolute Valentine, Niky Nine,  Python Blue, James Baker, Preqwal, Riddlis, Scream & Dive,  Run Vaylor, Tokyo Rider and a whole mess of other Synthetix.FM favourites. You can pick up a copy of this via the Future 80s Bandcamp page here.

Time to  pull back the throttle and take off in the wild blue yonder of 80s inspired synth magic with this week's edition of AIRBORNE!

Orax - After Death Orax is back and rockin with his new EP After Death. The Orax sound is always full of energy and this producer is one to experiment with new sounds that break the mould. His arrangements on this EP have been stepped up dramatically as each of the seven tracks contain well detailed narratives that explore their structures with much care. The use of more acoustically powered instruments in many of the tracks is to be applauded. It's an eclectic EP that journeys through many styles and genres and Orax rocks each one of them in a most rad of manners.


Jeffery Horne - Power Pop Jeffery Horne is a new rocker on the scene that has been signed up to Future 80s Records and his debut EP is a marvellous excursion into late 80s Italo and Europ pop sounds. His melodies are definitely a strong point of his writing, especially in gems like 'There Are Times' and 'Memory' which hook deep with catchy refrains of total 80s wonderment. I'm definitely looking forward to sharing in Jeffery Horne's musical journey in the coming months.



Satori In Bed - Acapulco 1984 This EP came out at the end of March but I only became aware of it this past week. The Satori In Bed experience is a verdantly textured and varied experience in 80s sounds that range from totally incredible pop stylings on 'Black Star' through to the synth funk odyssey of 'La Quebrada'. This record is definitely a mixture of 80s driven feelings but they're all superbly rendered, full of colour, life and delectably written passages. Satori In Bed is definitely one of the most promising new acts in the scene.

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First rocker up on the blocks for this week's Weekend Update is Infinity Cobra with his brand new track 'Fancy Drive 2'. I'm a fan of anything with 'fancy' in the title and this track is no exception. The meandering melodies give the track an easy flowing nature over the staccato percussion making for an interestingly contrasting experience. This available for FREE download via the button in the player.




Analogue Clones are turning the rock up in and kicking much arse in their new track 'Don't Fight The Night'. This sprawling epic is innately fused with the darker aspects of 80s horror synths sounds and evolves from a darkened fearful night in a guitar drenched chase of terror. Marvellously constructed and executed.




 A danger of a different kind comes into play with Foreign Blades new track 'Meeting At Villa Vizcaya' where sparkling seaside melodies lead to a binge of drugs and violence in the Florida sun. The pace is electric and the melodies intimate dangers around every corner as the inevitable conclusion leaves a wake of bloodstained white powder for the authorities to clean up. This track is currently available for FREE download.




Rockin into some smooth night moods with sexy synths and alluring beats is the hot new Synth Funk track from SaiR entitled 'Wonderer'. The production is glass smooth and melodies bounce with inquisitive passages that funk it up to the max. You can pick up a copy of this great track on SaiR's Bandcamp page here.




Keeping things bedroom-oriented is the sensually enticing new piece from Mr Maen appropriately titled 'Slow Love'. This heavenly slice of gorgeous Synth Romance is spectacularly written with uncomplicated passages full of emotional yearning and delicate melodies. Definitely one of Mr Maen's finest releases thus far, you can pick up a FREE copy of this ultimate late night anthem via the download button on the soundcloud page for 'Slow Love'.




Waveshaper's rockin new track, 'Chasing The Clone Of Myself', caught my attention and refused to let go this week. The narrative explored is deep but also very poignantly in a manner that draws the listener in and takes them on a ride full of twists and turns. The opening parts set the perfect scene which is then torn asunder in the proceeding chapters. This is killer track currently available for FREE download too.




I've been a long time fan Magic Sword's brand of 80s soundtrack synth work and the seemingly endless wait for the digital release of their full length album is now very close to over. I have it on authority from Magic Sword themselves that we'll be getting their album within the couple of months, which is totally kick arse. In the meantime we have their hot new track 'Legend Of The Keeper' to rock hard, which is featured on Internet Piracy Records Compilation Vol. 1.




Street Justice is exploring and evolving his craft with each new track and on his new work we're treated to a wonderfully lavish journey into synthual pleasures. 'Your Memories Are Fabrications' takes a slow and calculated approach that allows for all manner of deftly implemented nuances to add layers of intrigue to the experience. Currently available for FREE download, rock it while you can.




Time to get a bit cosmic in this week's Weekend Update courtesy of Falconhoof and his new Space Synth adventure 'Breaking Orbit'. The drama ramps up higher through each act as each synth stab moves in time with the cosmic pulse of outer space. The final conclusion to this piece is sure to have you breaking your earthly bonds and ascending into void above.




The crossover with 80s inspired synth and vaporwave is something I'm very excited about. How these elemental forces will cross over and become something all together new piques my interest greatly. We get to experience shades of this in Wulf new kick arse piece 'Beach Cruisin' 85'. The lion's share of the experience is rife with sunlit energies and bright, energetic percussion while a hazy vapor infused ending completes things. Very nice work indeed.




Glass Apple Bonzai has returned with a rad new song 'My Alliance To Science'. This ode to man's investigative knowledge is spectacularly articulate and the song writing is right on point for classic mid 80s pop rockin. This producer really does create terrific 80s homages and that he's included an extended 12" mix of the track as the B side endears me even more to his work. You can pick this up via the player at a name-your-own-price point on Bandcamp and I encourage everyone to dig deep and support the Glass Apple Bonzai project.



Mullet Records continues to fly the 80s flag with their latest sing from Joeblack featuring Robin S called 'Show Me Love'. The production is slick and lusciously 80s with funky synths and imploringly soulful vocals. The late 80s funk synth pop soul burns bright and strong in this great song and you can pick up a copy exclusively via Juno Download here.




KFDDA is rockin a delightfully lush atmosphere in his latest piece 'ゾラドメイン (Zola Domein)'. The uncluttered approach to the layers of synths allow for rolling melodies to flow gently through rivers of melody in buoyant seas that crest and fall with natural power. It's a captivating experience from beginning to end and is also available for FREE download via the track's soundcloud page.




The atmospheric tones are also strong in the latest track from Kick Puncher. This rocker really creates a full and exciting experience in his new track 'Third Sun'. The drama is ever present while he elucidates finer details in the snappy lead melodies. A rich narrative drives the track into refined set pieces that will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat.




Our video feature for this week's Weekend Update is a superb work of editing by Jean-Pierre Van Damme that fuses the electrified rock energy of Jon Of The Shred and the Australian classic Mad Max 2. The final stages of Mad Max 2 are perfectly cut with Jon Of The Shred's 'The Chase Begins', maling for a high impact rock and roll extravaganza of violence and mayhem!


Jon of the Shred - The Chase Begins from Jean-Pierre Van Damme on Vimeo.


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

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.