Another big week in the dimension where the 80s never ended has come to pass and with it came a superb range of quality hard rockin tunes to give you those warm, neon synth magic feelings.
Compilation season keeps on rockin and a huge new release from Playmaker should be number one on your hit list this week for maximum rockin action.
2014 Big Apple Crime Force is host to fourteen high impact anthems to clean up the streets and bring justice where there is chaos. White hot synth drama from the likes of 80s Stallone, Dan Terminus, Who Ha, Absolute Valentine, Palm Highway Chase, WARD-IZ and Playmaker's own Discoballistic and Twilight Racing are amongst a battalion of high calibre 80s synth munitions experts ready for a war on crime. Sporting some of the most kick arse artwork I've seen this year courtesy Basil Murad, this release is available in digital formats as well as super hard rockin cassette and poster pack via Playmaker's Bandcamp page
here.
Let's get ready to take off on a wild adventure beyond the clouds and into the stratosphere with this week's AIRBORNE features!
Miami Beach Force - The Revenge A soundtrack to dire consequences from steamy deceit is exposed and described via Miami Beach Force on their new EP. The duo has gone for a complete concept release that has been arranged as a narrative driven soundtrack and opted for a great deal more atmosphere than their previous work. The synths are heavier and darker with a cool, calculated energy that squeezes and chokes the tension out of every track. Even the Italo coloured title track is full of uncertainty, tension and danger and the fast paced 'Moving Target' continues to sweat bullets in the face of danger. The Revenge is a wild ride full of double crosses and dark forces you'll be left breathless by.
Dream Force Universe - Turbo Times Dream Force Universe takes the condensed approach to his music on his latest release as the track lengths are kept low, but the action is kept high. Tubo Times consists of five succinctly engineered pieces of retro synth action that get in, deliver their payload and get out. The arrangements are well constructed and Dream Forces Universe's understanding of 80s melodies and giving them a modern gloss is a skill he's definitely refining. Highlights include the dark and ominous 'Cyborg Manufactury' and the gloriously chintzy 'Hoverboard Highway'.
Dana's Vision - Out-Thrashin' Opting for a soundtrack thematic of a different kind we have Dana's Vision with the beat 'em up videogame inspired Out-Thrashin'. By combining 80s soundtrack arrangements with an inspirational palette of videogame sounds Dana's Vision has made an action packed adventure that crosses over between straight up 80s inspired synth and classic game soundtracks. The minimalism of the synthscapes also brings in some rockin 70s atmosphere to the more ambient tracks but the music rocks the hardest on pieces like 'The Hardest Hits', the title track and the climactic final boss confrontation 'The Street Brawl Relish [Hitachi II's Nightvision]'. The ideal soundtrack for when you're out beating up street thugs on a quest of vengeance, picking up pipes and roasts along the way.
---------------------------------------------------
First rocker of the block for this week's Weekend Update is a new producer to Synthetix.FM going by the name of Evergreen PM with his new powerhouse 'Sunset Mission'. The haunting refrain and superbly programmed percussion really help make this piece blend old and new ideas exceedingly well. Many thanks to Keira Saffron Jones for enlightening me to this producer.
Laurence McFunk is one hell of a rocker of the classic 80s sounds and his new track 'SECAM' adds a new layer of intrigue to the McFunk experience. The tension builds with the melody as the groove cuts deep and smooth. The structures run into futuristic visions of synthual delights and tell a wonderfully rich story. This killer track is currently available for FREE download via the player too.
A track that's been getting a lot of love in the Synthetix.FM Plug.DJ this week is the high powered dark synth monolith fabricated by VHS Glitch: 'Meet The Cure'. The synths rock harder than a melonfarmer and energies run as high and fast as the action with dark synth styles merging delectable well with 70s soundtrack work. Totally rockin and sure to get thirsting for justice. You can pick up a copy of this track on VHS Glitch's Bandcamp page
here.
Rolling with the punches and trading blow for blow is the new one from Kick Puncher. 'Roadhouse Takedown' gets all Swayzied up as the synths strike with power and menace in an all out brawl of digital violence. The pace is deliberate and forceful, keeping the focus on the sharply exacted melodies while exploring their facets with much dexterity.
Another new rocker to Synthetix.FM that's been getting much love on soundcloud and Project Friday this week is the eloquently named S U N G with his extreme velocity OutRun track 'Way Farer'. The sheer presence of the production is rockin all over and the action refuses to abate with the chase picking up speed amongst a crescendo of synths and guitars. Totally rad and available for purchase on S U N G's Bandcamp page
here.
Staying out on the streets but this time on the sidewalk with boombox in hand and cardboard on the concrete is She Said (SYNTH IS DEAD!) with 'Break That Beat'. The amalgamation of electro breakin' percussion and rhythms with an eclectic and intriguing lead melody creates something very kick arse indeed.
RWR takes a trip into more ethereal dimensions in his latest track 'Dopamine (The Power Of Love)' and creates a whole new universe of possibilities in the process. The slower approach to the RWR hallmarks is intoxicatingly fresh and emotionally rich in its make up. Beautiful music that is currently available for FREE download via the player.
MUSCLE's back and rockin with his latest work of synth elegance in 'Steamrollin'' which captures that flextacular MUSCLE energy we here at Synthetix.FM just can't get enough of. MUSCLE's also announced his second EP will be due out this year, which after the
totally kick arse experience that was the first EP certainly has me foaming at the mouth in anticipation. For now we can rock his great new 'Steamrollin'' track which is currently FREE to download, so get pumpin and crank it hard.
Time for some hot new synth pop action on Synthetix.FM and this past week I was hugely enamoured with the new track from Coska called 'Benjamin'. The synths soar with pure 80s pop drama that channels the perfect vintage inspirations and fashions them into something totally rad. 'Benjamin' officially out on the 23rd of May on Solina Records, so get tuned into
Solina Records here and get it rockin!
It's been a while since we've had the pleasure of Neon Vandal's company on Synthetix.FM as his recent creations haven't really fit the styles I like to cover on here. This is has changed entirely thanks to his amazing new track 'NIGHTDRIVE'. This is some seriously brilliant atmospheric synth magic with a wonderful and richly explored synthscape that is thoroughly immersive. A stunning experience.
Regular readers of Synthetix.FM will already be well aware of my love affair with Sternrekorder's music and he's managed to take my heart even more with his absolutely gorgeous new track 'Erwin'. The atmosphere is flawless and the melodies are completely entrancing. Sternrekorder also shared another stellar track this week in
'Horizont' which I encourage everyone to experience too.
While we're on the subject of some of my favourite producers, scene legend Mitch Murder released another wonderful piece of kick arse 80s synth with 'From The Future'. There are few producers around with Mitch Murder's understanding of 80s melody creation and the structures he makes them come alive in and this is yet another example of his prowess and craftsmanship.
Palm Highway Chase has once again shown why he's such a valuable producer in the 80s inspired synth scene with his latest work 'Rainy Countach Drive'. Melodies are dreamy and magical with a glowing presence that is bewitching and hypnotising. The tone of this track is completely perfect and gives a refined elegance to the piece.
New from Kiile is another great new track called 'Universe VII'. The Jeff Spicoli samples during the introductory passage then take off into the cosmos where the questions of our roles as humans and what we need to make us happy becomes more introspective. But sometimes tasty waves and a cool buzz is really what life is all about. Keep on rockin, Kiile!
2014 has been a spectacular year thus far for Alpha Boy. In the last five months this producer has explored so much new and exciting territory with each release that it's hard to keep up. In 'Tropical Passion' he creates an incredibly lush atmosphere that really conveys tropical sights and sounds beautifully. You can buy your own copy of 'Tropical Passion' via the player.
This week's video feature is from the official 80s synth scene auteur par excellence and part time Daniel Craig stand-in Neros77 with his winning combination of Cobra Copter's 'End Of An Era' and 'Cold Empire' against the backdrop of 1989's video blockbuster Cyborg. Sit back, relax and get rockin!
That does us for another monster sized Weekend Update on Synthetix.FM. I'll be back during the week with more hot rockin tunes to keep your 80s colours strong and vibrant.
'Til then, stay 80s and keep on rockin.
