As the storm begins to break flashes of lightning and rumbling thunder echo through a sky once day turned night. April showers will be full force cyclone magnitude and it's going to provide an aural smorgasbord of top rockin tunes. To begin storm season lets rock another monster sized Weekend Update on Synthetix.FM.
Coming out strong and punching harder then ever is Perturbator with his own high energy theme. This march into fiery oblivion presents a stunning vista of incandescent brimstone and brutality as melodies haunt and energise in equal doses.
Keeping things marching into dramatic soundscapes with a more ambient style is the new venture from rf.extreme. 'Transient Wave' builds majestically with swirling synths that have a distinct flair for danger. It's thoroughly hypnotic in it's arrangements that layer in very naturally.
Cougar Synth's taken a mind altering substance with his new track Weird Fantasy. The off kilter loops and free form melodies make for an entirely surreal vision. The trademark Cougar Synth percussion is the only thing that keeps the music from drifting into another dimension and in doing so keeps the forms rockin in wonderfully vibrant ways. Be sure to get this FREE download and also make sure you check out the kick arse Betamaxx remix of Weird Fantasy here.
Drifting into another world of delightfully 80s ambiance is the superb new release from Rain Sword. This piece is a little bit less Synth Romance than his usual output, but still full of glorious Rain Sword magic with sensual melodies and vividly bright drums. Drift Away is currently up for FREE download too.
Moods are kept ambient, but also ramping up the sexy in Flash Arnold's latest See You Then. Night moods and crumpled sheets set the scene as the moonlight filters through the blinds casting a blue aura over two lovers who want to make this night last forever. Intimately orchestrated and full of passion, Flash Arnold makes you sweat with the anticipation of forbidden carnal pleasures.
Miles Prower is developing beautifully as a true devotee of quality 80s sounds, his new track This World Won't Let Me Down is full of emotional melodies but the arrangements are kept simple and authentic which really distills and focuses the feelings projected. Marvellously written and arranged to perfection.
Glass Mirrors are backing and rockin to the max with totally rad new song called Fatal Attraction. I love the energy in this, it's thoroughly raucous and exploding in a million different directions. I'd really like to hear this remastered with more of a vocal mix though, as the vocal does get a bit lost. The parts that make up Fatal Attraction are all of a super high calibre however and it definitely has the makings of a synth pop super hit.
A new talent has surfaced going under the moniker of SyntheKyler. His first track is The Last Cruise and it's full of wonderfully authentic sounds and arrangements. The melodies are inspiring in delivery and the soundscape is full of beautifully colourful synths. Many thanks to Starforce for discovering this rockin new talent.
More killer new music from Botnit was released this week with his ambient new piece Corporate Crimewave. I love the languid pace of the this work, the synths are given ample time to wind their way throughout the structures and the entire track comes across very intimately with each detail feeling close and tactile.
A little bit of remix magic now courtesy of Jordan F's re-envisioning of Arcade High's On The Edge Of Summer. This manages to stay very true to the source's intentions while adding a glossy layer of Jordan F's scintillating synth work. Be sure to grab a FREE copy of this while you can.
Johnny Boy Digilio is one of those producers that I've been wanting to cover on Synthetix.FM for seemingly years but finally I've got the chance to share some of his amazing music with his latest work Electric Molly. This producer's sounds are always super authentic and with his new track he's really kicked into some high gear 80s inspired soundtrack synth that would be at home in any feature from John Hughes. I look forward to rockin more Digilio action on Synthetix.FM soon.
Maethelvin has returned! In one of the most awesome events of this past week Valerie staple and one of the pioneers of the new school of 80s inspired synth has once again released some beautiful new music that shows the magic is still strong. As We Were is engineered with sublime synth work that is thoroughly enriching. This is hopefully the first of many new Maethelvin experiences.
A new track from Alexaandre really stuck with me this week. Throwbacks is an emotionally intimate composition of 80s sounds arranged with just enough modernity to complement them. The melodies are stunningly played and the layers and nuances are seemingly infinite. This is just totally rockin and the fact it's currently available for FREE download currently just sweetens the deal even more.
Jaypeau and ToeKnee keep on truckin with a new track full of 80s energy and high action. Only A Dream is rife with drama that builds like a tidal wave, complete with totally rad laser sounds and guitars that demand the listener's attention. I hope an album release of these tracks is going to happen soon as there is a great deal of music these guys have produced that need to be experienced beyond soundcloud.
Beatbox Machinery's own brand of dark electro synth pop has reached a new stage of evolution that I found very engaging. His latest track is dark and full of menace that is continued through the vocal track that makes it's intentions very clear from the outset. The darker synth arts are used very impressively to make sure no one is going to get away until Beatbox Machinery is ready to let them go.
Smoothing things out with a stunning new track is the 2013 synth sensation Amazing Police with his latest work Fixing My Sunrise. This bass driven synthscapade is absolutely incredible to experience. Bringing in jazzy/library style elements that are employed perfectly and arranged to total perfection.
This producer is blowing my mind with each successive release.
Finally, there isn't too much longer to wait until the release of So Real by Silent Gloves and Patrick Baker and in anticipation of this a promo teaser has surfaced. I'm not even close to exaggerating when I say that So Real is one of the most incredible songs I've yet to experience from the 80s inspired synth scene. The original mix is beyond perfect, and the EP is also going to include a batch of remixes from some of the hottest producers in the scene.
This WILL be one the anthems of 2013.
To finish of this week's blockbuster Weekend Update I've got a totally rockin new video from synth auteur genius Neros77. This video for Lost Years' Red Horizon is another stellar visual feast full of explosive Lundgren action and has an ending truly befitting of the source material.
That does us for another massive Weekend Update on Synthetix.FM I'll be back next week with more
rockin sounds from the 80s inspired synth scene. As always 'til then stay 80s and keep on rockin.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Makeup And Vanity Set Present A Glowing Light And A Promise
Makeup And Vanity Set (MAVS) were one of my favourite groups of 2012, their stunningly beautiful soundtrack synth work on the 88:88 album blew my mind when it came out and still does. Now in 2013 what I was very excited about in the promise of a new MAVS release has become a mere waypoint in a journey to much more auspicious destinations.
The newly released 7.25.2148 EP is essentially a prelude to a future dual album release. The tracks contained within are small cogs of a much more vast machine working within a thematic that endeavours to cross space and time itself. Touted by the group themselves as a 'prologue' it makes for a fascinating experience of not so much the now, but of what will be.
Through the five movements of 7.25.2148 we're transported through an abundance ambient synth meditations that are layered to perfection with the total balance of atmosphere and ambivalence. Opening with An Infinite Horizon the palette is drawn with endless echoes of sounds that reverberate
in on themselves and evolve into something vastly spatial yet close and full of life. This is MAVS doing the style the do so very well, making the epic and grandiose appear effortless and natural.
I always think of the two sides of MAVS as being reasonably unrelated, perhaps this is something they will be dealing with on the future albums, but the for me the more ambient soundtrack work is delightfully contrasted by their cosmic disco compositions. Track 2, Quadra IV, sets off into a crisply stylized space disco, replete with trademark MAVS climbing melodies and drama that builds over aeons of time. Shuddering and ghostlike this track brings to mind a great deal of the memories of 88:88 with a slew of moribund arrangements promising a much darker side than the surface gloss allows one to see through.
Taking things back to astronomical ambience is Versions, which seems describe foreboding planetoids containing powers beyond human comprehension. Their gaseous bodies forming through time unfathomable, yet presenting earth-like qualities that mirror our thoughts and imaginations. This leads into Turing/Gone Dark which seamlessly continues this thought and steals our memories in seconds that then stretch out into decades before us, disappearing in a reprisal of boundless energy. This chapter is closed by spoken words recounting spectacles witnessed yet entirely beyond comprehension.
Praxis finishes off the 7.25.2148 experience with more magical MAVS space disco that expands upon the idea of Quadra IV while adding more inquisitive layers to the puzzle. The final evolution of this track becomes boldly brash with MAVS sounding quite possibly their grooviest yet.
As the sounds fade out, I find myself yearning for more of this experience, and knowing it's going to arrive in due course, whets my appetite even further. It's definitely going to be one hell of ride when the dual albums arrive and until then I'll be happy to revisit the world of MAVS as often as my imagination allows courtesy of this offering.
To complete this release there is a limited edition CD including the above tracks plus the five track Praxis EP with contains Praxis, A Prologue and three remixes of Praxis by Magic Sword, Pilot Priest and Sabrepulse. The remixes offer much diversity to the MAVS original and prove rather entertaining as individual parallel universes to Praxis's own dimension.
This limited edition package, and the regular digital download EP of 7.25.2148, can be purchased through Telefuture Records' Bandcamp page here. 7.25.2148 comes very highly recommended from Synthetix.FM as a beautifully orchestrated soundtrack synth experience of a supremely high calibre, which is magically complemented by MAVS own brand on uncompromisingly luxurious space disco brilliance.
The newly released 7.25.2148 EP is essentially a prelude to a future dual album release. The tracks contained within are small cogs of a much more vast machine working within a thematic that endeavours to cross space and time itself. Touted by the group themselves as a 'prologue' it makes for a fascinating experience of not so much the now, but of what will be.
Through the five movements of 7.25.2148 we're transported through an abundance ambient synth meditations that are layered to perfection with the total balance of atmosphere and ambivalence. Opening with An Infinite Horizon the palette is drawn with endless echoes of sounds that reverberate
in on themselves and evolve into something vastly spatial yet close and full of life. This is MAVS doing the style the do so very well, making the epic and grandiose appear effortless and natural.
I always think of the two sides of MAVS as being reasonably unrelated, perhaps this is something they will be dealing with on the future albums, but the for me the more ambient soundtrack work is delightfully contrasted by their cosmic disco compositions. Track 2, Quadra IV, sets off into a crisply stylized space disco, replete with trademark MAVS climbing melodies and drama that builds over aeons of time. Shuddering and ghostlike this track brings to mind a great deal of the memories of 88:88 with a slew of moribund arrangements promising a much darker side than the surface gloss allows one to see through.
Taking things back to astronomical ambience is Versions, which seems describe foreboding planetoids containing powers beyond human comprehension. Their gaseous bodies forming through time unfathomable, yet presenting earth-like qualities that mirror our thoughts and imaginations. This leads into Turing/Gone Dark which seamlessly continues this thought and steals our memories in seconds that then stretch out into decades before us, disappearing in a reprisal of boundless energy. This chapter is closed by spoken words recounting spectacles witnessed yet entirely beyond comprehension.
Praxis finishes off the 7.25.2148 experience with more magical MAVS space disco that expands upon the idea of Quadra IV while adding more inquisitive layers to the puzzle. The final evolution of this track becomes boldly brash with MAVS sounding quite possibly their grooviest yet.
As the sounds fade out, I find myself yearning for more of this experience, and knowing it's going to arrive in due course, whets my appetite even further. It's definitely going to be one hell of ride when the dual albums arrive and until then I'll be happy to revisit the world of MAVS as often as my imagination allows courtesy of this offering.
To complete this release there is a limited edition CD including the above tracks plus the five track Praxis EP with contains Praxis, A Prologue and three remixes of Praxis by Magic Sword, Pilot Priest and Sabrepulse. The remixes offer much diversity to the MAVS original and prove rather entertaining as individual parallel universes to Praxis's own dimension.
This limited edition package, and the regular digital download EP of 7.25.2148, can be purchased through Telefuture Records' Bandcamp page here. 7.25.2148 comes very highly recommended from Synthetix.FM as a beautifully orchestrated soundtrack synth experience of a supremely high calibre, which is magically complemented by MAVS own brand on uncompromisingly luxurious space disco brilliance.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Carpenter Brut Builds A Nightmare
Word has been spread amongst numerous members of the Synthetix.FM Facebook group about a new producer of the blackened synth arts calling himself Carpenter Brut. First James 'Gost' Lollar discovered this marvellous EP and then this was later reiterated by Werkstatt Recordings and one more time by Dimebag Dante. It's rare for an EP to get such hype three individuals and after experiencing this release I can see why. Many thanks to the above synthficionados for enlightening me to this great work.
What instantly grabbed me with this EP is the cover art. It's not often that cover art really effects me instantly. I think the last time was Mitch Murder's Glass Cities EP with Charlie Vicetto's stunning cover. But this release's cover hit me hard for completely different reasons. The photograph of the snow covered landscape and the inverted cross on the modernist church is a superbly descriptive image. Instantly this brings to mind countless nunsploitation and satanic themed movies from the 70s and the likes of the Dario Argentos and Lucio Fulci's of the world, replete with their synth soundtracks of chilling designs. This one image took me directly to the place where the music begins and serves as serendipitous visual accompaniment to the aural landscape.
This self titled exploration into the darker side of 80s synth is not as bleak as one might envisage. Sure, theres is a great air of maliciousness in the tracks, but theres an irrepressible element of rawness that dominants the sounds. It's a primal energy that's animalistic and predatory, totally base and riveting throughout. Opening with Escape From Midwitch Valley the atmosphere is sparse and menacing, the chords strike at the heart of fear and each new instrument is introduced in a way to emphasise it's innate power. The guitars slice through the hazy blend of synth melodies with total precision and the music builds through choruses of unearthly powers. The story is beautifully paced with a true mind for making soundtrack styled synth work with a delicate frailty that is then contrasted with megaton power. This first track sets the tone for the EP perfectly and it's unnerving ending adds even more to the experience.
Breaking the shackles of doom with a blast is the second track Disco Zombi Italia. The lead melody that drives this experience is the definition of rawness in it's delivery. Hugely catchy and charged with the elemental forces of nature. The structures are much more traditional in this piece but it works exceptionally well through the ripping basslines and welcome reprisals. Crunching details and breakdowns genuinely keep you on the edge of your seat throughout this track. It's execution is flawless and it's combination of 70s sounds with more 80s arrangements is totally k-rad to the max; horror disco synth at it's finest.
Moving into LA Venice Bitch 80s the sounds begin to move out of the dark and into the light ever so slightly. Music is almost joyful in it's triumphantly arranged melodies, reminiscent of Mike Oldfield or Giorgio Moroder soundtrack work, but also adding in glossy 80s elements that spice up the flavour while keeping the integrity of the sounds consistent. The pace is kept high, which makes the lead melody work extra hard as one would think this melody would have more presence at a slower speed, but the energy Carpenter Brut injects into the music magnifies it's power beautifully.
Things take a turn for darker climes in the aggressively performed Wake Up The President. Sounds are dark and dripping with nocturnal obeisance which shape shifts into a vigorous writhing mass of hatred and terror. The modern glitch touches throughout this track add a great deal to it's instability and threat of total collapse to the nightmarish synthscape, but for all it's horror and brutality one can't help but be hypnotised by it's ferociousness.
Continuing directly in 347 Midnight Demons the glitch driven nuances resurface out of the black depths with a supercharged lead melody and rousing guitars. This track is a horror OutRun styled anthem that once again brings that primal rawness out in the sounds while still keeping the listener engrossed with the sumptuous melodies. This piece has a virtual intermission that first put me off balance, but it's triumphant return to a crescendo of uplifting rock synth magic was exaggerated by the pause. Hugely energetic and totally kick arse from beginning to end.
The Carpenter Brut EP finishes with the grimy and salacious Le Perv. Sexual depravities course through the soundscape as a horror movie of confusion, brutality and revenge plays out before us. One more time the modern nuances are used to maximum effect with the rawness of sounds making the experience completely visceral and unavoidably confrontational. The dramatic upheaval through the final minutes of this epic is something that must be heard to be believed. It's a thrilling conclusion to an incredibly rich experience which leaves the listener exhilarated to dangerous levels and now with a deep and insatiable hunger for more.
For a debut EP, Carpenter Brut's work speaks for itself, in it's own language and has no need for subtitles. Each composition is so wonderfully individualised and full to breaking point with passion and energy that it's almost overwhelming. It's rare for a producer of any style of music, regardless of it's vintage, to stamp their own hallmarks all over their initial creations but this is exactly what Carpenter Brut has achieved. His brand of 80s inspired synth music really defies definition and this reason alone makes it a Synthetix Reference Experience.
Buy your copy of the Carpenter Brut EP on his Bandcamp page here as soon as you can and allow your heart and mind to be taken to places your dreams and nightmares only gave you glimpses of previously.
What instantly grabbed me with this EP is the cover art. It's not often that cover art really effects me instantly. I think the last time was Mitch Murder's Glass Cities EP with Charlie Vicetto's stunning cover. But this release's cover hit me hard for completely different reasons. The photograph of the snow covered landscape and the inverted cross on the modernist church is a superbly descriptive image. Instantly this brings to mind countless nunsploitation and satanic themed movies from the 70s and the likes of the Dario Argentos and Lucio Fulci's of the world, replete with their synth soundtracks of chilling designs. This one image took me directly to the place where the music begins and serves as serendipitous visual accompaniment to the aural landscape.
This self titled exploration into the darker side of 80s synth is not as bleak as one might envisage. Sure, theres is a great air of maliciousness in the tracks, but theres an irrepressible element of rawness that dominants the sounds. It's a primal energy that's animalistic and predatory, totally base and riveting throughout. Opening with Escape From Midwitch Valley the atmosphere is sparse and menacing, the chords strike at the heart of fear and each new instrument is introduced in a way to emphasise it's innate power. The guitars slice through the hazy blend of synth melodies with total precision and the music builds through choruses of unearthly powers. The story is beautifully paced with a true mind for making soundtrack styled synth work with a delicate frailty that is then contrasted with megaton power. This first track sets the tone for the EP perfectly and it's unnerving ending adds even more to the experience.
Breaking the shackles of doom with a blast is the second track Disco Zombi Italia. The lead melody that drives this experience is the definition of rawness in it's delivery. Hugely catchy and charged with the elemental forces of nature. The structures are much more traditional in this piece but it works exceptionally well through the ripping basslines and welcome reprisals. Crunching details and breakdowns genuinely keep you on the edge of your seat throughout this track. It's execution is flawless and it's combination of 70s sounds with more 80s arrangements is totally k-rad to the max; horror disco synth at it's finest.
Moving into LA Venice Bitch 80s the sounds begin to move out of the dark and into the light ever so slightly. Music is almost joyful in it's triumphantly arranged melodies, reminiscent of Mike Oldfield or Giorgio Moroder soundtrack work, but also adding in glossy 80s elements that spice up the flavour while keeping the integrity of the sounds consistent. The pace is kept high, which makes the lead melody work extra hard as one would think this melody would have more presence at a slower speed, but the energy Carpenter Brut injects into the music magnifies it's power beautifully.
Things take a turn for darker climes in the aggressively performed Wake Up The President. Sounds are dark and dripping with nocturnal obeisance which shape shifts into a vigorous writhing mass of hatred and terror. The modern glitch touches throughout this track add a great deal to it's instability and threat of total collapse to the nightmarish synthscape, but for all it's horror and brutality one can't help but be hypnotised by it's ferociousness.
Continuing directly in 347 Midnight Demons the glitch driven nuances resurface out of the black depths with a supercharged lead melody and rousing guitars. This track is a horror OutRun styled anthem that once again brings that primal rawness out in the sounds while still keeping the listener engrossed with the sumptuous melodies. This piece has a virtual intermission that first put me off balance, but it's triumphant return to a crescendo of uplifting rock synth magic was exaggerated by the pause. Hugely energetic and totally kick arse from beginning to end.
The Carpenter Brut EP finishes with the grimy and salacious Le Perv. Sexual depravities course through the soundscape as a horror movie of confusion, brutality and revenge plays out before us. One more time the modern nuances are used to maximum effect with the rawness of sounds making the experience completely visceral and unavoidably confrontational. The dramatic upheaval through the final minutes of this epic is something that must be heard to be believed. It's a thrilling conclusion to an incredibly rich experience which leaves the listener exhilarated to dangerous levels and now with a deep and insatiable hunger for more.
For a debut EP, Carpenter Brut's work speaks for itself, in it's own language and has no need for subtitles. Each composition is so wonderfully individualised and full to breaking point with passion and energy that it's almost overwhelming. It's rare for a producer of any style of music, regardless of it's vintage, to stamp their own hallmarks all over their initial creations but this is exactly what Carpenter Brut has achieved. His brand of 80s inspired synth music really defies definition and this reason alone makes it a Synthetix Reference Experience.
Buy your copy of the Carpenter Brut EP on his Bandcamp page here as soon as you can and allow your heart and mind to be taken to places your dreams and nightmares only gave you glimpses of previously.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Future City Records Compilation Volume II
The ever radical Future City Records have just released the first big time compilation for 2013 with their sequel to last years compilation release. Volume II is another wonderful excursion through the label's stable of quality 80s inspired synth producers and is full of exclusive gems and kick arse tunes.
All the big guns of FCR are in effect with family favourites like Starforce, Mega Drive, Vincenzo Salvia and Aminova intercut with a weave of new and burgeoning talent. The spectrum presented is vast, with many of the 80s synth sub genres represented but the most awesome aspect of this compilation is the incredible quality of each track in itself.
FCR have assembled and incredible diversity of sounds and when experienced in this kind of format it's totally mind blowing. As mentioned, there are lots of established rockers on here, but it's also the new talents FCR has acquired that add even more dimension to the experience. Shio-Z and Thunderclaw are reasonably new label mates as far as I know and their individualised soundscapes add a great deal energetic elements. The tracks from Cell Molecule and Laserspek just up the ante even further with sounds that I'm very interested in exploring more of in the future.
It's not until you really sit down and enjoy this compilation that you realise how much raw talent is in the FCR armoury. Throughout this new release one is constantly reminded of the magic in the music, from the down beat rockin of Andy Fink's Vice Love to the stunning work of Peter Robinson. From the wonderfully rich Alloapm experience to the smooth nocturnal jazz of Viks Lander's synthscapades and from Astral Runner's machine driven synth pop to Arc Neon's explosive soundtrack dramatics.
This compilation comes very highly recommended by Synthetix.FM and is really a must-have for anyone who really wants to experience a glistening cross section of what the 80s inspired synth scene is currently producing. Be sure to grab your copy from Future City Records Bandcamp page here then sit back, relax and allow the Future City experience to guide you through the many moods and facets of quality synth music.
All the big guns of FCR are in effect with family favourites like Starforce, Mega Drive, Vincenzo Salvia and Aminova intercut with a weave of new and burgeoning talent. The spectrum presented is vast, with many of the 80s synth sub genres represented but the most awesome aspect of this compilation is the incredible quality of each track in itself.
FCR have assembled and incredible diversity of sounds and when experienced in this kind of format it's totally mind blowing. As mentioned, there are lots of established rockers on here, but it's also the new talents FCR has acquired that add even more dimension to the experience. Shio-Z and Thunderclaw are reasonably new label mates as far as I know and their individualised soundscapes add a great deal energetic elements. The tracks from Cell Molecule and Laserspek just up the ante even further with sounds that I'm very interested in exploring more of in the future.
It's not until you really sit down and enjoy this compilation that you realise how much raw talent is in the FCR armoury. Throughout this new release one is constantly reminded of the magic in the music, from the down beat rockin of Andy Fink's Vice Love to the stunning work of Peter Robinson. From the wonderfully rich Alloapm experience to the smooth nocturnal jazz of Viks Lander's synthscapades and from Astral Runner's machine driven synth pop to Arc Neon's explosive soundtrack dramatics.
This compilation comes very highly recommended by Synthetix.FM and is really a must-have for anyone who really wants to experience a glistening cross section of what the 80s inspired synth scene is currently producing. Be sure to grab your copy from Future City Records Bandcamp page here then sit back, relax and allow the Future City experience to guide you through the many moods and facets of quality synth music.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Synthetix Weekend Update
The storm of releases keeps building on the horizon as we get closer to the end of March, and already we're feeling the first splashes of rain on our skin before the torrential downpour of music engulfs all in it's path. Let us enjoy this week's Weekend Update with the gentle breeze and mild precipitation before the storm of rockin new releases hits.
Vector Hold keeps on rockin hard and his new track Deep Undercover 1985 is a totally rad Faltermeyer-esque piece of stealthy nocturnal work that is full of danger around every shadowed corner. Be sure to grab a copy of this as it's currently available for FREE download.
Neon Workout is kicking mucho derriere with a new jam called Don't Cry Tonight. This producer varies his styles for nearly each new track but there is always the 80s love hiding beneath the modern veneer. This new track is a superb piece of crossover with a modern arrangement combined with a great deal of 80s love in the melodies. Also available right now for FREE download!
Amazing Police is fast becoming a genuine force to be reckoned with in the 80s inspired synth scene. After the stunning White Tape and Moroder-Einstein Theorem tracks he's now released the jaw-droppingly epic Circa 1984. Beautifully arranged elements and sounds combine in a vista of totally entrancing synth work. Shades of StarDonE are present in the experience too, which only adds to the wonder.
Another producer who's craft is being honed very nicely is Vestron Vulture. His new track, Beach Babes From Beyond, is totally rockin mix of italo and videogame sounds that are full of energy and authentic melodies. Vestron Vulture's sounds are distilling into an individualised mixture of influences
that are really demanding one's attention. Be sure to download it while it's still FREE.
The totally rock hard Betamaxx is releasing a steady stream of radical 80s sounds through 2013 and his new adventure, Maxximum is yet another killer track. I love the energy of this, the synth leads are dazzling in delivery and the percussion is a cacophony of stunning 80s love.
Electric Disection's brand of soundtrack styled synth work is expanding into new colours and shapes with his latest work, the aptly titled, Metamorphosis. The melodies are still of a deliberately paced soundtrack nature but the style has been engineered with a more energetic percussive track. I adore how this piece evolves and forms it's own destiny. Beautiful music, that is currently available for FREE download as well.
Flash Arnold's totally killing it with his marvellously inspired track Dorsia. American Psycho is one of my favourite comedies of all time and whenever samples are used from it I can't help but fall in love with the music as well. Flash Arnold once again proves he's one of the true 'leaders of the new school' with a catchy and perfectly arranged experience in quality 80s sounds.
A short little gem from Mulperi caught my attention this week. Entitled Time, and only shared in a short preview format this track is just stunning in it's staccato timing and synth brilliance. The tones and textures of this track are absolutely rockin to the max, I can't wait for the full version, that's for sure.
Synth terror merchant, Gost, unleashed an amazing new work in the field of dark synth brutality with the enigmatically titled piece 4th. The music is the essence of darkness with a churning bassline and violent orchestral stabs that go straight for the vital organs. Frightening beyond your worst nightmares and terrifying beyond the harshest realities!
Moving into brighter atmospheres is marvellous new track from Droid Bishop titled Galaxy:Unknown.
This composition is full of light and emotion and introspective melodies that ethereally manifest before the listener. Incredibly beautiful in arrangement and execution. Many thanks to Tommy for discovering and sharing this exciting new producer and be sure to grab your own copy of this grandiose work while it's up on soundcloud for FREE download.
Another FREE track to make sure you add to your collection is the new single from Let Em Riot: I Know. Let Em Riot's sounds lean more towards modern arrangements and sounds but a soul of the 80s beats beneath the current trappings. This piece of glossy synth pop is definitely anchored in the 80s and synths work throughout the song majestically.
Alpha Boy has taken off to the stars with his new track Sound Trek. This sci fi flavoured journey adds are wonderful new lustre to the Alpha Boy sound with an undeniable space-disco thematic that is very engaging. I love the aesthetic of this piece and I hope the stars prove to be a destination in the future for Alpha Boy.
Jaypeau and Toeknee are fast becoming another force to be reckoned with the 80s inspired synth scene. Their amazing track Thrasher has a new companion with Blood Drops. There's a great deal going on with this track that comes out over multiple listens. The arrangements are packed with details and nuances that create a crescendo of uplifting magic. I predict that 2013 is going to be a monster year for these guys.
On the cusp of releasing his massively promising new High Fidelity EP in April, Tommy has shared a stand alone track in preparation. Odyssée is a smoothly entrancing ambient work that bends and morphs with a light and colour all it's own. Beautiful in melody and languid in pace the music's skewed pitch is as inquisitive as it is engaging. Also currently available for FREE download, so grab it while you can.
That wraps it up for another rockin Weekend Update on Synthetix.FM. I look forward to spending more quality time with you next week as we explore more of the wonderful music in the 80s inspired synth scene. 'Til then, stay 80s and keep on rockin.
Vector Hold keeps on rockin hard and his new track Deep Undercover 1985 is a totally rad Faltermeyer-esque piece of stealthy nocturnal work that is full of danger around every shadowed corner. Be sure to grab a copy of this as it's currently available for FREE download.
Neon Workout is kicking mucho derriere with a new jam called Don't Cry Tonight. This producer varies his styles for nearly each new track but there is always the 80s love hiding beneath the modern veneer. This new track is a superb piece of crossover with a modern arrangement combined with a great deal of 80s love in the melodies. Also available right now for FREE download!
Amazing Police is fast becoming a genuine force to be reckoned with in the 80s inspired synth scene. After the stunning White Tape and Moroder-Einstein Theorem tracks he's now released the jaw-droppingly epic Circa 1984. Beautifully arranged elements and sounds combine in a vista of totally entrancing synth work. Shades of StarDonE are present in the experience too, which only adds to the wonder.
Another producer who's craft is being honed very nicely is Vestron Vulture. His new track, Beach Babes From Beyond, is totally rockin mix of italo and videogame sounds that are full of energy and authentic melodies. Vestron Vulture's sounds are distilling into an individualised mixture of influences
that are really demanding one's attention. Be sure to download it while it's still FREE.
The totally rock hard Betamaxx is releasing a steady stream of radical 80s sounds through 2013 and his new adventure, Maxximum is yet another killer track. I love the energy of this, the synth leads are dazzling in delivery and the percussion is a cacophony of stunning 80s love.
Electric Disection's brand of soundtrack styled synth work is expanding into new colours and shapes with his latest work, the aptly titled, Metamorphosis. The melodies are still of a deliberately paced soundtrack nature but the style has been engineered with a more energetic percussive track. I adore how this piece evolves and forms it's own destiny. Beautiful music, that is currently available for FREE download as well.
Flash Arnold's totally killing it with his marvellously inspired track Dorsia. American Psycho is one of my favourite comedies of all time and whenever samples are used from it I can't help but fall in love with the music as well. Flash Arnold once again proves he's one of the true 'leaders of the new school' with a catchy and perfectly arranged experience in quality 80s sounds.
A short little gem from Mulperi caught my attention this week. Entitled Time, and only shared in a short preview format this track is just stunning in it's staccato timing and synth brilliance. The tones and textures of this track are absolutely rockin to the max, I can't wait for the full version, that's for sure.
Synth terror merchant, Gost, unleashed an amazing new work in the field of dark synth brutality with the enigmatically titled piece 4th. The music is the essence of darkness with a churning bassline and violent orchestral stabs that go straight for the vital organs. Frightening beyond your worst nightmares and terrifying beyond the harshest realities!
Moving into brighter atmospheres is marvellous new track from Droid Bishop titled Galaxy:Unknown.
This composition is full of light and emotion and introspective melodies that ethereally manifest before the listener. Incredibly beautiful in arrangement and execution. Many thanks to Tommy for discovering and sharing this exciting new producer and be sure to grab your own copy of this grandiose work while it's up on soundcloud for FREE download.
Another FREE track to make sure you add to your collection is the new single from Let Em Riot: I Know. Let Em Riot's sounds lean more towards modern arrangements and sounds but a soul of the 80s beats beneath the current trappings. This piece of glossy synth pop is definitely anchored in the 80s and synths work throughout the song majestically.
Alpha Boy has taken off to the stars with his new track Sound Trek. This sci fi flavoured journey adds are wonderful new lustre to the Alpha Boy sound with an undeniable space-disco thematic that is very engaging. I love the aesthetic of this piece and I hope the stars prove to be a destination in the future for Alpha Boy.
Jaypeau and Toeknee are fast becoming another force to be reckoned with the 80s inspired synth scene. Their amazing track Thrasher has a new companion with Blood Drops. There's a great deal going on with this track that comes out over multiple listens. The arrangements are packed with details and nuances that create a crescendo of uplifting magic. I predict that 2013 is going to be a monster year for these guys.
On the cusp of releasing his massively promising new High Fidelity EP in April, Tommy has shared a stand alone track in preparation. Odyssée is a smoothly entrancing ambient work that bends and morphs with a light and colour all it's own. Beautiful in melody and languid in pace the music's skewed pitch is as inquisitive as it is engaging. Also currently available for FREE download, so grab it while you can.
That wraps it up for another rockin Weekend Update on Synthetix.FM. I look forward to spending more quality time with you next week as we explore more of the wonderful music in the 80s inspired synth scene. 'Til then, stay 80s and keep on rockin.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
The Moon Regiment Become Interplanetary Explorers
The new releases and new artists keep on rockin on Synthetix.FM this week and today I have the pleasure to share with you a massively epic record from Moon Regiment. This new swedish producer brings a great deal of experimentation to his music through the seventeen (yes, seventeen!) tracks of his new album. Space and time pulse and flow and fold around each other as heavily 80s influenced pieces sit happily next to 90s influenced work as well as more modern sounds and even more retro pieces with 70s disco vibes.
Interplanetary Explorer is a perfectly apt title for this release as the exploration of many musical worlds is experienced first hand by the listener. Moon Regiment tours the universe stopping off on many new worlds and making these experiences a musical diary of new vistas of sound. Through these travels the Moon Regiment sound takes on new shapes and colours while retaining a base level of individualised sounds that permeate through the seventeen tracks.
The Moon Regiment hallmarks are numerous, the sound personality is very futuristic in it's tone, but is rarely cold and obstinate. The driving force in many of the tracks is the bassline though, be it whatever style the bassline is always at the epicentre of the sound's delivery with catchy progressions and invigorating energy. There are numerous pieces on Interplanetary Explorer that distract more than entertain however, with some pieces feeling like they would've been better used on a separate release, especially the more expansive trance like pieces that lack the direction of the more, dare I say, funky compositions.
It's clear that this album is a reflection of an artist trying to find his own sound and using different formats to hone his skills for production and melody and even though some pieces don't quite fit properly the overall experience is still very cohesive in it's final voluminous form. The one thing that's truly recurrent in Interplanetary Explorer is the instruments which all have a spatial aura about them that puts one right there in the inky void of outers space regardless of the style of the track. This is the thread the ties the experiences together which makes the album work in concept.
I can't help but wish for more 80s themed sounds on this record, as is my want, as the vintage skewed pieces, to my ear, are definitely one of Moon Regiment's strong points. For me City Night Pursuit, College Days, Cime Unit, Face Away From The Light, Good Day Today, Ship Ride and Thunder In The Sky are the absolute cream of the interplanetary crop. Which really means we have on offer is seven tracks that I personally got a great deal of enjoyment from, and that's well worth it from my perspective.
This being said that absolutely stunning Face Away From The Light and Ship Ride are worth the price of admission alone as both these tunes are beautifully arranged and executed with perfect craftsmanship. The fact the price of admission is free makes this something I believe everyone with an interest in 80s sounds should add to their collection so they can then sort through and find their own favourite interplanetary destinations from Moon Regiments journeys through the musical universe.
With such diversity in this producer's passions I will be looking forward to his next release to find out if he's found a favoured destination in the 80s or whether it was just a stop off in his further adventures in music. Only time will tell, but for now I encourage all Synthetix.FM readers to download the Interplanetary Explorers album linked through the player above and enjoy the universe of aural escapades presented for our delectation, free of charge.
Interplanetary Explorer is a perfectly apt title for this release as the exploration of many musical worlds is experienced first hand by the listener. Moon Regiment tours the universe stopping off on many new worlds and making these experiences a musical diary of new vistas of sound. Through these travels the Moon Regiment sound takes on new shapes and colours while retaining a base level of individualised sounds that permeate through the seventeen tracks.
The Moon Regiment hallmarks are numerous, the sound personality is very futuristic in it's tone, but is rarely cold and obstinate. The driving force in many of the tracks is the bassline though, be it whatever style the bassline is always at the epicentre of the sound's delivery with catchy progressions and invigorating energy. There are numerous pieces on Interplanetary Explorer that distract more than entertain however, with some pieces feeling like they would've been better used on a separate release, especially the more expansive trance like pieces that lack the direction of the more, dare I say, funky compositions.
It's clear that this album is a reflection of an artist trying to find his own sound and using different formats to hone his skills for production and melody and even though some pieces don't quite fit properly the overall experience is still very cohesive in it's final voluminous form. The one thing that's truly recurrent in Interplanetary Explorer is the instruments which all have a spatial aura about them that puts one right there in the inky void of outers space regardless of the style of the track. This is the thread the ties the experiences together which makes the album work in concept.
I can't help but wish for more 80s themed sounds on this record, as is my want, as the vintage skewed pieces, to my ear, are definitely one of Moon Regiment's strong points. For me City Night Pursuit, College Days, Cime Unit, Face Away From The Light, Good Day Today, Ship Ride and Thunder In The Sky are the absolute cream of the interplanetary crop. Which really means we have on offer is seven tracks that I personally got a great deal of enjoyment from, and that's well worth it from my perspective.
This being said that absolutely stunning Face Away From The Light and Ship Ride are worth the price of admission alone as both these tunes are beautifully arranged and executed with perfect craftsmanship. The fact the price of admission is free makes this something I believe everyone with an interest in 80s sounds should add to their collection so they can then sort through and find their own favourite interplanetary destinations from Moon Regiments journeys through the musical universe.
With such diversity in this producer's passions I will be looking forward to his next release to find out if he's found a favoured destination in the 80s or whether it was just a stop off in his further adventures in music. Only time will tell, but for now I encourage all Synthetix.FM readers to download the Interplanetary Explorers album linked through the player above and enjoy the universe of aural escapades presented for our delectation, free of charge.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
The Neon Guilt Of Lhasa Mencur
Lhasa Mencur has just hit the ground running with his debut 80s styled EP Neon Guilt. This EP is full of rockin action and 80s motif's glazed and basted with some more modern elements that make the crossover work throughout the five tracks. Synths are kept firmly in the vintage mould, but rhythms and percussive work bring in current sounds without jarring the atmosphere. That said, the undeniable, rock hard highlight that makes this EP so kick arse is the shredtacular guitar work that energizes the tracks with brutal ferocity.
While the opening electro intro vibes of Assphalt get a funky, almost hip hop atmosphere rockin it's the second track on Neon Guilt that really opens things up for a barrage of musical armageddon: Wanted. The intro to Wanted plots a devious course to make one think we're continuing down the same road as the opener but when the thundercloud of synths and guitars erupts it creates a onslaught of classic 80s sounds that rocks hard and often.
This track is so full of 80s love that each synth lead and guitar riff feels like it's been engineered for the greatest impact possible and each nuance of the production builds more and more energy. Totally invigorating and a joy to bear witness to. Following up Wanted is a soulfully epic atmospheric piece which takes the out and out boisterousness of Wanted and inverts it with deliberate, slow pace drums, moody synths and guitars that wail and scream as if they've been torn asunder to the depths of their very being. The sheer emotive power of the guitars are sumptuous and full of those 80s feelings that make us warm inside and and inspired with passion. The drama achieved in Neon Guilt is positively awe inspiring.
Following the title track is a small divergence of bleeps and bloops that are constructed in a manner to bridge the title track and the final composition. This short piece does a wonderful job of subsiding the drama and passion of Neon Guilt and allowing our palette to be freshly prepared for the last piece: Moog Stomp (Outrun Mix). This last track brings in undercurrents of modern sensibilities while keeping the 80s at the forefront of sounds and emotions. Lead synths paint glorious strokes of colour across the night time canvas while a modern rhythm section keeps pace with the synths marvellously well. The entire construct blends beautifully and finishes the EP off cleanly and succinctly.
Lahsa Mencur's debut EP into 80s inspired synth is a wonderful experience that promises a great deal more rockin good times in the future. His use of guitars and synths in equal balance is thoroughly engaging and I'm hoping he continues his adventures in 80s love in further releases as there is an abundance of talent and understanding of how to rock the 80s right is displayed throughout the entirety of Neon Guilt.
Add Lhasa Mencur's killer new EP to your music collection today by visiting his Bandcamp page here as soon as possible.
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