Sferro is BACK! For those unaware Sferro has been producing 80s inspired synth since the first golden age of 2009. My initiation to the world of Sferro was his track Turquoise Waters of the MOTU 2 V.1 compilation, a piece which launched his musical journey and began forming the template for the Sferro sound. His music has always been built on a backbone of strong and deeply emotive melodies, something that his classic track 'New Output' had in overflowing quantities.
But it's been quite a while between drinks, and often over the last couple of years I thought Sferro may have moved on to other interests and left his love for 80s synth sound behind him. Alas this was not the case as he has just released the brand new 'Wetware Computer' EP and has made a triumphant return to the scene that loves him.
In celebration of this EP Sferro has been so kind as to honour Synthetix.FM with an EXCLUSIVE track that completes the EP. 'Autonomous Robot Pt. II' is presented on my soundcloud page at the end of this review and I'd personally like to thank Sferro not only for this gift, but also for all the incredible music he's created over the years. Be sure to get this track and complete the 'Wetware Computer' experience.
Let's begin the 'Wetware Computer' journey. 'Autonomous Robot' starts proceedings and instantly the future of self aware technology is apparent. Rhythmic pulses with machinelike dexterity bring to mind every futuristic prediction of computer power exceeding it's master's. The music is foreboding, but not without a soul and the glory of Sferro's melodies is once again cast like a magic spell over the listener. This track breaks down to a very interesting back masked section which is jarring and startling, as I'm sure was the producer's intention, creating a forward time/back time anomaly which leaves the track to finish on a very fascinating question mark.
The powers of the machines evolve to new levels in 'Intelligent Systems'. The melodic refrain becomes more cautionary and the crisp percussion marches to the beat of a new program. The muted sounds become contrasted by much more organic layers set to a humanistic logic. Building through it's own evolution the hybrid intelligence creates an air of balance, but it's obvious there is much more drama on the horizon.
The story continues into the title track and the emotionally charged electrical storm begins covering the synthscape in a sunless darkness. The slow motion melodies are the essence of remorse and the the sparks of lightning strike an unfeeling earth below. Building ever more powerful the dirge of the future becomes a memory of the past, the machines have taken control and the humans are now obsolete. But like a fire to the sky hope is sent to the heavens in an awe inspiring final act of defiance as the back masked refrain implies the story is not yet over.
Indeed, it takes the will and unrelenting human spirit to take a new tact against the machines. 'Hi Tech Low Life' tells the story of humanity's unground retreat, back to a neolithic time devoid of the machines they once controlled. The melody is dark, but has a hint of hope to it, making it very apparent the road back to human ascendency will be be long and arduous.
The final refrain to 'Autonomous Robot Pt. II' brings in a ray of sunshine to the bleakness of the future, it's melody is piercing with an uplifting and fortifying promise of hope. The music is pure, and full of positivity, rising to a crescendo of synth emotions. It allows the credits to roll on this story with humanity rising against the odds and continuing the fight for survival against insurmountable odds.
The EP also contains a bonus remix of 'Autonomous Robot' by the every magical Tommy. This more chaotic experience is full of new excitement, and serves as an excellent companion piece to the original, complete with it's back masked ending.
The 'Wetware Computer' EP is presented on Girlfriend Records Bandcamp page here. With its incredible story to tell and its vivid textures and moods this marks a glorious return to the scene for Sferro, Synthetix.FM highly recommends you add this wonderful EP to your music experience as soon as possible.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Midweek EP Double Shot
It's a smorgasbord of sumptuous synth releases this week and in a vain attempt to try and keep up with what's hot I present the Midweek EP Double Shot. Today I'm covering new releases from Alpha Boy and Droid Bishop so get ready to rock in the blast radius of ultra neon on Synthetix.FM
DROID BISHOP - ELECTRIC LOVE
The debut EP from Droid Bishop has arrived and has thoroughly impressed me with it's depth of sounds and emotions. Across the lengths and breadth of the six tracks contained in Electric Love Droid Bishop presents his own vision of 80s synth with a sound that feels very developed and true.
The Droid Bishop experience walks a jagged line through soundtrack, synth wave and synth romance styles in his work, taking on new ideas and expanding upon them in the right manner to befit them. The opening track 'Color & Data' personifies this in it's stunning main melody that is arranged around a more ethereal soundscape and then coerced into format that evolves with modern predilections. With second chapter of 'Electric Love', 'Moon Runner', the atmosphere loses gravity and begins to float in to ambient refrains of dizzying synth melodies.
During these opening chapters it becomes very apparent that Droid Bishop genuinely understands how to create a beautifully high quality synthscape. Sounds are balanced and advance and withdraw with a perfect balance that is smooth as synth silk. As the third track, 'Nightland', moves into view the orbital distance undulates with an echoing of space synth pulses. The slower pace of this track, and 'Moonrunner', allows Droid Bishop to explore the melodies with great intricacy, questioning each note and detail with a profound intimacy.
The title track is listed as an interlude, but in all honesty this piece stands alone as more crisply refreshing sounds encircle the listener with sparkling synth melodies telling stories from the other sides of the universe in a language understood by all. This moves into 'Lost In System 7' which adds some new directions to the soundscape. This is by far the most modernly arranged piece on the EP with it's much more pronounced fades and builds but the instrumentation stays dutifully true to Droid Bishop's aesthetic.
'Electric Love' finishes with the very uplifting 'Into The Darkness'. Melodically epic in scope and arranged with a deep story in mind this is the perfect end to the EP. This producer really puts out a message in his music, it's full of affecting and inspirational melodies that are given a perfect context to come to life in.
The Electric Love EP is presented on Droid Bishop's Bandcamp page here and is fully the wonder and excitement of 80s inspired synth magic, for a first release this is very, very impressive and I'll be sure to give Droid Bishop more love on Synthetix.FM in the future.
ALPHA BOY - DIGITAL DAWN
I've noted before on here that I've noticed a great deal of growth and development in Alpha Boy's sounds over the last six months. Since his work with JF Conrad on the Simplicity Lab Alpha Boy has redefined his direction and allowed his imagination to expand in wonderful new directions. The Digital Dawn EP is a very aptly named release, it feels like a new day and a new phase for the Alpha Boy experience and each track opens new doors and possibilities for the future of this producer's art.
Beginning with the title track it becomes very clear that Alpha Boy has become a great deal more reflective and deep in his melodies. The resonance of 'Digital Dawn' is powerful and vibrant, drawn from a palette of classic Alpha Boy sounds but executed with new techniques. This piece is very inspirational and opens the EP exceptionally well.
The second track, 'Home Computer' is something of an epiphany I believe. This piece is quite honestly the ultimate story and context for Alpha Boys flourishing melodies. The dual sax and synth melodies are resplendent in their tones and the whole early days of emerging computer technology in the 80s is distilled into the perfect musical representation. The Bill Cosby sample from a Texas Instruments commercial is the cherry on top of the delightfully sweet synth sundae.
'MCP Funk' takes Alpha Boys dual melodies into funkier movements, while retaining his inquisitive melodies. The uncomplicated nature of Alpha Boy's music is often what makes it so refreshing and this piece with it's hooky bassline and myriad of echoing melodic flourishes takes on a wonderful new life like a digital birdsong in the 'Digital Dawn'.
The last track on 'Digital Dawn' finds Alpha Boy bringing in some beautifully soft and rounded 70s synth sounds in a single instrument piece which is thoroughly engaging. The warmth of the sound in 'Walk On Circuit Board' is absolutely invigorating really emphasising the Alpha Boy sound in a way I've never experienced before. By the end of this piece one can really feel the spirit of Alpha Boy in a very intimate way.
I see this EP as a new chapter in the Alpha Boy journey, and I can't wait to see where we'll be stopping at next time. The 'Digital Dawn' EP is presented on Alpha Boy's Bandcamp here and I encourage everyone to take this first step into brave new worlds, designed and imagined by Alpha Boy.
DROID BISHOP - ELECTRIC LOVE
The debut EP from Droid Bishop has arrived and has thoroughly impressed me with it's depth of sounds and emotions. Across the lengths and breadth of the six tracks contained in Electric Love Droid Bishop presents his own vision of 80s synth with a sound that feels very developed and true.
The Droid Bishop experience walks a jagged line through soundtrack, synth wave and synth romance styles in his work, taking on new ideas and expanding upon them in the right manner to befit them. The opening track 'Color & Data' personifies this in it's stunning main melody that is arranged around a more ethereal soundscape and then coerced into format that evolves with modern predilections. With second chapter of 'Electric Love', 'Moon Runner', the atmosphere loses gravity and begins to float in to ambient refrains of dizzying synth melodies.
During these opening chapters it becomes very apparent that Droid Bishop genuinely understands how to create a beautifully high quality synthscape. Sounds are balanced and advance and withdraw with a perfect balance that is smooth as synth silk. As the third track, 'Nightland', moves into view the orbital distance undulates with an echoing of space synth pulses. The slower pace of this track, and 'Moonrunner', allows Droid Bishop to explore the melodies with great intricacy, questioning each note and detail with a profound intimacy.
The title track is listed as an interlude, but in all honesty this piece stands alone as more crisply refreshing sounds encircle the listener with sparkling synth melodies telling stories from the other sides of the universe in a language understood by all. This moves into 'Lost In System 7' which adds some new directions to the soundscape. This is by far the most modernly arranged piece on the EP with it's much more pronounced fades and builds but the instrumentation stays dutifully true to Droid Bishop's aesthetic.
'Electric Love' finishes with the very uplifting 'Into The Darkness'. Melodically epic in scope and arranged with a deep story in mind this is the perfect end to the EP. This producer really puts out a message in his music, it's full of affecting and inspirational melodies that are given a perfect context to come to life in.
The Electric Love EP is presented on Droid Bishop's Bandcamp page here and is fully the wonder and excitement of 80s inspired synth magic, for a first release this is very, very impressive and I'll be sure to give Droid Bishop more love on Synthetix.FM in the future.
ALPHA BOY - DIGITAL DAWN
I've noted before on here that I've noticed a great deal of growth and development in Alpha Boy's sounds over the last six months. Since his work with JF Conrad on the Simplicity Lab Alpha Boy has redefined his direction and allowed his imagination to expand in wonderful new directions. The Digital Dawn EP is a very aptly named release, it feels like a new day and a new phase for the Alpha Boy experience and each track opens new doors and possibilities for the future of this producer's art.
Beginning with the title track it becomes very clear that Alpha Boy has become a great deal more reflective and deep in his melodies. The resonance of 'Digital Dawn' is powerful and vibrant, drawn from a palette of classic Alpha Boy sounds but executed with new techniques. This piece is very inspirational and opens the EP exceptionally well.
The second track, 'Home Computer' is something of an epiphany I believe. This piece is quite honestly the ultimate story and context for Alpha Boys flourishing melodies. The dual sax and synth melodies are resplendent in their tones and the whole early days of emerging computer technology in the 80s is distilled into the perfect musical representation. The Bill Cosby sample from a Texas Instruments commercial is the cherry on top of the delightfully sweet synth sundae.
'MCP Funk' takes Alpha Boys dual melodies into funkier movements, while retaining his inquisitive melodies. The uncomplicated nature of Alpha Boy's music is often what makes it so refreshing and this piece with it's hooky bassline and myriad of echoing melodic flourishes takes on a wonderful new life like a digital birdsong in the 'Digital Dawn'.
The last track on 'Digital Dawn' finds Alpha Boy bringing in some beautifully soft and rounded 70s synth sounds in a single instrument piece which is thoroughly engaging. The warmth of the sound in 'Walk On Circuit Board' is absolutely invigorating really emphasising the Alpha Boy sound in a way I've never experienced before. By the end of this piece one can really feel the spirit of Alpha Boy in a very intimate way.
I see this EP as a new chapter in the Alpha Boy journey, and I can't wait to see where we'll be stopping at next time. The 'Digital Dawn' EP is presented on Alpha Boy's Bandcamp here and I encourage everyone to take this first step into brave new worlds, designed and imagined by Alpha Boy.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Tommy In High Fidelity
The big releases keep on rockin on Synthetix.FM and today we have one of the most rockin of all. Tommy's new EP; 'High Fidelity' has just been released and the wait since 'Outer Space Adventurer' from last year feels like both seconds and eons at the same time.
This new EP displays an incredible understanding of what makes Tommy's music Tommy's music. As an artist he has found his style and this five track EP is an ushering in of a new chapter in his musical journey. A chapter full of self awareness and understanding in his sounds, which makes listening to this record akin to a religious experience in how deep it touches the listener and continues to hold them in the palm of Tommy's benevolent hand.
'Tommy's Theme' opens up the doors of heaven in an exultant manner that speaks of grandiose architecture formed at the dawn of time with echoes that reverberate beyond our full comprehension. The music is masterfully engineered with seconds that extend into hours of cascading melodies, rolling over endless cloudscapes, underpinned by the slowly beating heart of gargantuan percussion. The experience is so overpowering details are barely audible in the presence of such immense power but they all resonate deeply on new levels of conscious enlightenment.
The enormity of the opening salvo fades behind the horizon and 'Test Drive' begins. Tommy's own brand of high octane OutRun begins to accelerate into the distance with the drive of millions of horsepower. The smoothness and clarity of Tommy's melodies are contrasted against stentorian percussion with a gliding weightlessness. Like a chariot in the sky drawn by a million terrestrially bound horses galloping at full speed across a rain lashed desert, the gods are at play with forces we humans can only imagine.
The mid point of 'High Fidelity' brings about one of the single most illuminating experiences I've ever had in my life listening to music. Fabricated from the essence of the purest melody Higher & Further (featuring Perturbator) is the innate definition of musical exhilaration and aural delight. Every single second of Higher & Further is of monumental importance. Every breath of wind, every fading note, every sustained chord is a divine experience in the awesome power of music. This composition is something that perches itself on the edge of infinity and reigns it's jubilation down upon us like a sun casts a shadow, effortlessly and with an unequivocally colossal presence. It touches deeply with an honesty and warmth of the highest calibre and I feel inexorably linked in spirit to it's harmonious soul.
After this soul drenching rapture Tommy returns the earthly realms of fast paced OutRun with the EP's title track. Drama takes a back seat this time around with the mood being full of positivity and promise. Perhaps it's due it's placement in the tracklisting but 'High Fidelity' feels like the consequences of enlightenment from 'Higher & Further' have resulted in a high speed celebration of power and melody. It glows with a radiance of light and omnipotent strength, devoid of the darkness of the night, but instead travels at warp speed into glorious new dimensions.
'The City The Never Sleeps' completes this EP and brings in lengthening shadows across Tommy's newly discovered world. Hypnotising percussion is juxtaposed by melodies that struggle to hold their forms against the city's machinelike rhythms. Forgotten souls cry out amid the concrete behemoths, longing to feel the sun warm them from their grey urban prisons. There is a concept of hope laced through the experience, but it's a delicate hope that must be fostered to survive.
After fully taking in this EP I still find it hard to put into words how deeply some of the music here has effected me. I feel like I've known tracks like 'Higher & Further' my entire life but only now have I been allowed to experience them in full consciousness. In saying this I can't recommend this release from Tommy enough as it is so enriching and deep that I defy anyone to remain untouched by it's enormous presence and intimate brilliance. This is a Synthetix Reference Experience of the highest order.
Girlfriend Records presents Tommy's High Fidelity EP on their Bandcamp page here and as far as this person is concerned you can't pick it up soon enough, every minute you have without this experience in your mind, heart and soul is another minute you remain unenlightened to the true magic of Tommy.
This new EP displays an incredible understanding of what makes Tommy's music Tommy's music. As an artist he has found his style and this five track EP is an ushering in of a new chapter in his musical journey. A chapter full of self awareness and understanding in his sounds, which makes listening to this record akin to a religious experience in how deep it touches the listener and continues to hold them in the palm of Tommy's benevolent hand.
'Tommy's Theme' opens up the doors of heaven in an exultant manner that speaks of grandiose architecture formed at the dawn of time with echoes that reverberate beyond our full comprehension. The music is masterfully engineered with seconds that extend into hours of cascading melodies, rolling over endless cloudscapes, underpinned by the slowly beating heart of gargantuan percussion. The experience is so overpowering details are barely audible in the presence of such immense power but they all resonate deeply on new levels of conscious enlightenment.
The enormity of the opening salvo fades behind the horizon and 'Test Drive' begins. Tommy's own brand of high octane OutRun begins to accelerate into the distance with the drive of millions of horsepower. The smoothness and clarity of Tommy's melodies are contrasted against stentorian percussion with a gliding weightlessness. Like a chariot in the sky drawn by a million terrestrially bound horses galloping at full speed across a rain lashed desert, the gods are at play with forces we humans can only imagine.
The mid point of 'High Fidelity' brings about one of the single most illuminating experiences I've ever had in my life listening to music. Fabricated from the essence of the purest melody Higher & Further (featuring Perturbator) is the innate definition of musical exhilaration and aural delight. Every single second of Higher & Further is of monumental importance. Every breath of wind, every fading note, every sustained chord is a divine experience in the awesome power of music. This composition is something that perches itself on the edge of infinity and reigns it's jubilation down upon us like a sun casts a shadow, effortlessly and with an unequivocally colossal presence. It touches deeply with an honesty and warmth of the highest calibre and I feel inexorably linked in spirit to it's harmonious soul.
After this soul drenching rapture Tommy returns the earthly realms of fast paced OutRun with the EP's title track. Drama takes a back seat this time around with the mood being full of positivity and promise. Perhaps it's due it's placement in the tracklisting but 'High Fidelity' feels like the consequences of enlightenment from 'Higher & Further' have resulted in a high speed celebration of power and melody. It glows with a radiance of light and omnipotent strength, devoid of the darkness of the night, but instead travels at warp speed into glorious new dimensions.
'The City The Never Sleeps' completes this EP and brings in lengthening shadows across Tommy's newly discovered world. Hypnotising percussion is juxtaposed by melodies that struggle to hold their forms against the city's machinelike rhythms. Forgotten souls cry out amid the concrete behemoths, longing to feel the sun warm them from their grey urban prisons. There is a concept of hope laced through the experience, but it's a delicate hope that must be fostered to survive.
After fully taking in this EP I still find it hard to put into words how deeply some of the music here has effected me. I feel like I've known tracks like 'Higher & Further' my entire life but only now have I been allowed to experience them in full consciousness. In saying this I can't recommend this release from Tommy enough as it is so enriching and deep that I defy anyone to remain untouched by it's enormous presence and intimate brilliance. This is a Synthetix Reference Experience of the highest order.
Girlfriend Records presents Tommy's High Fidelity EP on their Bandcamp page here and as far as this person is concerned you can't pick it up soon enough, every minute you have without this experience in your mind, heart and soul is another minute you remain unenlightened to the true magic of Tommy.
Monday, May 6, 2013
The Force Of Power Glove Unleashed
Australia's Power Glove are getting all sorts of rockin love in recent times with the soundtrack they've created for the Far Cry 3 - Blood Dragon video game. This soundtrack, for all intents and purposes makes the game and shows how much a great soundtrack can improve the immersion and excitement of the video game experience. The full twenty five track odyssey is available for purchase on iTunes here and is most assuredly something Synthetix.FM heartily recommends. Their work on Hobo With A Shotgun has been well documented too, which was thrilling to behold.
I thought with the new wave of interest in Power Glove it would be a great time to share some of their older but no less stellar music in celebration of this new soundtrack. Firstly though I'd like to clear up a little bit of confusion about Power Glove. There are two Power Gloves, well, technically there is a Power Glove and a Powerglove. They have some slight similarities in their inspirations and instrumentations but Powerglove are a much more speed metal oriented band from the USA that do their own renditions of classic video game music.
Power Glove, on the other hand, from Melbourne are a duo of 80s inspired synth producers, who also use video games as an inspiration but in a far less direct way. They also use a lot of guitars but in a more 80s rock style. This confusion is something I wanted to get out of the way just so people are aware they are, indeed, two entirely different musical acts.
Getting back to the music of Power Glove, they just recently shared a group of tracks from roughly four years ago for the first time on Bandcamp and this EP is something of a blueprint which drove the inspirations for many producers since. The marriage of old and new styles began gaining momentum in 2008 and Power Glove were one of the original producers of 80s inspired synth music who's passion for classic sounds still ring true nearly five years later.
As I mentioned, this EP has provided huge amounts of inspiration since the tracks were initially published but still sound just as totally rockin as they did upon release. This is evidenced immediately in Streets of 2043, powerhouse melodies and layers of synth terror coalesce into a video game themed epic of ominous proportions. This piece brings the rawness of the Power Glove style out perfectly, each of their tracks have a gritty and harsh edge to it to them that feels so vital and visceral. Synths aren't polished to gleaming reflective perfection but are instead pulsing with an uncontrollable force that threatens destruction with every chord.
The sample work of Power Glove is something very individualised, too. The Dolph Lundgren samples used throughout Maximum Potential are low-fi and distorted with a rasping hiss that betrays the source material, but it's this that makes them so phenomenal and then takes the unevenness of the sounds into a tonal cataclysm of unrelenting power. This track stands up as one the ultimate classics of the 80s inspired synth scene and it's refreshingly raw timbre is as invigorating as it is exhilarating.
Night Force brings in the darkness of totally rockin dark synth moods with even more details layered en masse to provoke even greater frightening reactions. The Power Glove soundscape is almost always densely packed with a myriad of sounds that haunt with their indecipherable directions but always provide brilliant context to the melodies. This experience is still one of the best examples of dark synth done in a modern manner, while keeping true to the classic soul of 80s synth horror soundtracks.
A running theme throughout the Power Glove experience is the wholesale video game samples, entire refrains of back ground music, replete with sound effects, making for even more surprises from left field that add even more entertainment value. While the previous tracks stick somewhat of a similar thematic the last track is more of a departure as Fantastic Lover (Johnny Moog Remix) takes sleazily fuzzed up funk to the dirtiest of dimensions as the vocal intimates raucous smutty ribaldry. The music is always pushing deeper and deeper into the nether regions and ends up collapsing into an after glow of sweaty satisfaction.
Power Glove presents EP 1 on their Bandcamp page here and is a must-have piece of 80s inspired synth history. If you've not had the pleasure of these experiences previously I can't recommend it enough, and if you have had the pleasure before I recommend revisiting these tracks, for the first time available in uncompressed FLAC format, all over again. To keep on top of future Power Glove experiences be sure to follow them on soundcloud here and like the hell out of them on Facebook here.
I thought with the new wave of interest in Power Glove it would be a great time to share some of their older but no less stellar music in celebration of this new soundtrack. Firstly though I'd like to clear up a little bit of confusion about Power Glove. There are two Power Gloves, well, technically there is a Power Glove and a Powerglove. They have some slight similarities in their inspirations and instrumentations but Powerglove are a much more speed metal oriented band from the USA that do their own renditions of classic video game music.
Power Glove, on the other hand, from Melbourne are a duo of 80s inspired synth producers, who also use video games as an inspiration but in a far less direct way. They also use a lot of guitars but in a more 80s rock style. This confusion is something I wanted to get out of the way just so people are aware they are, indeed, two entirely different musical acts.
Getting back to the music of Power Glove, they just recently shared a group of tracks from roughly four years ago for the first time on Bandcamp and this EP is something of a blueprint which drove the inspirations for many producers since. The marriage of old and new styles began gaining momentum in 2008 and Power Glove were one of the original producers of 80s inspired synth music who's passion for classic sounds still ring true nearly five years later.
As I mentioned, this EP has provided huge amounts of inspiration since the tracks were initially published but still sound just as totally rockin as they did upon release. This is evidenced immediately in Streets of 2043, powerhouse melodies and layers of synth terror coalesce into a video game themed epic of ominous proportions. This piece brings the rawness of the Power Glove style out perfectly, each of their tracks have a gritty and harsh edge to it to them that feels so vital and visceral. Synths aren't polished to gleaming reflective perfection but are instead pulsing with an uncontrollable force that threatens destruction with every chord.
The sample work of Power Glove is something very individualised, too. The Dolph Lundgren samples used throughout Maximum Potential are low-fi and distorted with a rasping hiss that betrays the source material, but it's this that makes them so phenomenal and then takes the unevenness of the sounds into a tonal cataclysm of unrelenting power. This track stands up as one the ultimate classics of the 80s inspired synth scene and it's refreshingly raw timbre is as invigorating as it is exhilarating.
Night Force brings in the darkness of totally rockin dark synth moods with even more details layered en masse to provoke even greater frightening reactions. The Power Glove soundscape is almost always densely packed with a myriad of sounds that haunt with their indecipherable directions but always provide brilliant context to the melodies. This experience is still one of the best examples of dark synth done in a modern manner, while keeping true to the classic soul of 80s synth horror soundtracks.
A running theme throughout the Power Glove experience is the wholesale video game samples, entire refrains of back ground music, replete with sound effects, making for even more surprises from left field that add even more entertainment value. While the previous tracks stick somewhat of a similar thematic the last track is more of a departure as Fantastic Lover (Johnny Moog Remix) takes sleazily fuzzed up funk to the dirtiest of dimensions as the vocal intimates raucous smutty ribaldry. The music is always pushing deeper and deeper into the nether regions and ends up collapsing into an after glow of sweaty satisfaction.
Power Glove presents EP 1 on their Bandcamp page here and is a must-have piece of 80s inspired synth history. If you've not had the pleasure of these experiences previously I can't recommend it enough, and if you have had the pleasure before I recommend revisiting these tracks, for the first time available in uncompressed FLAC format, all over again. To keep on top of future Power Glove experiences be sure to follow them on soundcloud here and like the hell out of them on Facebook here.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Synthetix Weekend Update
It's another massive Weekend Update with a hot selection of my favourite tracks to make the scene this past week. I've become very aware that over the next few weeks there are a whole mess of releases and there isn't going to be any way for me to cover all of them how I'd like to. I like to post three to four reviews during the week as time allows, but I've got five already in my waiting list on top of what gets released during the week. I try to make Synthetix.FM the place you can find all the most rockin new sounds in the 80s inspired synth scene, but I fear some releases are already falling through the cracks.
If posting more often was the solution, I'd do just that, but it's not the case. I've noticed that when I've posted more often during the week the posts get very little exposure to you, the audience, and then get shuffled down the page. I pride myself in writing what I feel about music and how it effects me and this takes time and effort to put into words but I love doing it and it's always going to be one of the hallmarks of Synthetix.FM. This means there will be some EPs I miss writing in depth about unfortunately.
Instead I'll be doing more Midweek Triple EP Meltdowns as the need sees fit. These reviews aren't as deep as the stand alone reviews, but I think it's the best option while there is such an abundance of music around. Synthetix.FM always tries to find and support new producers of 80s inspired synth music as a priority and this is the consistent focus of the site. And speaking of which this Weekend Update it full of hot new tracks from emerging producers in the scene as well as the established rockers we're all already fans of so lets get rockin with the Synthetix Weekend Update!
Sunglasses Kid is really making a big splash of late, his absolutely stunning synth romance sounds are a joy to behold and Summer Break Up hammers this home form beginning to end. Emotive synths dance with passionate guitars in a spectacle of pure 80s brilliance.
Someone new to Synthetix.FM in Cinema next. This act is brand new to me and came into my awareness courtesy of my synth-brother-in-arms Thomas Rivette. Cinema have a sultry sound that drips with a sensual mystique which is only magnified by the French chanteuse intimating untold pleasures. Late night sounds with an eye for encounters of the carnal kind.
We have a trio of teasers in this Weekend Update and the first one is for the next Dynatron EP; Flashbacks. The tracks teased in this preview are all full of beauty and soundscapes of dynamic arrangements and the instrumentations seem to be of a huge diversity. This is definitely going to be an exciting release and is due out May 10th.
SPF5Ø is really making some big statements with his music. He reminds me of other avant garde producers like Klockhaus and Camille R in that his sounds are unmistakably 80s, but the delivery is something all together new.❐~❍~❏ is full of exciting sounds that move in and out reality on a crash course with a destiny that is entirely otherworldly. A magnificent experience from start to finish and available for FREE download currently.
After leaving Tesla Boy and embarking on his own solo career Poko Cox is now solidifying his personal soundscapes with super exciting results. 'The Greatest Fear' is a dramatic piece of synth pop with staccato rhythms and dream like melodies. It's a very strong song and I hope theres more Poko magic in the offing soon.
The enigmatic Dreamwave Dave rocked on with his majestic new composition this week called Stand By. This sound is full of refinement and uncomplicated arrangements that allow the music to speak for itself. Melodies intimate deeper knowledge while the percussion marches in time with crisp precision.
Turning up the pace and the heat is Grooveworthy and his killer track Information Superhighway. Moving at a breakneck speed this is exactly the kind of music I'd expect to hear over an 80s documentary explaining the internet. Full of excitement and promises of a bright future this track is available currently for FREE download.
RF Extreme's latest adventure is most certainly into the shadowy side of the synth spectrum. 'Enter Dark Paradise' is a moody dirge which speaks of hidden dangers but contrasts this with a brighter story of hope that rides the crests of the darker tones. Delightfully arranged and thoroughly engaging.
Lazerpsek's launched a rockin new preview for his next EP which is still to be announced, but this teaser is very exciting. This producer's sounds are very unpredictable and highly volatile and from even these short snippets it looks like we're in for a wild ride in the near future with Lazerspek.
It's always a great week when theres new Starforce music released and with Retrospheres Starforce certainly improved mine. This demo cut is a hugely powerful slab of heavy Starforce space synth rockin. A powerhouse of synth sounds and earth shattering percussion complete the experience, I can only imagine the final form of this piece if this is only the demo.
Adding even more excitement to this past week was the publishing of brand new experience from Miami Nights 1984. 'Deep Blue' finds MN1984 diving deep into a slow motion explosion of fathomless emotions and touching melodies. This is a very intimately written piece that definitely speaks from the heart and soul of the producer.
Next up is the hot new track from Fantastisizer. 'The Chase' is an energetic adventure into the dangers of the night. Exciting percussion and crystalline synth melodies punctuate a dramatic soundscape making the tension burn hot. This track is so smooth and undulating that it really takes the listener on a roller coaster ride, sublimely written and arranged.
Bringing some funky and sexy synth sounds to your weekend is Time Trvlr with Electic Shoes [sic]. I really love this track, it reminds of some of my favourite Synth Erotica pieces with it's high energy drums and sensual sounds and it's thoroughly authentic personality. Definitely a piece to get your weekend rockin with a nudge and a wink and I'll say no more.
MegaDrive is bringing forth the radness in monstrously big doses with his new OutRun opus Dataline. Sounds are pure and clean with punchy percussion and synth melodies totally ripping shit up throughout. This track is ominously strong and overflowing with vibrant 80s energy.
Neon Flash Drive and Foreign Blade teamed up recently for some rockin good times and the result is Stalemate. Epic sounds of ninja synth tones emanate through the night drama with a restrained force that builds like a tidal wave of electricity. 'Stalemate' definitely brings the strengths of both producers to the fore and I hope they work together again in the future. This is currently available for FREE download too.
Dance With The Dead are pursuing the 80s horror synth sound with much fervour and passion. I think this style works exceptionally well with their production styles. 'They Only Come At Night' features much dark synth moods but the main melody refrain is pure jubilation and is wholly uplifting. Yet another superb track from the artists formerly known as Jaypeau and Toe Knee.
Alpha Boy's new EP is set to hit next week and his preview is sounding very promising. The last year has seen a great deal of development and growth in Alpha Boy's style and his music seems to be taking on all new feelings and directions. I greatly look forward to experiencing it in full.
And speaking of artists growing and developing I'm elated to share with you the latest work from the scenes resident videographer Neros77. His work has been raised to even loftier levels than before with his video for Starforce's Summer Of 2085. The sands of time and oceans of space become the planes of an eternal existence, forever entwined in a story that traverses galaxies by seasons. This is the visualisation of this track done to absolute perfection.
That brings us to the end of another week full of good times and great rock'n'roll in the 80s inspired synth scene. I'll be back throughout next week with more rockin music to keep you rockin the 80s all the right ways. 'Till then stay 80s and keep on rockin.
If posting more often was the solution, I'd do just that, but it's not the case. I've noticed that when I've posted more often during the week the posts get very little exposure to you, the audience, and then get shuffled down the page. I pride myself in writing what I feel about music and how it effects me and this takes time and effort to put into words but I love doing it and it's always going to be one of the hallmarks of Synthetix.FM. This means there will be some EPs I miss writing in depth about unfortunately.
Instead I'll be doing more Midweek Triple EP Meltdowns as the need sees fit. These reviews aren't as deep as the stand alone reviews, but I think it's the best option while there is such an abundance of music around. Synthetix.FM always tries to find and support new producers of 80s inspired synth music as a priority and this is the consistent focus of the site. And speaking of which this Weekend Update it full of hot new tracks from emerging producers in the scene as well as the established rockers we're all already fans of so lets get rockin with the Synthetix Weekend Update!
Sunglasses Kid is really making a big splash of late, his absolutely stunning synth romance sounds are a joy to behold and Summer Break Up hammers this home form beginning to end. Emotive synths dance with passionate guitars in a spectacle of pure 80s brilliance.
Someone new to Synthetix.FM in Cinema next. This act is brand new to me and came into my awareness courtesy of my synth-brother-in-arms Thomas Rivette. Cinema have a sultry sound that drips with a sensual mystique which is only magnified by the French chanteuse intimating untold pleasures. Late night sounds with an eye for encounters of the carnal kind.
We have a trio of teasers in this Weekend Update and the first one is for the next Dynatron EP; Flashbacks. The tracks teased in this preview are all full of beauty and soundscapes of dynamic arrangements and the instrumentations seem to be of a huge diversity. This is definitely going to be an exciting release and is due out May 10th.
SPF5Ø is really making some big statements with his music. He reminds me of other avant garde producers like Klockhaus and Camille R in that his sounds are unmistakably 80s, but the delivery is something all together new.❐~❍~❏ is full of exciting sounds that move in and out reality on a crash course with a destiny that is entirely otherworldly. A magnificent experience from start to finish and available for FREE download currently.
After leaving Tesla Boy and embarking on his own solo career Poko Cox is now solidifying his personal soundscapes with super exciting results. 'The Greatest Fear' is a dramatic piece of synth pop with staccato rhythms and dream like melodies. It's a very strong song and I hope theres more Poko magic in the offing soon.
The enigmatic Dreamwave Dave rocked on with his majestic new composition this week called Stand By. This sound is full of refinement and uncomplicated arrangements that allow the music to speak for itself. Melodies intimate deeper knowledge while the percussion marches in time with crisp precision.
Turning up the pace and the heat is Grooveworthy and his killer track Information Superhighway. Moving at a breakneck speed this is exactly the kind of music I'd expect to hear over an 80s documentary explaining the internet. Full of excitement and promises of a bright future this track is available currently for FREE download.
RF Extreme's latest adventure is most certainly into the shadowy side of the synth spectrum. 'Enter Dark Paradise' is a moody dirge which speaks of hidden dangers but contrasts this with a brighter story of hope that rides the crests of the darker tones. Delightfully arranged and thoroughly engaging.
Lazerpsek's launched a rockin new preview for his next EP which is still to be announced, but this teaser is very exciting. This producer's sounds are very unpredictable and highly volatile and from even these short snippets it looks like we're in for a wild ride in the near future with Lazerspek.
It's always a great week when theres new Starforce music released and with Retrospheres Starforce certainly improved mine. This demo cut is a hugely powerful slab of heavy Starforce space synth rockin. A powerhouse of synth sounds and earth shattering percussion complete the experience, I can only imagine the final form of this piece if this is only the demo.
Adding even more excitement to this past week was the publishing of brand new experience from Miami Nights 1984. 'Deep Blue' finds MN1984 diving deep into a slow motion explosion of fathomless emotions and touching melodies. This is a very intimately written piece that definitely speaks from the heart and soul of the producer.
Next up is the hot new track from Fantastisizer. 'The Chase' is an energetic adventure into the dangers of the night. Exciting percussion and crystalline synth melodies punctuate a dramatic soundscape making the tension burn hot. This track is so smooth and undulating that it really takes the listener on a roller coaster ride, sublimely written and arranged.
Bringing some funky and sexy synth sounds to your weekend is Time Trvlr with Electic Shoes [sic]. I really love this track, it reminds of some of my favourite Synth Erotica pieces with it's high energy drums and sensual sounds and it's thoroughly authentic personality. Definitely a piece to get your weekend rockin with a nudge and a wink and I'll say no more.
MegaDrive is bringing forth the radness in monstrously big doses with his new OutRun opus Dataline. Sounds are pure and clean with punchy percussion and synth melodies totally ripping shit up throughout. This track is ominously strong and overflowing with vibrant 80s energy.
Neon Flash Drive and Foreign Blade teamed up recently for some rockin good times and the result is Stalemate. Epic sounds of ninja synth tones emanate through the night drama with a restrained force that builds like a tidal wave of electricity. 'Stalemate' definitely brings the strengths of both producers to the fore and I hope they work together again in the future. This is currently available for FREE download too.
Dance With The Dead are pursuing the 80s horror synth sound with much fervour and passion. I think this style works exceptionally well with their production styles. 'They Only Come At Night' features much dark synth moods but the main melody refrain is pure jubilation and is wholly uplifting. Yet another superb track from the artists formerly known as Jaypeau and Toe Knee.
Alpha Boy's new EP is set to hit next week and his preview is sounding very promising. The last year has seen a great deal of development and growth in Alpha Boy's style and his music seems to be taking on all new feelings and directions. I greatly look forward to experiencing it in full.
And speaking of artists growing and developing I'm elated to share with you the latest work from the scenes resident videographer Neros77. His work has been raised to even loftier levels than before with his video for Starforce's Summer Of 2085. The sands of time and oceans of space become the planes of an eternal existence, forever entwined in a story that traverses galaxies by seasons. This is the visualisation of this track done to absolute perfection.
That brings us to the end of another week full of good times and great rock'n'roll in the 80s inspired synth scene. I'll be back throughout next week with more rockin music to keep you rockin the 80s all the right ways. 'Till then stay 80s and keep on rockin.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Ghosthouse Go For The Deep V
Ghosthouse are back with a new party-riot EP salaciously titled Deep V. These guys have a totally killer brand of party synth rock sounds that move through different decades but always have the 80s spirit being poured by the gallon.
Deep V contains their killer single from last year in Stop, Drop and Roll as well as bringing along a trio of new songs that push the party mood into some dangerously sexy new territory.
The party kicks off with the good time anthem Freeze. The big 'X Factor' with any Ghosthouse song are the lyrics, these guys are masters of working the most bitchen lines betwixt the catchy riffs and melodies. 'Freeze' kicks so much arse in the lyrics department that you can't help but sing along, even the first time through. The Ghosthouse live party vibe runs riot throughout 'Freeze' and sets a course for good times and great rock'n'roll from the outset.
The second track winds things back to some steamier R&B flavoured tones with 'Empty Bottles'. Wanton refrains of unrequited love and lust end up in the gutter with broken glass and a haze of intoxication. Funky orchestral work and sensuously smooth sax highlights the scene but the pleading vocals tell of a soul bared and crushed 'neath the passions of the night.
'Witness To The Scene' kicks in with a highly polished staccato energy and a totally rad vocal style not dissimilar to something like Rockwell's Somebody's Watching Me. This song is just pure Ghosthouse gold with every ounce of drama exacted from each note and chord, the party is in full swing and it's never gonna stop with this rockin the scene.
The final phase of Deep V is the synth laden 'Stop, Drop & Roll'. Lots of classically 80s pop funk sounds are paraded up and down the catwalk with a strut and swagger full of conviction and confidence. More so than just getting the 80s sounds and ideas 'right' Ghosthouse get the feelings of the 80s right, it's brash, fresh, and full of an uncontrollable exuberance.
The EP closes out with a Radio Edit (they cut the 'fuck' out) of Freeze, which I hope gets metric shit tonnes of FM airplay as these rockers really deserve a massive audience of devoted followers.
The Deep V EP is presented on Ghosthouse's Bandcamp here at a 'name your own' price point. This EP is a must have release for those who want to experience that revival of 80s fun and party action any time you feel the need. Party on Ghosthouse, party on.
Deep V contains their killer single from last year in Stop, Drop and Roll as well as bringing along a trio of new songs that push the party mood into some dangerously sexy new territory.
The party kicks off with the good time anthem Freeze. The big 'X Factor' with any Ghosthouse song are the lyrics, these guys are masters of working the most bitchen lines betwixt the catchy riffs and melodies. 'Freeze' kicks so much arse in the lyrics department that you can't help but sing along, even the first time through. The Ghosthouse live party vibe runs riot throughout 'Freeze' and sets a course for good times and great rock'n'roll from the outset.
The second track winds things back to some steamier R&B flavoured tones with 'Empty Bottles'. Wanton refrains of unrequited love and lust end up in the gutter with broken glass and a haze of intoxication. Funky orchestral work and sensuously smooth sax highlights the scene but the pleading vocals tell of a soul bared and crushed 'neath the passions of the night.
'Witness To The Scene' kicks in with a highly polished staccato energy and a totally rad vocal style not dissimilar to something like Rockwell's Somebody's Watching Me. This song is just pure Ghosthouse gold with every ounce of drama exacted from each note and chord, the party is in full swing and it's never gonna stop with this rockin the scene.
The final phase of Deep V is the synth laden 'Stop, Drop & Roll'. Lots of classically 80s pop funk sounds are paraded up and down the catwalk with a strut and swagger full of conviction and confidence. More so than just getting the 80s sounds and ideas 'right' Ghosthouse get the feelings of the 80s right, it's brash, fresh, and full of an uncontrollable exuberance.
The EP closes out with a Radio Edit (they cut the 'fuck' out) of Freeze, which I hope gets metric shit tonnes of FM airplay as these rockers really deserve a massive audience of devoted followers.
The Deep V EP is presented on Ghosthouse's Bandcamp here at a 'name your own' price point. This EP is a must have release for those who want to experience that revival of 80s fun and party action any time you feel the need. Party on Ghosthouse, party on.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Judge Bitch Is The Viper
After waiting for seemingly an eternity we have finally got a full release from Judge Bitch courtesy of Aphasia Records. I've been a fan of this Canadian producer's work since I was first introduced to him about a year ago and am elated to now be able to own my own slice of Judge Bitch's electro synth madness.
This nine track release contains many previous Judge Bitch classics like Thunderground, Working Out In Jeans and Jessica along with a slew of new Judge Bitch experiences. It's a cavalcade of high energy synth drama with an aggressive modern flavour that adds even more dimension to the soundscape.
The Judge Bitch sound is something I instantly became enamoured with, and this album really solidifies this being such an unprecedented concentration of his tracks. The soundscapes venture into darker moods but there seems to always be a bittersweetness attached to the instrumentations and melodies. Nothing ever feels 100% black, musical threats are made and enacted with high energy but this is balanced by an 80s sweetness which lingers in the milieu and strikes a delectable combination of sensations in each track.
This is very pronounced in pieces like the opening track Pacer. The abrasiveness of the percussive track is stabbed with murderous intent while a synth overlay of clear melodies fills the air. It's this bipolar nature to Judge Bitch's sounds that provide a great deal of entertainment throughout the LP. Choked side chains and a rhythmical anger are both familiar devices employed in the Judge's audio arsenal, often at times bringing in a cacophony of disharmonic disarray but always focussing on the fine points of the story while all about lies in chaotic ruin.
Favourite tracks that I've known intimately over the last year take on a new dimension as their individual chapters now make a full and complete story, adding new dimensions and intentions to their personalities I'd previously been unaware of. The placement of Jessica is flawlessly arranged as moods are taken from the brink back down into realms of sanity but this comfort is then blasted into the stratosphere with the high energy Street Heart. Judge Bitch really hammers through the genres with his sound, and the base elements combine into an all new vision.
If classically styled OutRun is the smooth coastal drive in a high speed italian sports car into a neon sunset then Judge Bitch's OutRun is more inclined to be a gear grinding dustbowl pursuit in something not dissimilar to the vehicles in Mad Max 2. A most definitely post-apocalyptic discord is running at high speed through the majority of the album and even the more ambiant pieces, like Time Crimes, have broken and cannibalised parts serving new purposes.
But there is always the bright 80s spark setting the ignition point in each track. The instrumentations can even bend into ChipTune territory and still contain a neon heart pumping 80s energy through the experience, which is ever so beautifully done in the titular track Viper. With all this variety in the sounds the back end of the album sees just a bit more experimentation to my ear, perhaps this is due to the newer tracks finding Judge Bitch's craft evolving in new directions? If anything this adds even more intrigue to the album as the progression of ideas add more details to the stories being told.
As I listen more and more to this record and take in it's many moods I really appreciate the work that has gone into this release. Some of these tracks have been in my psyche for twelve months, but now they make more sense and their purpose feels truly realised. It's a testament to the producer that a year's worth of work has been so lovingly formed and shaped into an experience that makes you sit up and take notice. Judge Bitch has arrived and his music speaks for it's self.
Aphasia Records presents Judge Bitch's Viper LP on their Bandcamp page here and this album comes very highly recommended as a new vision of 80s sounds, stripped raw and then rebuilt like a diesel powered cyborg, ready for action and hungering for victory.
This nine track release contains many previous Judge Bitch classics like Thunderground, Working Out In Jeans and Jessica along with a slew of new Judge Bitch experiences. It's a cavalcade of high energy synth drama with an aggressive modern flavour that adds even more dimension to the soundscape.
The Judge Bitch sound is something I instantly became enamoured with, and this album really solidifies this being such an unprecedented concentration of his tracks. The soundscapes venture into darker moods but there seems to always be a bittersweetness attached to the instrumentations and melodies. Nothing ever feels 100% black, musical threats are made and enacted with high energy but this is balanced by an 80s sweetness which lingers in the milieu and strikes a delectable combination of sensations in each track.
This is very pronounced in pieces like the opening track Pacer. The abrasiveness of the percussive track is stabbed with murderous intent while a synth overlay of clear melodies fills the air. It's this bipolar nature to Judge Bitch's sounds that provide a great deal of entertainment throughout the LP. Choked side chains and a rhythmical anger are both familiar devices employed in the Judge's audio arsenal, often at times bringing in a cacophony of disharmonic disarray but always focussing on the fine points of the story while all about lies in chaotic ruin.
Favourite tracks that I've known intimately over the last year take on a new dimension as their individual chapters now make a full and complete story, adding new dimensions and intentions to their personalities I'd previously been unaware of. The placement of Jessica is flawlessly arranged as moods are taken from the brink back down into realms of sanity but this comfort is then blasted into the stratosphere with the high energy Street Heart. Judge Bitch really hammers through the genres with his sound, and the base elements combine into an all new vision.
If classically styled OutRun is the smooth coastal drive in a high speed italian sports car into a neon sunset then Judge Bitch's OutRun is more inclined to be a gear grinding dustbowl pursuit in something not dissimilar to the vehicles in Mad Max 2. A most definitely post-apocalyptic discord is running at high speed through the majority of the album and even the more ambiant pieces, like Time Crimes, have broken and cannibalised parts serving new purposes.
But there is always the bright 80s spark setting the ignition point in each track. The instrumentations can even bend into ChipTune territory and still contain a neon heart pumping 80s energy through the experience, which is ever so beautifully done in the titular track Viper. With all this variety in the sounds the back end of the album sees just a bit more experimentation to my ear, perhaps this is due to the newer tracks finding Judge Bitch's craft evolving in new directions? If anything this adds even more intrigue to the album as the progression of ideas add more details to the stories being told.
As I listen more and more to this record and take in it's many moods I really appreciate the work that has gone into this release. Some of these tracks have been in my psyche for twelve months, but now they make more sense and their purpose feels truly realised. It's a testament to the producer that a year's worth of work has been so lovingly formed and shaped into an experience that makes you sit up and take notice. Judge Bitch has arrived and his music speaks for it's self.
Aphasia Records presents Judge Bitch's Viper LP on their Bandcamp page here and this album comes very highly recommended as a new vision of 80s sounds, stripped raw and then rebuilt like a diesel powered cyborg, ready for action and hungering for victory.
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