Browsing Tag

New Wave Synth Pop

Spirits of Saturn – Transfigured: A Synth-Pop Remedy for Souls Unbounded by Earth’s Orbit

Posted on 1 March 2024

Spirits of Saturn, a band that emerged like a comet in the musical cosmos, has graced our auditory senses with their latest single, Transfigured. The synth-pop odyssey that transcends the mundane unravels as a vibrant fusion of synth and strings, weaving a star-roving tapestry of influence from Kraftwerk, Todd Rundgren, and Daft Punk to submerge synth-pop fans in a constellation of future-perfect disco-pop sonics and vocals that can croon your soul out of kilter.

The beat-bolstered synth-pop ballad explores the mental labyrinth navigated during post-relationship dissolution; It’s a narrative of emotional metamorphosis, where even the most visceral feelings disintegrate through transmutation. The song’s structure, with its stabbing synth lines and euphoric beats, creates an atmosphere that will bring you down to earth and beyond its atmospheric remit. As Transfigured plays, you can’t help but feel unshackled from earthly constraints while simultaneously being in tune with the ache only humankind will know through our romantically masochistic tendencies.

If any outfit has what it takes to dominate the synth-pop scene in 2024, we’d put our money on Spirits of Saturn. They’ve already graced some of the most renowned venues in the UK with their decadently transcendent tones and proven their neon songwriting stripes.

Transfigured will land in Earth’s orbit on March 1^st; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Embrace the retro-future with The Exotic Ices Project’s seminal track, Disciple

Posted on 21 December 2023

Stepping out from the shadows of their former band, Ruby Jones and Patrick Spillane of The Exotic Ices Project ignited a fuse on a synth-pop explosion with their seminal single Disciples. The standout from their debut album, Sunshine Desserts, is a vibrant testament to their musical evolution and a bold statement in the world of new wave synth-pop.

Opening with a cascade of twinkling synths, reminiscent of stardust spanning the entire colour spectrum, the auditory spectacle sets the stage for a journey through a soundscape that is both familiar and refreshingly, chaotically, novel.

After capturing the essence of the 80s and propelling it into the modern era, the track takes an unexpected turn as choppy, staccato guitars enter, bolstering the composition with a raw, electrifying energy. This shift creates a synthscape driven by the tumultuousness of unchained emotion.

While Disciples may not align with everyone’s musical palette, it is a treasure for those who revel in the brighter, more intense shades of retro synth-pop. The track encapsulates the fervid dedication of its namesake, transcending into a realm of electro-rock fervour. It’s a daring composition, one that challenges the listener while remaining undeniably captivating.

With their bold colours and explorative sonic universes, Ruby and Patrick are not just riding the wave of synth-pop; they are redefining it.

The official music video for Disciple is now available to stream on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Good Time Locomotive dialled up the beguile in their synthpop sophomore single, Medusa

Posted on 27 June 2023

As one of the memorable synthpop outfits we’ve had the pleasure of putting on our radar in 2023, Good Time Locomotive is proving to be tough competition to their contemporaries. Especially after the release of the latest single, Medusa, which hauntingly demonstrates that lustful beguile is one of the most powerful forces known to man and mythology. The superlative single contests the adage that all is fair in love and war with the mind games that have become a frustrative cornerstone of seduction.

With their sophomore single, the London-hailing powerhouse moved away from their archetypal synthwave synthetics and started to forge their own sonic signature in their distinctively rhythmic guitar lines, jazzy time signatures and anthemic builds, which borrow a few sticky-sweet propensities from pop-punk anthems.

In the words of singer Hugo Leite;

‘It’s a song all about the power of infatuation and those who know how to wield it over us. The story of Medusa seemed like a fitting metaphor for that as she is, quite possibly, the most misunderstood character of all time. Beautiful? Yep, but deadly when fallen from grace!’ 🧟

Medusa was officially released on June 17th. Hear it on Spotify or watch the official music video via YouTube. For more info, head over to the artist’s official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Conner Eko has made his unmissable indie synth-pop debut with SINK

Posted on 19 August 2021

‘SINK’ is the debut indie synth-pop track from the Californian singer-songwriter Conner Eko who takes inspiration from a vast repertoire of artists to achieve his authentically affectionate sound that we’re hoping will become signature in subsequent releases. If Trent Reznor produced for Boy George, the sonic result wouldn’t be all too different from the danceably dark, ethereal textures in SINK, and we are here for it.

2021 has been rough on everyone, but Conner Eko had more to overcome than most. In March 2021, he suffered a traumatic brain injury that forced him away from this work and towards music, resulting in the release of SINK that precedes the release of his debut album, due for release in early 2022.

SINK was released on August 3rd; you can check it out for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lonely City (Feat. Brett Durnell) take us straight back to the ‘80’s with Cobra Kai and ‘Johnny’

Posted on 26 January 2021

After years of playing guitar in rock bands, Seattle, WA., artist Logan Johnson decided enough was enough, and it was time to follow the 1980’s synthwave dream. The result is Lonely City and new single ‘Johnny’, 3’45” of synthrock epic, heavily reverb-soaked drums, rolling bassline and synth lines, and a catchy, storytelling vocal line.

And here we go, finally, the story of Cobra Kai set to music, 1980’s action hero getting the full Lonely City treatment. It’s a perfect mash up of inspiration and appreciation, the official lyric video adding to the whole ‘Tron’-era aesthetic with rolling neon and Street Fighter-esque graphics.

Check out the video for ‘Johnny’ on YouTube, and follow the artist on BandCamp.

Review by Alex Holmes

MOTIV – ‘Don’t Let Yourself Down’

Posted on 14 November 2020

In a world of manufactured angsty alt-rock and generic R&B and trap-based pop-dance, it’s always refreshing when an artist does something different; with this track, MOTIV produces something close to eighties synth-pop – think Pet Shop Boys, Nik Kershaw, or Howard Jones – but with a modern, updated twist.

It’s ridiculously catchy, too. The ‘Don’t Let Yourself Down’ hook of the track’s title squirms its way into your head and refuses to leave for hours after the track has finished. Yet, it perseveres with an almost-ambient set of eighties-style production values – heavy reverb, old-school sequenced and gated drum beats, and a synth melody which mimics the vocal line, all whirling and writhing around that lyrical hook. ‘Don’t Let Yourself Down’ is a perfect slice of danceable, singable pop that’s a beautiful antidote to 2020’s lockdown blues.

Follow MOTIV on Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes