Monthly Archives: April 2012

Apr 9 2012

SaiR’s ‘Bright’

SaiR

It feels like ages since we heard anything from one of our favourite producers, Portugal’s SaiR, so it’s a good job he made his latest tune, ‘Bright’ an absolutely massive slab of synthesizer Funk.

Clocking in a six minutes, ‘Bright’ is a bit on an odyssey. An audio journey though blissed our Disco moods. SaiR really bring his A-game here in teams of musicality, the arrangement is intricately crafted here with various bass and lead lines weaving in and out of one another as SaiR channels a hint of Herbie Hancock and Moog Funk together with his own Dreamwave tinged Nu-Disco sound. Pure good-time summer vibes here, so grab your boom-box and take this track to the beach, if the weather is fine, if it’s not then just whack it on some headphones, close your eyes and be transported to somewhere sweeter.

♫ SaiR – Bright

Buy Sair’s music from:

 

Apr 9 2012

Alpha Boy’s new album

alpha boy

I think it is fair to say the Berlin’s Alpha Boy has grown up in these very pages. He first sent us his demo track back in November 2010, where Norman’s love of synthesizer music, the ‘80’s and video games came across in every beat. Since then we’ve seen him evolve and grow more confident in his craft, seen releases on some of the scene’s coolest labels, and a constant output that boarders on the prolific. Each release stronger than the last.

Now Alpha Boy is gearing up for to drop his second full length record, titled ‘Blockbuster’. In part a collection of tracks from his almost factory like output in the last year, in part new tracks, all soundtrack influenced SynthWave that is always rich and emotionally resonant. ‘Follow Me’ is as good an atmospheric intro as it was on the ‘Follow Me’ EP and paves the way for a voyage though synthesizer moods, sweeping form high energy, post-Italo juggernauts such as the familiar ‘Lightstorm’ (Alpha Boy’s Homage to the TV show Life On Mars) to quieter, more mood inducing peices, as with ‘You Are My’, with effortless ease. If you’re at all familiar with Alpha Boy’s previous work you might notice that ‘Blockbuster’ almost moves away from the SynthWave/Outrun sound and more towards a new vision of SynthPop. In-fact, there are tracks on the album, like the Jan Hammer-esque ‘Magic Of Sound’ and ‘It Was All A Dream’ that  almost sound like instrumental versions of vocal tracks, as does the Italo dancefloor gold of ‘As They Do On Your Mind’. Fellow SynthWavers Noir Deco and Jowie Schulner make appearances on the album and bring their distinctive styles to the tracks they collaborate on, the former lending a dark moodiness to ‘Abyss’ and Schuler and Alpha Boys collaboration being the huge soaring Dreamwave we’d expect. Alpha Boy’s ‘Blockbuster’ is a damn impressive second album, it sees a maturity of sound, a moving beyond his roots into new ElectroPop areas whist maintaining the ‘80’s soundtrack influenced Electro theme that had defined his career. What happens next is anyone’s guess, but it’ll be exciting to find out.

♫ Alpha Boy – Cassiopeia

♫ Alpha Boy (Feat. Jowie Schulner) – Lost In Space

♫ Alpha Boy – It Was All A Dream

♫ Alpha Boy – Follow Me

‘Blockbuster’ is released 10th April at Alpha Boy’s Bandcamp.

Buy Alpha Boy’s music from:

     

Apr 9 2012

Futurecop!’s ‘Starworshipper’ video

At the end of last week we gave you a listen to Futurecop! new, and actually first, single. The Diana Gen and Starrset featuring ‘Starworshipper’.

Well, get your eyes around the video to. There’s a lot of Futurecop! clips on YouTube, but this is their first, official, especially filmed promo and director AJ Jackson does a really good job of capturing the essence of Futurecop!’s youthful, optimistic ethos.

‘Starworshipper’ is released 24th April on Keiz Beats.

Buy Futurecop!’s music from:

Apr 9 2012

Le Prix covers U-96

leprix

Le Prix’s long-awaited ‘Cosmonova’ EP is coming very, very soon on the awesome Girlfriend Records, along with it’s amazing looking video. To tide us over until then, though, the Swedish SynthWave producers has dropped this cheeky cover of U-96’s ‘Love Sees No Colour’ from 1993.

Bringing the tempo slightly down (this ain’t ‘90’s EuroDance anymore!) Le Prix allows the riff from the original to slip into something a bit more retro sounding and let the emotional qualities of the chord progression shine though. The result is something that, apart from the main arpeggio, it’s quite different from it’s inspiration, a more contemplative meeting of post-EBM, pre-Trance, European dance music and ‘80’s soundtrack inspired Dreamwave Electro. Cannot wait for the EP!

♫ Le Prix – Love Sees No Color (U-96 Cover)

Buy Le Prix’s music from:

    

Apr 9 2012

College’s new mixtape

College

College – Every Single Time Mix = Valerie head honcho David Grellier A.K.A. College whips up a brand new mix with some really surprising, but very welcome elements. Xeno & Oaklander and Hyboid rubbing shoulders with Scratch Massive? Eclectic!

♫ College – Every Single Time Mix

The tracklist:

01. Phochos – Glaciers
02. Ian Boddy – Pulse
03. Starcluster – Winter of Ice
04. Mistral – Jamie
05. Young Monday – Zaire
06. Scratch Massive (Feat. Jimmy Somerville) – Take Me There
07. Charles Lindberg N.E.V – Peinlich Peinlich
08. Terminal Twilight – The Lovers
09. Hyboid – Requiem For Hyboid
10. Xeno & Oaklander – Desert Rose
11. Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill

Buy College’s music from:

      

Apr 9 2012

Zimmer’s ‘Horizontal Disco’ reMixes

zimmer1

This weekend saw the release of synthetic Disco maestro Zimmer’s ‘Horizontal Disco’ reMix EP. The ‘Horizontal Disco’ EP was one of many Discotexas highlights of 2011 and has, suitably, been given of top quality reMix package.

The highlight of the EP, for us, comes from American cosmic Boogie expert Moon Boots. His version of ‘Bay Bridge’ combines Moon Boots usual spaced-out Tropical flavour with a robotic bass and some bright, shining synths for a more electronic sound that we’re used to from him, but from it’s galactic groove to it’s vintage riffs, it’s a killer track. Elsewhere on the EP we get Broke One dropping a deep deep deep ‘90’s House vibe with rounded bass and a nice swing. Gomma’s Moullinex bring his playful Mediterranean Disco sound to the table with his version of ‘Looking At You’ complete with squelchy little synth riffs and a nostalgia inducing electric piano hook. Xinobi brings us back to the ‘90’s House-fest with his hand-in-the-air track that could have easily seen play at The Haçienda in the circa 1991. Also on board is the Lou Teti reMix we featured last week. These days we don;t expect anything less than the best from Discotexas, but it’s comforting to know they haven’t disappointed yet.

♫ Zimmer – Bay Bridge (Moon Boots reMix)

♫ Zimmer (Feat. Jeremy Glenn) – Slave To Your Heart (Broke One reMix)

♫ Zimmer – Looking At You (Moullinex reMix)

♫ Zimmer (Feat. Jeremy Glenn) – – Slave To Your Heart (Xinobi reMix)

‘Horizontal Disco reMixes’ is out now.

Buy Zimmer’s music from:

Apr 6 2012

Synthesizer Zen

This week’s capsule of Synthesizer Zen, to carry you into the weekend, comes courtesy of synth modder PsyFi and his awesome home-made double Juno 106 (Juno 212?).

Video courtesy of YouTube user psyfi.

Apr 6 2012

Futurecop!’s ‘Starworshipper’ single

futurecop_03

I’ve got to say, for all my love for ’Futurecop!: The Movie’ I do prefer Futurecop! when they are doing what they do best, big retro ElectroPop, that’s why I love their Japan only album ‘It’s Forever, Kids’ and one of the best tracks on there was the Diana Gen featuring vocal version of ‘Starworhipper’, produced by none other than Diamond Cut.

Futurecop! must think so to as it;s getting a single release with an astounding reMix package. you probably know the original by now, infectious dancefloor ElectroPop with equal helpings of soul and nostalgia. A great single for the summer. The big excitement for me when seeing the reMix line up was the inclusion of the king of SynthWave Mitch Murder, and the man doesn’t disappoint. Mitch’s big, soundtrack influenced, ‘80’s sounds work perfectly with this track, and when the track kicks in with his trademark stratospheric soloing it’s pure gold. Lenno is another of out current favourites, when you want exciting, energy fuelled Nu-Disco, he’s your man and right here he delivers a tune suitable for the big room. Boombar man Jowie Schulner smoothes out the single with a slick laidback Dreamwave take on the song, giving the tune a sunrise vibe. Lastly it’s Out There who round off the EP with an Electro powerhouse of a track to end on a high. The single is a pretty essential purchase, how can a collection of talent like this go wrong?

♫Futurecop! (Feat. Diana Gen) – Starworshipper

♫ Futurecop! (Feat. Diana Gen) – Starworshipper (Mitch Murder reMix)

♫ Futurecop! (Feat. Diana Gen) – Starworshipper (Lenno reMix)

♫ Futurecop! (Feat. Diana Gen) – Starworshipper (Jowie Shulner reMix)

♫ Futurecop! (Feat. Diana Gen) – Starworshipper (Out There reMix)

‘Starworshipper’ is released 24th April on Keiz Beats.

Buy Futurecop!’s music from:

Apr 6 2012

Scarlet Soho’s new single

Scarlet Soho

A couple of days ago we presented the video for London ElectroPop band Scarlet Soho’s comeback single ‘When The Light’s Go Out’. Time for a look at the whole EP.

The title, and lead, track is the prefect choice for Scarlet Soho to reclaim their rightful place amongst the best ElectroPop bands recording today. It’s an insanely catchy track the will stick in your head all day. Capturing the best of ‘80’s arrangements, especially in the epic vocal harmonisation, and full of lush synth sounds ‘When The Lights Go Out’ is Indie-tinged ElectroPop at it’s finest. There’s two other original tracks on the EP, the moody and enigmatic ‘What You Need’, another chunk of 80’s nostalgia wrapped up in contemporary presentation and  ‘Retail Therapy’, a track with hints of Japan in it’s bass and vocals tinged with melancholy until the big ‘80’s Electro Soul chorus. Also included in the package is a reMix of the title track from Austrian avant-garde ElectroPop outfit Trouble Over Tokyo, who deliver a rolling, tribal, electronic soundscape. The single is definitely a welcome return for these guys, and one that leaves a good impression.

♫ Scarlet Soho – When The Lights Go Out (Radio Edit)

♫ Scarlet Soho – When The Lights Go Out (Tokyotron reMix By Trouble Over Tokyo)

‘When The Lights Go Out’ is released 21st May, you can pre-order here.

Buy Scarlet Soho’s music from:

Apr 6 2012

Kimbra, Foster The People & A-Trak

Kimbra, Mark Foster from Foster The People & A-Trak have all done a track together. It’s something to do with shoes. Converse are doing this ‘3 artists, 1 song’ series, I’m not really sure what it’s all about and all the information about it seems to assume I already do. Apologies for not being up to date on the goings on in the world of music based shoe PR campaigns.

The track is very very very good though. Surprisingly for this kind of collaboration you can really hear each artists influence and the result is an Electro-edgy Pop track that rises above it’s ‘shoe promo’ origins.

You can download the track, and presumably buy shoes, here.