The Best New Tracks in Synthwave — May 2018
I love the 80's.
I love the 80's so much, I’m obsessed with a new-ish style of music that sounds like it’s from another time that most have never heard of, and yet it was probably composed in the last few years.
Music that draws inspiration from soundtracks of the best in 80’s pop culture. A few examples which always come to mind:
Music like this is unmistakable — the 80’s had a truly unique sound. As electronic music progresses, many artists have carved out their own niche by explicitly trying to recreate soundscapes from a time they were most likely too young to have experienced themselves.
A genre within the expansive world of electronic music, this newer style of is commonly referred to synthwave (some also use the terms outrun, retrowave, and futuresynth interchangably). If you want to learn more about the nuances and intricasies of this fascinating scene, be sure to check back later when I put together a larger guide to synthwave.
This is my first entry in a monthly series where I highlight some of my favorite new synthwave releases. If you like any of the artists I’ve mentioned, please support them through their respective Bandcamp/Soundcloud/Spotify links.
“Unrequited Love” — from the ‘Unrequited Love’ EP
I was really excited when I discovered this track since most synthwave artists are from North America and Europe. Hailing from Vellore, a small town in southern India, Baali Soda creates his style of dreamy synthwave as a hobby while also to alleviate stress from working as an assistant professor during the day. Baali Soda takes the sounds of synthwave and expertly blends them with sonic qualities of his home country.
“Octoparis” — from the ‘Decay of the Mainframe’ EP
Finnish artist Ferus Melek is back with his latest release in an increasingly impressive discography of synthwave with a darker flavor. Engaging melodies with addictive hooks make this one of the best synthwave releases this year. Stay tuned because Ferus Melek is slated to produce a film soundtrack, a possible co-producer credit for an upcoming video game soundtrack, as well as a full-length album expected to drop later this year.
Bandcamp| Soundcloud | YouTube
“Don’t Forget Me ft. Madelyn Darling” — the single from his upcoming full-length LP
Another up and coming synthwave artist from Finland is Turbo Knight with this single from his upcoming album set to come out in late 2018. He teams up with vocalist Madelyn Darling and guitarist Matteo Schiavinato to create this bittersweet love song. You can also catch him on this really cool Spotify playlist.
“Neon Death” — from the album ‘Sci-Fi Violence’
One of the better darksynth releases I’ve come across this year is the latest full-length album from California producer FacexHugger. This release isn’t just heavy — it’ll hit you like a spaceship approaching light speed. Sci-Fi Violence is the perfect name for this album as it takes you on a journey to another galaxy where you’ve crash landed on a hostile alien world and the natives have developed a taste for man-flesh. Or at least, that’s the story I painted in my head when I first gave this a listen.
“The Chase”
Picture this — you’re blazing through the streets of a gloomy, neon-laden cityscape with assailants hot on your trail. And as you throw your ride into high gear, the action only seems to intensify as you drift corners at breakneck speeds in this dystopian futuristic scene. That’s the feeling you’ll get with this new track from Manchester, U.K. producer, SkiMode. He draws a lot of inspiration from the classic 80’s TV series Knight Rider to make his brand of snythwave — aptly called Knightwave. This track is the first from his untitled full-length album set to come out sometime this year.
“Palms and Seagulls” — from the debut album ‘Osaka Lights’
One of my favorite discoveries this year, the title of this track from Timecrawler 82 says it all. Heavy vibes reminiscent of Miami beach, neon lights, and breathtaking sunsets while cruising down the strip hits all the right notes for my tastes. The album has a track list of diverse sounds as each song flows into one another while each can stand on their own. Can’t wait for what’s next as Timecrawler 82 is expected to drop a new project sometime later in the year.
Bandcamp | Soundcloud | YouTube
“Thus Spake Heaven” — from the album ‘Revelations’
Coming off of their 2016 album Visions, the Pittsburgh synthwave duo Reapers dropped their newest full-length, Revelations just a few weeks ago. The band normally pulls inspiration from Sisters of Mercy and The Cure, but this release has more NIN and Pink Floyd vibes while trying to keep their synthwave DNA. There’s an incredible amount of detail throughout the album as it is also their biggest release to date.
“Did You Take My Walkman?” — from the ‘Devil on the Dancefloor’ EP
Dropping his very first Devil on the Dancefloor EP, South Carolina based producer ByteMapper brings his own style on this track. A collection of dancy tunes, dreamy vibes, and yearnings of yesteryear, this EP is sure to give you those strong desires to go back in time.
Thanks for reading! I’ll be back next month when I share my favorite synthwave releases from the month of June. Got tips for new synthwave releases? Email me at sonicobservatory@gmail.com. Let me know what were some of your favorite tracks from May 2018 by hitting me up on Twitter.
