In the short space of a year it has been wonderful to see the huge increase in physical releases in the 80s inspired synth scene. I once thought it was a fantasy to be able to own my favourite releases on cassette or vinyl (I'm not a CD collector) and in 2014 it has become a far more regular occurrence. As a fan nothing beats 'owning' a part of an artist you follow, the music industry in general is in danger of removing this vital link between the artist and their audience with digital downloads and streaming services, becoming something an entire generation will just take as a convenience.
Music shouldn't be convenient. It shouldn't be something we become flippant about and just assume will always be there for us. We as fans need to make investments in those making the music, this entirely the reason why Synthetix.FM came about, to get that connection between the music makers and their potential audience. Being able to have a connection with a an album via a physical representation of that work is a tactile and emotional experience that is hugely special and is something that makes the music a much more permanent part of what the music means to us.
The two business models that I see working very well currently are the pre-order and then the re-issue. The upcoming Perturbator release through Telefuture Records is a superb opportunity to really hype up this auspicious release. Perturbator has a larger following than many in the scene and the excitement associated with owning a prestige format physical release with all the extras is very enticing. You can preorder a copy
here, which I highly encourage.
The other method, which I see as a very attractive model for minimal initial outlay is what Highway Superstar has just done. If you head on over to his Bandcamp page
here you'll find a whole bunch of rockin merchandise and physical copies of his magnificent Take My Time album from last year. The genius of this kind of model is releasing the physical version six months after the digital release is a far less risky decision based on how the record has sold as well as bringing those special albums back into the audience's psyche.
When was the last time you listened to Take My Time? A month? Two months? More? But the fond memories for this kick arse record are now part of your musical memories and the chance to now own it in a physical format and revisit those golden moments is something I find massively attractive. I'm quite happy as a fan to buy an album digitally, fall in love with it, and then fall in love with it all over again with a version I can enjoy a whole other level. The 80s inspired synth scene's music has the wonderful quality of being timeless, meaning a reissue of an album from even five years ago would be something I'd certainly be willing to pay for. Who wouldn't want to own Mitch Murder's Current Events on vinyl? Or Tommy's Outer Space Adventurer in a premium format? This model serves as the perfect opportunity to bring that magic back where it belongs.
I'd like to personally congratulate all the rockin labels out there who are now releasing physical versions of the talent they have on board. To Werkstatt Recordings, Girlfriend Records, Playmaker, Future 80s Records and all the other labels and independent producers out there making my musical fantasies come true; I salute you, and hope that physical releases are a mainstay of the 80s inspired synth scene. Be sure to check out the links to these labels and more in the links section on the right hand side of this page and have a browse around, you never know what you'll find and what you might have missed. Also, get rockin on the Facebook group Synthwave Cassette Club
here for more hot info and news.
And remember: if you don't buy them; they
WILL go away.
Time to get rockin with some music that'll be sure to get you feeling the G's as we pull out of a nose dive into a spectacular barrel roll with this week's AIRBORNE feature releases!
WARD-IZ - The Chase EP Australia's WARD-IZ has a killer new two track EP up for your delectation that is a one-two punch of knock-OutRun rockin. The fast pace and climbing melodies are arranged in a fashion to maximise excitement with rubber burning and synths ablaze in a 80s four wheeled firestorm! Definitely a kick arse debut for WARD-IZ, proudly presented by Wave Runner Records who will be hosting his debut full length album sometime in 2014.
Jupiter 8 - Vigilante 2 It has been hard to keep up with all the Jupiter 8 releases as this rocker just keeps cranking out EPs on an almost weekly basis. I haven't felt the magic in much of his recent work but his Vigilante 2 EP is something rockin. The synthscape is sparking with electricity and the tracks are much more thought out and arranged with emphasis placed on the melodies rather than just the sounds. Stand out tracks like 'Fighting Back' and 'Ghetto Blaster' display Jupiter 8's stronger points, which I hope he delves into further in the future.
jAke - Cracks A new three track release from jAke caught my attention this week. The Cracks EP is a great little excursion into some fantastic 80s moods and sounds with the title track being totally rad to the max. This song has a very impressive vocal that has a quality akin the Robert Plant's Principle Of Moments work, which is totally killer. The pop sensibilities of jAke are most prominent in 'Cracks' but the 80s magic glows with different colours in the also kick arse '(Who Stole My) Pony (?)' that has its tongue firmly planted in cheek with high energy 80s vibes rockin hard.
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Let's kick things off with a hot new track from KALAX, a summer anthem for the burgeoning season aptly titled 'A Summer's Dream'. This piece has a really great energy in the bassline that the romantic sax parts play off of beautifully. It's a great mix of sounds that make for total 80s magic.
The off kilter timing in the new track from Android Automatic provides for an engaging and consuming experience. The atmosphere in 2024 gives off a night-stalker feel, being unbalanced and ever so slightly out of control. The dark of the night is a brooding shadow, hiding the pain of the tortured soul.
Rockin darker vibes this week also is Waveshaper with his 'Breakdown (Instrumental)' track that seethes and pulses with enigmatic sounds that echo danger and powerful melodies. The choked-out synthscape struggles against overpowering odds and each dramatic passage takes you further into the haunting melancholy.
Alter Sun has a superb new track out this week in 'Purple Clouds' which is a poignantly written excursion into 80s melodies. There are some darker elements at play but the tone is much more introspective and a bright positivity rings through the wonderfully explored melodies.
The glisteningly sweet synth romance sounds of Robert Parker will be sure to get you feeling that 80s love. 'Seventeen' is yearning and crushed out with uplifting melodies and bright nuances, full of wide eyed adoration and teenage passion. Definitely this week's home room anthem in Shermer. Be sure to pick up a copy of this great track for FREE via the download link in the player.
The first victim of my forced move from 'classic' soundcloud to the 'new' soundcloud was unfortunately Arc Neon's 'Body Talk' that came out a couple of weeks back, I do apologise for not covering this totally killer track last week, I hope I can get accustomed to the 'new' soundcloud so this doesn't happen often. That said, this track rocks hard and 'Body Talk' is currently available for FREE download via the player.
Droid Bishop keeps on creating superb synthscapes of verdant 80s lushness and with 'Momentary Love' he's captured a magnificent range of sounds that are both funky and atmospheric with emotionally charged melodies driving the experience. This track is available on the Stratford CT. Compilation available
here.
Flexing his synth muscles and powering into oblivion is Grooveworthy with his powerhouse new slice of action packed drama titled 'God-Powered Android'. The build on this is totally kick arse as each chapter layers in new combustible elements that are then exploded with aural vibrations and dimensional energies in the final act. A great return to 80s sounds for Grooveworthy and this piece is also currently available for FREE download.
The late 2000s crossover with nu-disco and 80s sounds produced some fantastic moments in musical experiences and one of my favourite acts of that time are back with a hot new EP. 7he Myriads mix some modern ideas within arrangements that are both contemporary and retro oriented but always with a classy vintage vibe and in 'Out Of The Maze' they achieve this splendidly well. Here's to the triumphant return of 7he Myriads and their Labyrinth Of The Minotaur EP.
Speaking of mixing modern and vintage ideas, here comes Myrone with his kick arse guitars of distinction rockin down the highway in 'Virtual Island Paradise'. I've stated numerous times that Myrone is one of my favourite new talents of 2014 thus far and this track just reinforces that. The arrangements are incredibly rich and even with that oddly chosen rap passage, the 80s energies in this track just soar into wondrous new dimensions of the raddest kind. Rock it for FREE download while you can!
Whilst on the subject of exciting new talent someone whom I just discovered who totally rocked my world is Sebastian Gampl. This producer's innate understanding of 80s melodies and progressions is totally on point and his striving for authenticity is something very special indeed. His latest track 'Under Control' is a totally kick arse example of this but also check out his amazing 'Have You Heard' track, which is also available for purchase on Bandcamp
here.
Heading out into bright lights and disco nights is the hot new rocker from Garth Knight 'Knight Of The Disco'. The powerful bassline and high energy drums create a thumping disco vibe that the spacey synth melodies just cruise along beautifully. Rock the disco vibes all night long by adding this to your Garth Knight collection via the purchase link in the player.
Pure Secks has been producing some really interesting sounds over the last few months. Whilst I've really enjoyed the lion's share of them a lot weren't particularly 80s enough to cover on Synthetix.FM. With his latest work that is definitely not the case as 'Business Or Pleasure' really nails the 80s mood and creates a sparse, dreamy synth atmosphere. This piece is currently available for FREE download also.
I must say, since LA Dreams has been working on other projects this past couple of months that I've really missed his regular album releases. But alas, all is not lost! He's still rockin hard and has released a great new track this week titled 'Open Air'. And the open air feels as good and fresh as LA Dreams' magical 80s synth music.
When it comes to rockin collaborative work there are few as prolific as STARFORCE and the latest piece in this ongoing series is a super hot new track with Action Jackson. My favourite part about 'Time Shock' is that it accurately captures the strong suits of both producers and mixes their styles into the perfect blend of Action Jackson's other worldly melodies and STARFORCES epic progressions. Totally kick arse, and available for FREE download via the player.
Our feature video for this week's Weekend Update is from none other than RF Extreme and a video he has created to accompany his beautiful new work 'Past Deflection'. The racing video is the perfect accompaniment the RF Extreme trademark melodies that are both graceful and highly charged. It is an entrancing mix of audio visual entertainment the justly captures the RF Extreme magic.
That does us for another big Weekend Update on Synthetix.FM, I hope your weekend rocks that little bit harder with these kick arse 80s tunes providing the soundtrack.
I'll be back during the week with Kasia for more rockin tunes from the 80s inspired synth scene.
'Til then, stay 80s and keep on rockin.
