Logan Sky's new album, Face The Flames, has just been released and this artists individualised sounds feel like they've found a evolutionary plateau with an experience unlike most anything else around. Logan Sky's Journeys Into The Interior of last year really set the stage for this composer's diverse sound and Face The Flames refines the Logan Sky experience even further.
Logan Sky's style is a melange of avant garde arrangements that are drawn from a palette that leans towards the 16bit end of the sound spectrum but also includes a wider range of instrumentation for contrast. I wouldn't call his music ChipTune in it's sound as there is always a far greater amount of sounds used than traditional ChipTune, but the nuances of the 16bit age are a staple of his ambience.
This adds a simplistic mechanical-like element that feels primal and pure and then the added layers of more traditional instrumentation to blend the colours into more complex structures with the end result being a very individualised sound. With Face The Flames Logan Sky has pushed this non-traditional instrumentation into non-traditional arrangements which give an eclectic and free-form personality to the music.
Instead of lushly drawn epic vistas we are presented with concentrated ideas that say their piece and then move on to the next idea. There is an idea in each track that provides a singularity which is then taken from birth to death, allowing it's elemental force to be experienced almost like a science experiment. Once this has been completed, the next one begins. Seemingly unrelated at first but over the course of the album make up the many parts and facets that coalesce into a cohesive volume.
It's these compartmentalised vignettes that take the listener through much unfamiliar territory. Opening pieces lead to a fall sense of security. The make up of the likes of the title track and Blonde Cobra keep to worlds with distinctions of familiarity, however by the time we're in the clutches of Guatami and Snake Pit our mind is hijacked into another dimension of visions that are thoroughly alien.
Logan Sky's sounds remain unfettered by convention throughout this record, with free forming, hypnotising melodies that are broken, cursed and banished while seemingly unrelated elements are introduced in a manner that provides new context. Instrumental sounds are also taken back to base particles and then rebuilt with little respect for preconceived notions. The result of which makes for an experience you'll not find elsewhere in earthly dimensions.
With all this experimentation one might begin to think accessibility has been foregone but it's Logan Sky's uncanny knack of making the alien homely and the foreign native that means each track engages and entertains without ostracising the listener in any way. By the time the album reaches Start To Shiver and Crash And Burn it becomes very obvious that we are welcomed in as a part of Logan Sky's world. We are made to feel comfortable in his home and the music isn't a barrier but an open door into this new dimension.
By the time the closing chapters of Face The Flames wash over us there is a feeling of completion to the experience that is wholly fulfilling. Logan Sky's bared musical soul feels complete and a satisfaction of experiencing and understanding this departure from tradition provides much enlightenment. I feel like I 'get' Logan Sky after listening to this album and repeated listens reinforce this.
Face The Flames is like a parallel universe that exists as counterpoint and contrast to what we are familiar with. Crossing through this open door into this wonderful land is like aural vacation to a far away land that doesn't really speak the same language, but has the same message of hope, love and the experience we share as sentient beings.
The album also contains two extra remixes, Highway Superstar's reworking of the title track and Logan Sky's own interpretation of Palm Highway Chase's Escape From New York. These two remixes serve as a way to bring you back to reality, preventing any jarring between the Logan Sky dimension and our own familiar world. A very positive finish to a mind broadening experience.
Logan Sky's Face The Flames album is presented on his Bandcamp page here and is highly recommended to listeners of 80s inspired synth who want to walk a road less travelled and experience new possibilities outside their comfort zones.
Friday, March 1, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Midweek Triple EP Meltdown
All the planets got into an alignment for maximum rockin this week which has resulted in three superb EP releases set off in a chain reaction of explosive action. New music from Vincenzo Salvia, Splash Wave and Steinbeck will all make your Wednesday as rad as humanly possible.
Light the fuse and run for cover as the Midweek Meltdown goes thermonuclear!!
Vincenzo Salvia - Traffic EP
Vincenzo Salvia is back with a three track exploration of dramatic synth moods in his Traffic EP. This EP demonstrates a great deal of new sounds and spaces for this producer, it seems every new release distills the essence of his music even further while his own personality continues to grow.
Taking on a very obvious 80s drug dealing motif from the Scarface inspired artwork and track titles the music does have the hallmarks of danger and action pulsing throughout its three movements. Opening up with Vengeance the scene is set with energetic melodies and electrifying sounds. Elements of many styles merge in this track and as a thematic scene-setting piece it delivers great portions of tension and luxury in even doses. "Vengeance" really shines in it's arrangements, with each section beautifully thought out and executed, something that Vincenzo Salvia has taken huge strides in.
The next track, Exchange, pushes this producers skill even further. As a standalone piece this runs the gamut of action and emotion with pounding rhythms and melodies that resonate throughout the music. This pieces midpoint change is absolutely stunning and hugely unexpected. It's this change with slow uplifting synth layers and and an engine powered by pure italo that makes this experience totally reference and easily my favourite Vincenzo Salvia track thus far. Truly magical.
Stray Bullers completes the EP with more action centered on lives living on the edge, constantly in the face of danger. It begins with a much more simplistic approach that sets the scene for the main melody which is then made all the more impressive when it hits. Once again, this is arranged brilliantly with three suites continuing the story and bringing the atmosphere to life with broad strokes of colour and action.
The Traffic EP is presented on Future City Records Bandcamp page here and is most certainly worth the price of admission for this tale of peril and vice in the 80s underworld.
Le Podium #2 : Splash Wave
The second edition of the Le Podium series contains some exceptional music from the marvellous Splash Wave. This series is intended to showcase new French talent in a range of musical styles and for their second volume they've chosen the 80s sounds of Splash Wave for a four track release made up of two originals and two remixes.
For those unaware, Splash Wave was a title of one of the background music tracks on the classic SEGA arcade game OutRun. Another track off this seminal title was also Passing Breeze, which provides some glorious homage to the classic SEGA title that has inspired an entire musical genre. Keeping the video game thematic going the other track on this release, Bad'n'Rad, was a title of Gameboy skateboarding game by Konami, a sequel to the NES's Skate Or Die. But classic videogame fanservice aside, it's time to get into the music of Splash Wave.
Opening with Passing Breeze we're presented with slightly melancholic synth pop that is firmly rooted in 80s sounds. The vocal track on Passing Breeze by Anna Jean provides an extra layer of moodiness and it's flat, dead pan delivery is implemented beautifully for maximum effect. The music does add interesting drum tracks to the experience which remind me of the marvellous Klockhaus. No bad thing at all! Passing Breeze is also on this EP as an Extended Instrumental Mix, which is also very engaging. I find it hard to choose between the two, and I seem to gravitate to either depending on my mood as the instrumental has just a touch less melancholy.
Bad'n'Rad continues the Splash Wave adventure with a perfect mix of old and new. Once again I'm reminded of Klockhaus in the use of the drum tracks, which in this track, push the action even harder and makes for even more rockin good times. The heavily effect treated vocal adds even more to the soundscape and it's non-traditional arrangements work like a charm throughout. I really enjoy this song on many levels, it just plain rocks.
The Publicist remix of Bad'n'Rad takes the music into a spacy-house direction that gives the experience an entirely new complexion. I'm not particularly sold on this remix, massively due to my liking of the original so much, but it does put a very interesting spin on the vocal track by making it the complete focus of the experience. I do believe the minimalist approach to the music betrays the originals soul however.
This release is presented on Splash Wave's Bandcamp here as a digital download and also as a luxurious 10" pink vinyl pressing, which is limited to 300 copies. These may be getting thin on the ground though as mine is number 260, so jump on it quick if you're after the record.
Steinbeck - The First Tear EP
A new Australian producer has launched himself into the 80s inspired synth scene under the name of Steinbeck with his debut EP The First Tear. First EP or not, The First Tear showcases a very talented and passionate producer who's obviously in the grip of a long standing love affair with classic 80s sounds.
Steinbeck's sounds are totally on point with an early to mid 80s synth pop soundscape positively glowing with classic 80s songwriting details and nuances. The opening song, Heart, demonstrates his ability to craft emotions into music with synths that are written to go with the lyrical track perfectly. I know this might sound obvious, but there are very few producers around who write music with vocal track in mind and often the vocal feels like it's been added as an afterthought rather than something that shares equal importance.
Right from the opening this song is constructed in a way that feels totally authentic. The synth build and the vocal works with the layering of sounds magnificently. So many classic 80s synth pop bands are brought to mind throughout Heart, but it doesn't feel like a twee homage. Steinbeck's passion and conviction is palpable in every note and word and it's this intimation that he manages to get across so beautifully.
Steinbeck's voice moves in and out of different sounds throughout the EP. It does feel like he's yet to find the right sound for his music as it changes markedly, sometimes in the same song. He is obviously working very hard on finding the one that really works for him and this is something he should be massively commended for. In the second track we visit slowed down synth pop romance with nods to early Duran Duran ballads. It's in The First Tear's chorus that I find a Steinbeck vocal sound I instantly fell in love with. Just enough suaveness and honesty to really make the lyrics go straight to the heart.
The EP completes with another balladesque piece entitled Your Eyes. Steinbeck knows his 80s and his 'whole package' of synths, guitars and vocals really shines even brighter in this song. The synth energies are smooth and transparent, guitars are whispered nuances and the vocal is once again intimated with perfect honesty.
This EP is a very, very promising start for Steinbeck. I really hope this artist sticks to his guns with his sounds as he has all the pieces of the puzzle already, he just needs to make them fit perfectly. I'll be covering Steinbeck's future with great interest on Synthetix.FM, that's for sure.
The First Tear EP is presented on Steinbeck's Bandcamp here and I hope everyone supports this great new talent in the 80s inspired synth scene.
Light the fuse and run for cover as the Midweek Meltdown goes thermonuclear!!
Vincenzo Salvia - Traffic EP
Vincenzo Salvia is back with a three track exploration of dramatic synth moods in his Traffic EP. This EP demonstrates a great deal of new sounds and spaces for this producer, it seems every new release distills the essence of his music even further while his own personality continues to grow.
Taking on a very obvious 80s drug dealing motif from the Scarface inspired artwork and track titles the music does have the hallmarks of danger and action pulsing throughout its three movements. Opening up with Vengeance the scene is set with energetic melodies and electrifying sounds. Elements of many styles merge in this track and as a thematic scene-setting piece it delivers great portions of tension and luxury in even doses. "Vengeance" really shines in it's arrangements, with each section beautifully thought out and executed, something that Vincenzo Salvia has taken huge strides in.
The next track, Exchange, pushes this producers skill even further. As a standalone piece this runs the gamut of action and emotion with pounding rhythms and melodies that resonate throughout the music. This pieces midpoint change is absolutely stunning and hugely unexpected. It's this change with slow uplifting synth layers and and an engine powered by pure italo that makes this experience totally reference and easily my favourite Vincenzo Salvia track thus far. Truly magical.
Stray Bullers completes the EP with more action centered on lives living on the edge, constantly in the face of danger. It begins with a much more simplistic approach that sets the scene for the main melody which is then made all the more impressive when it hits. Once again, this is arranged brilliantly with three suites continuing the story and bringing the atmosphere to life with broad strokes of colour and action.
The Traffic EP is presented on Future City Records Bandcamp page here and is most certainly worth the price of admission for this tale of peril and vice in the 80s underworld.
Le Podium #2 : Splash Wave
The second edition of the Le Podium series contains some exceptional music from the marvellous Splash Wave. This series is intended to showcase new French talent in a range of musical styles and for their second volume they've chosen the 80s sounds of Splash Wave for a four track release made up of two originals and two remixes.
For those unaware, Splash Wave was a title of one of the background music tracks on the classic SEGA arcade game OutRun. Another track off this seminal title was also Passing Breeze, which provides some glorious homage to the classic SEGA title that has inspired an entire musical genre. Keeping the video game thematic going the other track on this release, Bad'n'Rad, was a title of Gameboy skateboarding game by Konami, a sequel to the NES's Skate Or Die. But classic videogame fanservice aside, it's time to get into the music of Splash Wave.
Opening with Passing Breeze we're presented with slightly melancholic synth pop that is firmly rooted in 80s sounds. The vocal track on Passing Breeze by Anna Jean provides an extra layer of moodiness and it's flat, dead pan delivery is implemented beautifully for maximum effect. The music does add interesting drum tracks to the experience which remind me of the marvellous Klockhaus. No bad thing at all! Passing Breeze is also on this EP as an Extended Instrumental Mix, which is also very engaging. I find it hard to choose between the two, and I seem to gravitate to either depending on my mood as the instrumental has just a touch less melancholy.
Bad'n'Rad continues the Splash Wave adventure with a perfect mix of old and new. Once again I'm reminded of Klockhaus in the use of the drum tracks, which in this track, push the action even harder and makes for even more rockin good times. The heavily effect treated vocal adds even more to the soundscape and it's non-traditional arrangements work like a charm throughout. I really enjoy this song on many levels, it just plain rocks.
The Publicist remix of Bad'n'Rad takes the music into a spacy-house direction that gives the experience an entirely new complexion. I'm not particularly sold on this remix, massively due to my liking of the original so much, but it does put a very interesting spin on the vocal track by making it the complete focus of the experience. I do believe the minimalist approach to the music betrays the originals soul however.
This release is presented on Splash Wave's Bandcamp here as a digital download and also as a luxurious 10" pink vinyl pressing, which is limited to 300 copies. These may be getting thin on the ground though as mine is number 260, so jump on it quick if you're after the record.
Steinbeck - The First Tear EP
A new Australian producer has launched himself into the 80s inspired synth scene under the name of Steinbeck with his debut EP The First Tear. First EP or not, The First Tear showcases a very talented and passionate producer who's obviously in the grip of a long standing love affair with classic 80s sounds.
Steinbeck's sounds are totally on point with an early to mid 80s synth pop soundscape positively glowing with classic 80s songwriting details and nuances. The opening song, Heart, demonstrates his ability to craft emotions into music with synths that are written to go with the lyrical track perfectly. I know this might sound obvious, but there are very few producers around who write music with vocal track in mind and often the vocal feels like it's been added as an afterthought rather than something that shares equal importance.
Right from the opening this song is constructed in a way that feels totally authentic. The synth build and the vocal works with the layering of sounds magnificently. So many classic 80s synth pop bands are brought to mind throughout Heart, but it doesn't feel like a twee homage. Steinbeck's passion and conviction is palpable in every note and word and it's this intimation that he manages to get across so beautifully.
Steinbeck's voice moves in and out of different sounds throughout the EP. It does feel like he's yet to find the right sound for his music as it changes markedly, sometimes in the same song. He is obviously working very hard on finding the one that really works for him and this is something he should be massively commended for. In the second track we visit slowed down synth pop romance with nods to early Duran Duran ballads. It's in The First Tear's chorus that I find a Steinbeck vocal sound I instantly fell in love with. Just enough suaveness and honesty to really make the lyrics go straight to the heart.
The EP completes with another balladesque piece entitled Your Eyes. Steinbeck knows his 80s and his 'whole package' of synths, guitars and vocals really shines even brighter in this song. The synth energies are smooth and transparent, guitars are whispered nuances and the vocal is once again intimated with perfect honesty.
This EP is a very, very promising start for Steinbeck. I really hope this artist sticks to his guns with his sounds as he has all the pieces of the puzzle already, he just needs to make them fit perfectly. I'll be covering Steinbeck's future with great interest on Synthetix.FM, that's for sure.
The First Tear EP is presented on Steinbeck's Bandcamp here and I hope everyone supports this great new talent in the 80s inspired synth scene.
Monday, February 25, 2013
A Change Of Clothes For Python Blue
Python Blue is becoming a huge force to be reckoned with in the arena of 80s inspired soundtrack synth music. He has progressively impressed me with each new release with his ability to craft and evolve musical ideas in a genre that is usually a stop-off rather than a destination for many producers.
According to the by-lines, the Change Of Clothes album marks a concerted effort from this producer to make a "slightly lighter mood" as opposed to the shadowy realms of his previous record. This has added a great deal of scope to the album's character and personality and is, I believe, Python Blue's strongest record thus far.
The delightfully titled Shed Skin opens up proceedings, keeping a constrained and melancholy air about itself. The resonating soundscape fills and builds but keeps its emotional connection distant and slightly darkened. Maybe it's just the Plaisance-Effect, but I can't help hearing elements of Twin Peaks in the opening track, which actually enhances this piece for me a great deal and adds that air of tragedy to the music. As mentioned though, this is change in sounds and shedding of skin from his last album to this one still leaves the blue mood lingering on the horizon.
The opening transitional piece leads to Fun And Work and this second track really begins to change the colours from a the Python's darker blue tones into a much more vibrant and energised blue. Music is charged with positivity and dramatic changes and powerful percussion add weight to the airily formed melodies. This is still, most definitely, of the soundtrack synth denomination. Python Blue manages to create his own visuals for his music and Fun And Work leads into a dramatic second half that loses the innocence of the first act beautifully.
Taking the mood back to darker climes is Time Capsule. This trudging dirge offers a superb contrast of down tempo percussion with stunning vistas of synth melodies. The delicate balance ebbs and flows with a poignancy that keeps the good and evil on a level playing field. This piece is epic in it's make up and across it's five and a half minutes covers aeons of future history and stories yet to be told.
This track is followed by What Is Love which takes the mood of Time Capsule and turns it on its head with high powered melodies that remind me of Wang Chung's superlative To Live And Die In L.A. soundtrack. Action and drama are on the streets, heating up to a boiling point that's sure to leave hearts broken and innocence lost. Python Blue's instrumentation choices, especially his synth sounds, are a huge strong point for how this album works as a thematic, each piece feeling sonically linked and aurally drawn from the same palette.
Moods become much more intimate in Snowmen; Change Of Clothes' 'love theme' if you will. The sparse soundscape is energised with human emotion the longing for the touch of the one dearest to our hearts. Snowmen is joyous in it's delivery, hopeful and gleaming with warmth. The air is light with colour and the sounds draw directly from our emotions, tying and binding them to each other. The melting of the ice leads to the discover of kindred spirits and our souls soar together into the crispness of the clear winter sky.
Like a shot, Leave You Behind signals that the honeymoon is assuredly over and it is now time for duty and honour to rise. The build up in this track extraordinary with a pounding and forceful drum track that allows each element to be triumphantly layered as the face of battle looms. This piece leads into Analog Desires, almost serving as a precursor to it. The build continues with a more mechanical flow but once again the synths elevate and rise above with the power of humanity in the face of a soulless foe. There is hugely moving final stanza in Analog Desires that feels like the culmination of the this chapter's vignette.
All Over The News begins a new chapter and once again energetic percussion complements the building synth layers as melodies begin to form and evolve before our very eyes. The lead melody is superbly arranged with a vivid brightness to it's colour and keeping it's energy flowing majestically throughout the experience. All Over The News gives just enough action to keep the pace moving but the overlying theme is made much more esoteric by the angelic synths.
Moving into the last experiences on Change Of Clothes we return to the shadows in The Final Frontier. Sounds are much less bright and begin to show the tarnish of age as we look much more introspectively and realise the final frontier is about our own limitations and shortcomings. The darkness never feels oppressive in this piece, in fact it feels comfortable and right. This introspection isn't about failure but success, the synths guide us through our psyche into realms of new positivity and a feeling of elation begins to wash over us like a mental baptism of spatial awakening.
Change Of Clothes finishes with Memories, a book-end piece that finishes off the record very succinctly. It's reflective in nature, but brings to mind the vast territory we've covered in our new wardrobe. For now, the darkness isn't something that scares or intimidates. No. The darkness welcomes and provides a comfort. Like falling asleep, the darkness is our protector and confessor every night we rest. The darkness is a part of who we are and the balance between the light and dark is exactly what Python Blue has attained on his new record.
The Change Of Clothes album is presented on Python Blue's Bandcamp page here and is highly recommended to those who want to spend some quality time with engaging music that asks as many questions as it answers but allows the listener to decide where this takes them on a beautifully crafted musical journey.
According to the by-lines, the Change Of Clothes album marks a concerted effort from this producer to make a "slightly lighter mood" as opposed to the shadowy realms of his previous record. This has added a great deal of scope to the album's character and personality and is, I believe, Python Blue's strongest record thus far.
The delightfully titled Shed Skin opens up proceedings, keeping a constrained and melancholy air about itself. The resonating soundscape fills and builds but keeps its emotional connection distant and slightly darkened. Maybe it's just the Plaisance-Effect, but I can't help hearing elements of Twin Peaks in the opening track, which actually enhances this piece for me a great deal and adds that air of tragedy to the music. As mentioned though, this is change in sounds and shedding of skin from his last album to this one still leaves the blue mood lingering on the horizon.
The opening transitional piece leads to Fun And Work and this second track really begins to change the colours from a the Python's darker blue tones into a much more vibrant and energised blue. Music is charged with positivity and dramatic changes and powerful percussion add weight to the airily formed melodies. This is still, most definitely, of the soundtrack synth denomination. Python Blue manages to create his own visuals for his music and Fun And Work leads into a dramatic second half that loses the innocence of the first act beautifully.
Taking the mood back to darker climes is Time Capsule. This trudging dirge offers a superb contrast of down tempo percussion with stunning vistas of synth melodies. The delicate balance ebbs and flows with a poignancy that keeps the good and evil on a level playing field. This piece is epic in it's make up and across it's five and a half minutes covers aeons of future history and stories yet to be told.
This track is followed by What Is Love which takes the mood of Time Capsule and turns it on its head with high powered melodies that remind me of Wang Chung's superlative To Live And Die In L.A. soundtrack. Action and drama are on the streets, heating up to a boiling point that's sure to leave hearts broken and innocence lost. Python Blue's instrumentation choices, especially his synth sounds, are a huge strong point for how this album works as a thematic, each piece feeling sonically linked and aurally drawn from the same palette.
Moods become much more intimate in Snowmen; Change Of Clothes' 'love theme' if you will. The sparse soundscape is energised with human emotion the longing for the touch of the one dearest to our hearts. Snowmen is joyous in it's delivery, hopeful and gleaming with warmth. The air is light with colour and the sounds draw directly from our emotions, tying and binding them to each other. The melting of the ice leads to the discover of kindred spirits and our souls soar together into the crispness of the clear winter sky.
Like a shot, Leave You Behind signals that the honeymoon is assuredly over and it is now time for duty and honour to rise. The build up in this track extraordinary with a pounding and forceful drum track that allows each element to be triumphantly layered as the face of battle looms. This piece leads into Analog Desires, almost serving as a precursor to it. The build continues with a more mechanical flow but once again the synths elevate and rise above with the power of humanity in the face of a soulless foe. There is hugely moving final stanza in Analog Desires that feels like the culmination of the this chapter's vignette.
All Over The News begins a new chapter and once again energetic percussion complements the building synth layers as melodies begin to form and evolve before our very eyes. The lead melody is superbly arranged with a vivid brightness to it's colour and keeping it's energy flowing majestically throughout the experience. All Over The News gives just enough action to keep the pace moving but the overlying theme is made much more esoteric by the angelic synths.
Moving into the last experiences on Change Of Clothes we return to the shadows in The Final Frontier. Sounds are much less bright and begin to show the tarnish of age as we look much more introspectively and realise the final frontier is about our own limitations and shortcomings. The darkness never feels oppressive in this piece, in fact it feels comfortable and right. This introspection isn't about failure but success, the synths guide us through our psyche into realms of new positivity and a feeling of elation begins to wash over us like a mental baptism of spatial awakening.
Change Of Clothes finishes with Memories, a book-end piece that finishes off the record very succinctly. It's reflective in nature, but brings to mind the vast territory we've covered in our new wardrobe. For now, the darkness isn't something that scares or intimidates. No. The darkness welcomes and provides a comfort. Like falling asleep, the darkness is our protector and confessor every night we rest. The darkness is a part of who we are and the balance between the light and dark is exactly what Python Blue has attained on his new record.
The Change Of Clothes album is presented on Python Blue's Bandcamp page here and is highly recommended to those who want to spend some quality time with engaging music that asks as many questions as it answers but allows the listener to decide where this takes them on a beautifully crafted musical journey.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Synthetix Weekend Update
First off I'd like to apologise for the lack of posts at the end of this past week, my internet was down for most of Friday and Saturday which made it impossible for me to do anything on here. The music I was planning on covering will be taken care of next week though.
It's been yet another big week in releases and quite a few kick arse new artists are surfacing with new sounds and ideas that are very exciting. It's the diversity of sounds that will keep the 80s synth scene engaging and relevant, I believe. There are still many, many untapped 80s experiences for the modern producers to discover and reinvent, which always gives me faith that the scene will grow, evolve and cement itself for the duration.
2013 is already huge for a new releases and artists barely two months in, so lets get rockin with some of the brightest stars lighting up the 80s sky in this week's Weekend Update on Synthetix.FM.
Going directly for the jugular is the enigmatically named Dot with the solid gold rockin hit Chupame Señora(pero no mames). This duo have been producing for about a year and have a tight grasp on how to make 80s pop magic happen. Be sure to check out their wonderful track Chaffinch on their soundcloud too.
Andy Fink's back and rockin with his latest single release Vice Love available now through Future City Records. This experience takes some delicately intimate synth work and contrasts it with a sinister bass line and dramatic percussion. The end result is quite unlike anything else as the senses are pulled in different directions all at once.
Lost Years has tantalised us with another new demo, this time of Red Horizon, which is already up to Version 2. This powerhouse track is direct in it's delivery and raucous in it's presence but the delightful synth melodies combine the elements into something even more huge. Marvellous work, once again, from one of the most consistently rockin producers in the scene.
Turning up the funk and moving towards a more modern flavour is Peter "PH Groove" Hecher's new experience The Breakdown. This track really combines many influences from different decades but the bass line is just so catchy and the synths deliver so much joy that I'd be remiss not to include it in this Weekend Update. The vibrant melange of sounds are invigorating and by the time the sax hits I'm sure you'll agree.
New Arcades are back with an awesome new teaser track from the upcoming EP. 'Dreamers' is full of deeply emotive synth romance that intimates beautifully with a brightness and warmth of pure 80s love. The new EP promises six tracks of New Arcade magic, which I'll be sure to fully investigate on Synthetix.FM as soon as possible.
French producer Run Vaylor has been plying his craft for nearly a year on soundcloud with lots of diverse synth based music. His latest track, End Game, is definitely his strongest thus far. An air of moroseness is blended with hopeful synth melodies that swirl and flow through the soundscape. It's a very engaging experience with beautifully arranged movements throughout the journey.
Definitely one of the most exciting things to happen in the scene this week was the new preview for Embryonik's new Night Flight release. This producer explores many varied territories of electronic music but it looks like he's found himself in a decidedly 80s frame of mind for this new venture. Each track is sounding absolutely stunning thus far and it's looking to be an exceptionally rockin experience.
Two of my favourite producers have combined their talents for an epic new experience. Flash Arnold and Perturbator have taken the energy right down low to a slow a pulse and added smoothly evil synth sounds to melancholy guitar and called it Los Angeles. Superbly arranged and vast in scope this yet another kick arse tune from both producers.
Python Blue certainly isn't one to rest on his laurels. After the just released the Change of Clothes album (to be reviewed next week on Synthetix.FM) he has released a stellar new jam in Reminders. This piece has a marvellously visceral energy about it and the guitar track adds even more depth. Totally rockin.
Chaconne resurfaced this week with another stunning example of his incredible music with Heart To Heart. I can't think of many producers in the scene at all who come close to the sound Chaconne conjures up. There seems to always be a massive amount of energy, mood and groove that is always identifiable as being a Chaconne experience. I really hope he has an EP or album release in the pipeline for 2013 as this producer deserves a much larger audience than he currently has.
Cougar Synth keeps on rockin with the best of them and his new track, Aeromotive, really shows some incredible progression and refinement in his sounds. This smooth as glass synthscape is punctuated with inventive percussion and melodies that entrance the listener. Beautiful in every respect, and also currently available for FREE download. Many thanks to Alex Karampas for the heads up on this one.
Hungarian synthficionado Quixotic has returned with an emotionally resplendent piece in Dust To Dust. This massively atmospheric journey is poignantly arranged with delicate synths that are contrasted with totally shredding guitars. I've often said that the producers who really incorporate other instruments, like guitars, into their sounds are going to be the one who set themselves apart and Quixotic has done this exact thing in Dust To Dust.
Keeping right on Q we have the final track for this week's Weekend Update which is an absolutely kick arse new tune from Quasars. With the best song title ever, Rockers, Quasars have elevated their sounds to stratospheric new levels. The opening build arrangements are massive, filling the soundscape with their trademark monster drum sounds which then leads into crescendo of synths and guitars that rock to the absolute max. Majestic in every respect and also currently available for FREE download too!
That does us for another Weekend Update on Synthetix.FM. I hope you found some rockin new tunes to enhance your weekend with 80s love. I'll be back next week for more k-rad tunes, so remember to stay 80s and keep on rockin!
It's been yet another big week in releases and quite a few kick arse new artists are surfacing with new sounds and ideas that are very exciting. It's the diversity of sounds that will keep the 80s synth scene engaging and relevant, I believe. There are still many, many untapped 80s experiences for the modern producers to discover and reinvent, which always gives me faith that the scene will grow, evolve and cement itself for the duration.
2013 is already huge for a new releases and artists barely two months in, so lets get rockin with some of the brightest stars lighting up the 80s sky in this week's Weekend Update on Synthetix.FM.
Going directly for the jugular is the enigmatically named Dot with the solid gold rockin hit Chupame Señora(pero no mames). This duo have been producing for about a year and have a tight grasp on how to make 80s pop magic happen. Be sure to check out their wonderful track Chaffinch on their soundcloud too.
Andy Fink's back and rockin with his latest single release Vice Love available now through Future City Records. This experience takes some delicately intimate synth work and contrasts it with a sinister bass line and dramatic percussion. The end result is quite unlike anything else as the senses are pulled in different directions all at once.
Lost Years has tantalised us with another new demo, this time of Red Horizon, which is already up to Version 2. This powerhouse track is direct in it's delivery and raucous in it's presence but the delightful synth melodies combine the elements into something even more huge. Marvellous work, once again, from one of the most consistently rockin producers in the scene.
Turning up the funk and moving towards a more modern flavour is Peter "PH Groove" Hecher's new experience The Breakdown. This track really combines many influences from different decades but the bass line is just so catchy and the synths deliver so much joy that I'd be remiss not to include it in this Weekend Update. The vibrant melange of sounds are invigorating and by the time the sax hits I'm sure you'll agree.
New Arcades are back with an awesome new teaser track from the upcoming EP. 'Dreamers' is full of deeply emotive synth romance that intimates beautifully with a brightness and warmth of pure 80s love. The new EP promises six tracks of New Arcade magic, which I'll be sure to fully investigate on Synthetix.FM as soon as possible.
French producer Run Vaylor has been plying his craft for nearly a year on soundcloud with lots of diverse synth based music. His latest track, End Game, is definitely his strongest thus far. An air of moroseness is blended with hopeful synth melodies that swirl and flow through the soundscape. It's a very engaging experience with beautifully arranged movements throughout the journey.
Definitely one of the most exciting things to happen in the scene this week was the new preview for Embryonik's new Night Flight release. This producer explores many varied territories of electronic music but it looks like he's found himself in a decidedly 80s frame of mind for this new venture. Each track is sounding absolutely stunning thus far and it's looking to be an exceptionally rockin experience.
Two of my favourite producers have combined their talents for an epic new experience. Flash Arnold and Perturbator have taken the energy right down low to a slow a pulse and added smoothly evil synth sounds to melancholy guitar and called it Los Angeles. Superbly arranged and vast in scope this yet another kick arse tune from both producers.
Python Blue certainly isn't one to rest on his laurels. After the just released the Change of Clothes album (to be reviewed next week on Synthetix.FM) he has released a stellar new jam in Reminders. This piece has a marvellously visceral energy about it and the guitar track adds even more depth. Totally rockin.
Chaconne resurfaced this week with another stunning example of his incredible music with Heart To Heart. I can't think of many producers in the scene at all who come close to the sound Chaconne conjures up. There seems to always be a massive amount of energy, mood and groove that is always identifiable as being a Chaconne experience. I really hope he has an EP or album release in the pipeline for 2013 as this producer deserves a much larger audience than he currently has.
Cougar Synth keeps on rockin with the best of them and his new track, Aeromotive, really shows some incredible progression and refinement in his sounds. This smooth as glass synthscape is punctuated with inventive percussion and melodies that entrance the listener. Beautiful in every respect, and also currently available for FREE download. Many thanks to Alex Karampas for the heads up on this one.
Hungarian synthficionado Quixotic has returned with an emotionally resplendent piece in Dust To Dust. This massively atmospheric journey is poignantly arranged with delicate synths that are contrasted with totally shredding guitars. I've often said that the producers who really incorporate other instruments, like guitars, into their sounds are going to be the one who set themselves apart and Quixotic has done this exact thing in Dust To Dust.
Keeping right on Q we have the final track for this week's Weekend Update which is an absolutely kick arse new tune from Quasars. With the best song title ever, Rockers, Quasars have elevated their sounds to stratospheric new levels. The opening build arrangements are massive, filling the soundscape with their trademark monster drum sounds which then leads into crescendo of synths and guitars that rock to the absolute max. Majestic in every respect and also currently available for FREE download too!
That does us for another Weekend Update on Synthetix.FM. I hope you found some rockin new tunes to enhance your weekend with 80s love. I'll be back next week for more k-rad tunes, so remember to stay 80s and keep on rockin!
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Synthetix Midweek Flashback: The System
I think it's about time for the inaugural Midweek Flashback on Synthetix.FM. This is something I'll be doing at semi regular intervals, when the inspiration takes me and serves as a bit of a revisiting to some classic tunes I love, usually with a musical link to something current as well.
When The System went back into production a few months ago I became very excited. I've been a fan of their classic synth funk from the 80s for forever, but a new album with a new sound was something I began looking forward to greatly. Unfortunately their new album was not to my personal taste, and the stand out songs were really more reworks of their classic tracks to my ear, but you know me, I'm so biased towards the traditional 80s sounds that it remains hard to be objective in such instances.
But this new record (which will be linked at the bottom of this post for your own perusal) got me right back listening to the classic music from The System I love so much. After being inspired by recent post by Ryan Sheridan on the Synthetix Facebook group I thought the planets are in just the right alignment to make it all rock on, it's time for The System, It's Passion.
One thing instantly recognisable about The System's sound is it's classic mid 80s synth funk sound. The melodies are dripping with sensuality and are raw with synth power. What makes this so exceptional is the record this is from, Sweat, was written in 1982 and was released in 1983. This is years before the synth funk mainstream success that flourished from 1985-87. The System are true originators of the now classic sounds with a huge reliance on the then brand new technology. There are even some sample loops amid all the funktastic synth brilliance, which was absolutely cutting edge at this time.
Technology aside, The System's melodies were the real hallmark of their soundscapes. Each hook sinks deep and refuses to budge, carving irresistible grooves up and down and back again. The System's Sweat album is packed with stunning synth visions and set the standard very high. The System also produced the now very well revered Baptize The Beat for the Beat Street soundtrack, cementing their place as leaders of the electronic revolution of the 80s.
Their follow up record, X-Periment, was very aptly named, this technology centric album pushed the envelope well beyond the safety zone. X-Periment feels like The System were given all their wishes in regards to production technology and the result was a massively detailed record that was full to the brim with the sounds of the future but often at the expense of their pop sensibilities. Some songs feel smothered under intricate layers of sounds that confuse the listener more than engage them. I, personally, love this album, it's a work of unbridled creativity with each song being a thrill ride into new electric dimensions. The song Dangerous of this album is a classic example of the manic nature of the record.
After the experimentation of the X-Periment The System came back in 1985 with the much more pop funk oriented The Pleasure Seekers. I find this album to be the quintessential The System experience with the perfect blend of the future and the funk that now felt fully developed for maximum rockin. From this classic album here is the absolutely perfect title track:
The Pleasure Seekers still sounds as fresh as the day it came out. The title track is an example of total pop synth perfection with some of the catchiest synth arrangements ever conceived. The party aesthetic, with the "jamming all night long, heading for the danger zone" lyric is just pure ambrosia making the energy of this experience riveting and invigorating. The music, for an essentially pop track, has such advanced arrangements that are engineered with a precision most uncommon at the time. Each track on the Pleasure Seekers is coloured with a futuristic energy that demands one's total attention to every nuance of the production. I consider this album, light years ahead of it's time and encourage everyone on Synthetix.FM to add it to their music libraries as soon as possible, if it's not in there already.
The System's next album, Don't Disturb This Groove was released in 1986 and found massive commercial success with the title track. This record was most definitely their most mainstream friendly production with a much greater R&B influence to the soundscape. But one can't deny the total synth magic of the title track, the sounds of the previous albums can all be heard in there, even if they are of a much more muted palette.
This high point then led to The System really fading into memory as trends changed and styles merged. It was only a few months ago that I discovered that The System had returned however, with a new album and the promise of exciting new sounds. As I mentioned, the album is not to my tastes, however there are a couple of tracks that are massively rockin, particularly System Overload.
This song is full of The Systems classic sounds with just enough modernity to appeal to a new generation. The new album also has a retelling of Don't Disturb This Groove with is quite engaging. If nothing else, this new record just goes to show how visionary The System were/are and I do hope it finds an audience that appreciates it.
The System Overload is available right now on their Bandcamp page here here and I encourage all Synthetix.FM readers to give it a listen, but if like me, it's not quite your scene I highly recommend picking up their back catalogue from the 80s for a real tour de force of absolutely stunning 80s synth magic.
When The System went back into production a few months ago I became very excited. I've been a fan of their classic synth funk from the 80s for forever, but a new album with a new sound was something I began looking forward to greatly. Unfortunately their new album was not to my personal taste, and the stand out songs were really more reworks of their classic tracks to my ear, but you know me, I'm so biased towards the traditional 80s sounds that it remains hard to be objective in such instances.
But this new record (which will be linked at the bottom of this post for your own perusal) got me right back listening to the classic music from The System I love so much. After being inspired by recent post by Ryan Sheridan on the Synthetix Facebook group I thought the planets are in just the right alignment to make it all rock on, it's time for The System, It's Passion.
One thing instantly recognisable about The System's sound is it's classic mid 80s synth funk sound. The melodies are dripping with sensuality and are raw with synth power. What makes this so exceptional is the record this is from, Sweat, was written in 1982 and was released in 1983. This is years before the synth funk mainstream success that flourished from 1985-87. The System are true originators of the now classic sounds with a huge reliance on the then brand new technology. There are even some sample loops amid all the funktastic synth brilliance, which was absolutely cutting edge at this time.
Technology aside, The System's melodies were the real hallmark of their soundscapes. Each hook sinks deep and refuses to budge, carving irresistible grooves up and down and back again. The System's Sweat album is packed with stunning synth visions and set the standard very high. The System also produced the now very well revered Baptize The Beat for the Beat Street soundtrack, cementing their place as leaders of the electronic revolution of the 80s.
Their follow up record, X-Periment, was very aptly named, this technology centric album pushed the envelope well beyond the safety zone. X-Periment feels like The System were given all their wishes in regards to production technology and the result was a massively detailed record that was full to the brim with the sounds of the future but often at the expense of their pop sensibilities. Some songs feel smothered under intricate layers of sounds that confuse the listener more than engage them. I, personally, love this album, it's a work of unbridled creativity with each song being a thrill ride into new electric dimensions. The song Dangerous of this album is a classic example of the manic nature of the record.
After the experimentation of the X-Periment The System came back in 1985 with the much more pop funk oriented The Pleasure Seekers. I find this album to be the quintessential The System experience with the perfect blend of the future and the funk that now felt fully developed for maximum rockin. From this classic album here is the absolutely perfect title track:
The Pleasure Seekers still sounds as fresh as the day it came out. The title track is an example of total pop synth perfection with some of the catchiest synth arrangements ever conceived. The party aesthetic, with the "jamming all night long, heading for the danger zone" lyric is just pure ambrosia making the energy of this experience riveting and invigorating. The music, for an essentially pop track, has such advanced arrangements that are engineered with a precision most uncommon at the time. Each track on the Pleasure Seekers is coloured with a futuristic energy that demands one's total attention to every nuance of the production. I consider this album, light years ahead of it's time and encourage everyone on Synthetix.FM to add it to their music libraries as soon as possible, if it's not in there already.
The System's next album, Don't Disturb This Groove was released in 1986 and found massive commercial success with the title track. This record was most definitely their most mainstream friendly production with a much greater R&B influence to the soundscape. But one can't deny the total synth magic of the title track, the sounds of the previous albums can all be heard in there, even if they are of a much more muted palette.
This high point then led to The System really fading into memory as trends changed and styles merged. It was only a few months ago that I discovered that The System had returned however, with a new album and the promise of exciting new sounds. As I mentioned, the album is not to my tastes, however there are a couple of tracks that are massively rockin, particularly System Overload.
This song is full of The Systems classic sounds with just enough modernity to appeal to a new generation. The new album also has a retelling of Don't Disturb This Groove with is quite engaging. If nothing else, this new record just goes to show how visionary The System were/are and I do hope it finds an audience that appreciates it.
The System Overload is available right now on their Bandcamp page here here and I encourage all Synthetix.FM readers to give it a listen, but if like me, it's not quite your scene I highly recommend picking up their back catalogue from the 80s for a real tour de force of absolutely stunning 80s synth magic.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Plaisance Down By The Lake
It's no secret that Synthetix.FM is a huge fan of french composer extraordinaire Plaisance. This artist is consistently releasing killer new tunes that have his own branded style and always sound fresh and engaging. His style always seems to work within a concept or thematic that governs the experience. Last years EP's by Plaisance were of a decidedly nautical nature and in 2013 Plaisance has moved to waters of a stiller, darker kind.
Down By The Lake is a three track EP that's wholly inspired by the classic TV series Twin Peaks. I for one was massively enthralled by this series upon it's initial airing and have subsequently revisited it numerous times over the years, each time being fully engaged and entertained by it's uniqueness. Although technically from 1990 there's always something I find distinctly 80s about Twin Peaks, it's a time capsule of the end of the decade that united audiences around the world as true 'event TV' in ways not seen since the glory days of Dallas and V.
To say I was surprised that Plaisance used this particular series for the theme of his latest EP is quite an understatement. I associate this artist with bright, sparking disco sounds that are devoid of the darker side of life and deal much more with action than drama. To hear his take on Twin Peaks is a very deft sidestep from the traditional Plaisance sounds, keeping much of his sounds we love, but adding a twist to the proceedings that make for an unsettling atmosphere which is perfectly in step with the source material itself.
Each track is delightfully structured around the complex relationships depicted in Twin Peaks. Opening with Laura & James we're instantly embroiled in forbidden passions as James Hurley's bike accelerates away. The tempos and structures are pure Plaisance, but the moods and melodies are forged of darker stuff. Inquisitive in nature, they spread like a fog through the night, claiming everything as it's own and unstoppable as it covers the lowlands of Twin Peaks. Even the catchy synth lead is mired in a twisting doubt that panics it's way into a delirious rush that ends in a disaster to be felt by all it touches.
Laura's boyfriend, Bobby begins an inquiring conversation with his father, Major Briggs in the second act. The major recounts a vision as the music builds with a deliberate drama that flows into synthesized guitars and a powerhouse drum track. The sinister is turned up ever so gently throughout this piece as the seamy underworld of Twin Peaks begins to writhe in an attempt to hide it's shame. The music plays the perfect role in displaying the two sides of much of the characters in the show. The bright and dark, the good and evil, the sides that can take over, even briefly, and leave long lasting scars. As the melodic refrain echoes into the local surrounds it becomes very clear simple answers are not even in the realm of possibility.
The final chapter is Norma & Shelly with a scene in the Double R Diner as the plot deepens with shocking new discoveries. The music takes an unexpected turn into bouncy, funky disco with wonderful orchestral stabs and soaring melodies. This is not without it's darker side, however, as the slowly surreal synth leads bring the sound into a much less joyous space and instead asks harder questions, enquiring delightfully and uncovering the secrets of Twin Peaks as it progesses. The final sample of Shelly leaving the diner is exquisitely used to finish the experience.
The Down By The Lake EP is presented for FREE on Plaisance's Bandcamp page here and provide a wonderful insight into this artist's inspirations, while providing an eloquent trip down memory lane to those who are already fans of Twin Peaks. And if you've never had the pleasure of this series then I highly recommend you enjoy this classic example of quality 'event TV' as soon as possible too.
Down By The Lake is a three track EP that's wholly inspired by the classic TV series Twin Peaks. I for one was massively enthralled by this series upon it's initial airing and have subsequently revisited it numerous times over the years, each time being fully engaged and entertained by it's uniqueness. Although technically from 1990 there's always something I find distinctly 80s about Twin Peaks, it's a time capsule of the end of the decade that united audiences around the world as true 'event TV' in ways not seen since the glory days of Dallas and V.
To say I was surprised that Plaisance used this particular series for the theme of his latest EP is quite an understatement. I associate this artist with bright, sparking disco sounds that are devoid of the darker side of life and deal much more with action than drama. To hear his take on Twin Peaks is a very deft sidestep from the traditional Plaisance sounds, keeping much of his sounds we love, but adding a twist to the proceedings that make for an unsettling atmosphere which is perfectly in step with the source material itself.
Each track is delightfully structured around the complex relationships depicted in Twin Peaks. Opening with Laura & James we're instantly embroiled in forbidden passions as James Hurley's bike accelerates away. The tempos and structures are pure Plaisance, but the moods and melodies are forged of darker stuff. Inquisitive in nature, they spread like a fog through the night, claiming everything as it's own and unstoppable as it covers the lowlands of Twin Peaks. Even the catchy synth lead is mired in a twisting doubt that panics it's way into a delirious rush that ends in a disaster to be felt by all it touches.
Laura's boyfriend, Bobby begins an inquiring conversation with his father, Major Briggs in the second act. The major recounts a vision as the music builds with a deliberate drama that flows into synthesized guitars and a powerhouse drum track. The sinister is turned up ever so gently throughout this piece as the seamy underworld of Twin Peaks begins to writhe in an attempt to hide it's shame. The music plays the perfect role in displaying the two sides of much of the characters in the show. The bright and dark, the good and evil, the sides that can take over, even briefly, and leave long lasting scars. As the melodic refrain echoes into the local surrounds it becomes very clear simple answers are not even in the realm of possibility.
The final chapter is Norma & Shelly with a scene in the Double R Diner as the plot deepens with shocking new discoveries. The music takes an unexpected turn into bouncy, funky disco with wonderful orchestral stabs and soaring melodies. This is not without it's darker side, however, as the slowly surreal synth leads bring the sound into a much less joyous space and instead asks harder questions, enquiring delightfully and uncovering the secrets of Twin Peaks as it progesses. The final sample of Shelly leaving the diner is exquisitely used to finish the experience.
The Down By The Lake EP is presented for FREE on Plaisance's Bandcamp page here and provide a wonderful insight into this artist's inspirations, while providing an eloquent trip down memory lane to those who are already fans of Twin Peaks. And if you've never had the pleasure of this series then I highly recommend you enjoy this classic example of quality 'event TV' as soon as possible too.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Navigateur Travels To 2020
One of my favourite producers of avant garde and experimental synth music is Navigateur. Walking a line somewhere between LaserDisc Visions and Com Truise the sounds produced by this talented visionary consistently offer new and diverse journeys into the galaxies of synth music while always maintaining a primarily 80s tone and personality.
One of Navigateur's tracks from last year, We Need The Beat, was my number 2 track for the year in my Electronica chart and his latest release contains the official home for this masterpiece along with six other totally rockin Navigateur journeys into the future.
The opening salvo, Elevator Music, is a perfectly crafted introduction to the futuristic vistas we're about to explore. Synth tracks flow and pulsate with the colours of futurism, crystallised in chrome and neon, welcoming and yet cold with austerity. This piece is just off-kilter enough to make your centre of gravity feel slightly out of alignement before the floor drops away and our concepts of the near future become rewritten, Navigateur style.
The pulsating neon becomes the Bright Lights of chapter two. The funky staccato loops begin forming in esoteric layers, stippled with vocal stabs and a glorious delirium that is pure Navigateur in colour and motion. There are so many totally rockin 80s sounds in here that are brought into a futuristic dimension, it's like we went right from 1985 to 2020. What Navigateur's sound trades off in its authenticity to 80s sounds it gains in its own personalised vision that manages to remain true and honest.
One just has to hear to radiantly radical opening to the title track, 2020, to know the heart of the 80s beats loud and proud within the modern vestige displayed. The bass funks up a storm and orchestral stabs punctuate a glitching vocal that is still epically soulful, then the hi-hats open up and the stratosphere becomes a multicoloured kaleidoscope of aural energies. The majesty is breathtaking and the fact this track leads into We Need The Best makes for an absolutely stunning experience.
We Need The Beat is a musical adventure, I personally think, is total perfection. This was one of my most listened to tracks last years and just begs to be put on repeat for hours at a time. The glitch skipping is engineered to masterful brilliance and everything feels like it's riding the same audio roller coaster, leaning into the turns while the inertia bends out the lower end of the spectrum only to then be sent careening in the opposite direction in a startlingly beautiful manner. It's hard, still, to go passed this track on the album, but more Navigateur magic beckons, this time with and extended robotic hand that beckons and guides us into the Destiny Club.
The smoothness of the first half of the album is eschewed for sharper and more sparkling piece that jumps in and out its own dimensionality like some kind of multi layered holographic dancer. This track's midpoint takes on a much more relaxed vignette of calmly serene beauty, but this flight of fancy is merely hinted at before the colours mesh, then flicker once more.
2020 contains Navigateur's own brand of synth romance in Future City Love. The resonating tones of the opening lead into pure 80s teen love splendour as the times of 2020 become the place of first crushes and late night phone calls. The glitch skipping is used in a wonderfully warm new way in this piece, feeling like your heart's skipping a beat when her eyes catch yours across a crowded home room. The final parts of Navigateur's romantic foray ends up at night time on the beach where first kisses beneath the twin moons lead to a whole new future of possibilities.
Our final experience in 2020 keeps to a similar motif in Dream School. This is pointed directly into the dreamy end of the spectrum with a tailspin dive through pink clouds at the speed of sound accompanied by a driving percussive track and a refrain that calms the mind and spirit in the face of all this possibly cataclysmic energy. Pulling out of tailspin and climbing back into the heavens we feel the earth drop away and star filled universe becomes the canvas on which our dreams are painted. The story is made complete as the void of space rotates around our very beings, becoming one with the energies of earth and the cosmos as the final evolution of human kind.
2020 is presented by Synconation Records on their Bandcamp page here for FREE purchase. This release is such a perfectly arranged and constructed experience that it is most certainly deserving of being a Synthetix Reference Experience.
Be sure to give Navigateur lots of love on his soundcloud page here and Facebook page here and thank him in advance for the future we're yet to experience.
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