Aug 9 2012

The Young Punx Vs. Alizzz

Alizzz

Out today on Beatport is the latest in a string of blistering releases from London’s ElectroFunkinDiscoBreakin MofoHiFi. This time it the return of Alizzz, the Spanish producer who graced MofoHiFi with his Neon Lights EP earlier this year. His new EP is titled Loud, and is packed with smooth jams and Electro Boogie beats.

The Lead track, Loud, is chilled slice of electronic Funk. Sounding like a cross between 80s influenced Nu-Disco and sweet LA Funk in the vein of DâM-FunK. it comes complete with a reMix from London Italo-Disco-ElectroDirty Bass crew The Young Punx, which we can exclusively première right here, right now. The Punx bring a little of their Italo-Disco magic to the tracks shimmering melodies. Reining in the fluid groove of the original into a tight dancefloor monster, this reMix sets out to ignite your feet with a storming digital bassline and thick retro synth chords. One hundred percent robo-Disco with an ice, melodic, nostalgic sheen. Oh, and you know how much we love electro tom rolls? Well, this tune is loaded with them! When the original’s steel drums kick in, you’re in summer jam heaven.

♫ Alizzz – Loud (The Young Punx Mix)

Alizzz’s Loud EP is out today on Beatport, 27th August elsewhere, via MofoHiFi.

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Aug 8 2012

Shit Hot SoundSystem’s new EP

shit-hot-soundsystem

London’s Nu-Disco rising star Shit Hot SoundSystem is gearing up for the release of a brand new EP in the coming months. Three new cuts of late night, summer fun Disco House await all who choose the Shit Hot Soundsystem road. This guys release just keep getting better and better.

The InYourLovin EP kicks off with it’s title track. InYourLovin is the epitome of Shit Hot SoundSystem. Walking the line between edit heavy Nu-Disco and the more electronics laden Dreamwave end of the genre InYourLovin rocks both sampled Disco riffs and lush retro synth work. It never feels over stuffed though, everything sits sweetly in the track and the result is dancefloor gold. 21st Century Disco. Late Night Club Night brings the synthier side of Shit Hot SoundSystem more to the fore and brings an Italo flavour to his work. A deep robotic groove with some majestic, cinematic orchestration lends the track an ominous, but hella funky, vibe. Once again, the Disco riffs and synths combine on the EPs remaining tune, Phosphenes, a breezy slice of party Nu-Disco. Phosphenes layers it’s bouncy groove with a serious vintage Italo riff which should seem out of place, but in fact fits right in the mix and makes this track something special. We’re really digging this direction for Shit Hot SoundSystem and looking forward to the EP release.

♫ Shit Hot SoundSystem – InYourLovin

♫ Shit Hot SoundSystem – Late Night Club Night

♫ Shit Hot SoundSystem – Phosphenes

Buy Shit Hot SoundSystem’s music from:

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Aug 3 2012

Quixotic’s ‘Golden Boy’

quixotic

Hungarian Dreamwave producer Quixotic has once again rolled a whole heap if influences into one dancefloor groover. This time it’s not galactic Funk that dominates his work it’s a cool summery vibe.

Golden Boy rocks in the Italo and SynthWave direction you’d expect from this guy, but rolls in a little Tropical sheen, we’d go so far as saying there’s a little of the Balearic to this tune. Particularly in the percussion, which brings a smooth island flavour to the track. Atop all this is a thumping digital House bassline and some space piano mixing it up with with the Dreamwave synths and the rousing 80’s lead line. It’s about SynthWave embraces the summer!

♫ Quixotic – Golden Boy

Check out more from Quixotic on SoundCloud.

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Aug 3 2012

Hekr And Kov

Hekr And Kov’s Lunar Launch EP is the inaugural release on their own Lunar Boogie imprint. This Canadian duo have compiled four tracks of Science Fiction electronics and retro futurism via heavy bass and robo synth goodness.

The EP kicks off with Cyclops Attack!, a punchy Electro track that combines otherwordly, and haunting, synth tones with a relentless pounding Italo groove. The coupling of pounding digital bass and machine vocoded vocals make this track a killer Sci-Fi opening to the EP. Hard hitting, electronic and loaded with robo Funk. Magma Mobile takes things in a more cosmic Funk direction, rolling slap bass gives the tune it’s Disco backing. Stabbing synths and a future Funk groove, with added talk box vocals, give the track a hook that will stay in your head all day. Little Nova joins the dots between Kraftwerk and Italo, by way of Moroder, pulsating analog arpeggios, factory line synth patterns and space Disco keys layer up together to create the soundtrack to an advanced metropolis while Saturn Voyage is a funky journey to the furthest reaches of our solar system. It’s an impressive début, both for the label and this duo, one recommended for lovers of synthesizers, space age grooves and retro future beats.

♫ Hekr And Kov – Cyclops Attack!

♫ Hekr And Kov – Magma Mobile

♫ Hekr And Kov – Little Nova

Buy Hekr And Kov’s music from:

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Aug 2 2012

Lazerhawk’s new tune

Lazerhawk

We haven’t heard much from SynthWave master Lazerhawk in a while, not really since his stunning Visitors album. The Austin based synth guru has just unleashed a new tune, it’s a collaboration with artist Dave Rapoza for a coming he’s creating called Skull And Shark, and it’s a moody affair.

Simply titled Skull And Shark, this theme is full of dramatic tension. Falling sparely in the Horror side of SynthWave Lazerhawk plays with haunting melodies and spine tingling lead lines. Amidst the distant sound of thunder and rain, baroque synths juxtapose with grinding riffs and alien keys atop a pounding Italo backing. Pure Halloween synthetics.

♫ Lazerhawk – Skull And Shark

Lazerhawk’s Visitors album is out now on Rosso Corsa Records.

Buy Lazerhawk’s music from:

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Aug 2 2012

New from Flash Arnold

Flash Arnold

Here’s the latest tune from SynthWave producer Finnish Flash Arnold. After a series of top quality 80’s soundtrack-esque tracks, this new tunes shows a maturity and evolution to his sound.

The Streets Of Metropolis moves Flash Arnold away from the typical SynthWave/Outrun sound an into an entirely Poppier arena. Whilst still holding on to some of Synthases elements, most notably the Italo side of things, The Streets Of Metropolis has more in common with mid-80s Instrumental Pop that it;s night driving peers. Evoking a flavour of the more Poppy Jean Michel-Jarre, or Paul Hardcastle, Flash Arnold’s arpeggiated basslines and big stabbed chords give the track a solid Italo backing with two of our favourite things in the world, Orchestral hits and mind blowing, soaring, synth soloing more than enough icing on the cake. Flash Arnold has just stepped up his game. Pay attention.

♫ Flash Arnold – The Streets Of Metropolis

Check out more from Flash Arnold on SoundCloud.

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Aug 1 2012

Goin’ Old School: Trans-X, Pop Will Eat Itself & Soul II Soul

Goin’ Old School isn’t a trip down music memory lane, it’s a mugging in the dark alleyway of nostalgia:

Power Italo first from Trans-X and Message On The Radio from 1986, it’s now all Living On Video y’know!

The the mighty Pop Will Eat Itself’s Def Con One from 1988.

And from 1988, Soul II Soul’s first release, the Rose Windross featuring Fairplay.

You can buy most of this music from:

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Jul 31 2012

Magic Sword

Here is a couple of the latest tracks from American SynthWave producer Magic Sword as an introduction to the man. He hails from Boise, the only thing I know about Boise is that where Hewlett Packard is based, I know this because I worked (a long time ago) for Hewlett Packard in the UK and everyone was always harping on about Boise. So let’s see what else Boise has to offer.

Magic Sword makes quite fantastical, 80s influenced, instrumental electronic music. With signature waves of arpeggios and ringing melodies he transports the listener to an otherwordly place. The first of his new tunes, A New Hope, is a mid paced synthetic lullaby. Warm and inviting but with a slight chill coming from some icy synth work. Also released recently is Discover, which shows Magic Swords more upbeat, Italo side. Moodier than A New Hope, Discover brings out some dark Moroder styling and big retro stabs in a track that plays an oppressive mood against bright optimistic chords for a feeling of triumph over adversity. And what 80’s soundtrack is worth it’s salt without a good old triumph over adversity tune?

♫ Magic Sword – New Hope

♫ Magic Sword – Discover

Check out more from Magic Sword on SoundCloud.

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Jul 30 2012

Some words from Surrender!

Surrender!

By now Turkish producer Surrender! should be on your Nu-Disco radar. He’s one of those artists that, rather than making a massive splash, has slowly and surely entered our consciousness over the last year to the point where the announcement of his self-titled début album, due out September on La Bombe, was exciting stuff.

And this 23 year-old, despite only a handful of releases to his name, is already earning himself fans in the form of some of electronic music’s top names. Aeroplane, A-Trak, Villa, Treasure Fingers and Digitalism have all become regular spinners of Surrenders! tunes, Digitalism even included his track Travellers on their recent DJ-KICKS album.

His music is instantly familiar, yet uniquely fresh. The obvious elements of French Touch and Electro, Italo and House are all present, but Surrender! pushes them into overdrive, creating something as exciting as chainsaw synthed Electro-House and as Funky as Disco. The forthcoming album promises to be an odyssey through hard hitting, groove laden synth madness.

In the lead up to the album’s release, Surrender! took some time to give us a peek into the world of mad Disco.

ER: So, first up, what prompted the name change from Opptimo to Surrender!? There was a lot of support for Travellers, why the change?

S: What I didn’t knew was that there was another Opptimo with only one ‘p’. Optimo from the UK. And they were also making electronic music. So it was best to change it earlier rather than have problems later. If they were just a rock band I don’t think I would have changed it but hey, I’m really glad I did!

ER: When did you get into making music? How did that happen?

S: I got into making music when I was 18. It wasn’t anything serious at first but as time passed and I learned new things, I started to really love it so I kept going and going. I was always interested in making music.

♫ Surrender! – Volute

ER: What did you listen to growing up, was it electronic and dance music or did you come to that later?

S:When I was about 7 I was in love with Michael Jackson but that changed throughout the years and I started listening to some really hard metal bands. Dimmu Borgir, DEICIDE, Bloodbath etc. But at the same time I always loved the Chemical Brothers and Prodigy. So electronic music was always there with me no matter what. And finally at 15 I just completely fell in love with electronic music.

ER: You’re about to drop your new album in September. Tell us a little about it and what it means to you as a whole body of work?

S: It was really different than just making an EP because EP’s are easy to do for me. I can just use the same formula or same kind of approach with them but an album is a whole another ball game. Just like that Chemical Brothers song: Music:Response. You have to keep the mood alive and think of the album as one rather than just a compilation of tracks because in the end they are like organs of a body. You cannot separate them and expect to have a functioning body. I matured a lot with this album, I actually learned more about music than I did in the last couple of years.

♫ Surrender! (Feat. Jhameel) – Hurry (Lovin’ Is Crazy)

ER: When you sit down to write a track, what is influencing you other than music?

S: Not a lot of things. A good road trip and meeting new people always seems to give me new ideas and thoughts about music though.

ER:So what’s the Surrender!’s studio? Do you have a favourite bit of studio kit? Any favourite synths?

S: I wouldn’t even call where I make my music a studio because the only hardware I have is my M-Audio midi keyboard along with a T.C Electronic sound card. I don’t even have monitors. It’s funny to see people visit my place and ask where all the gear is.

♫ Surrender! – Locate

ER: If money was no object, what piece of studio gear would be your dream to own?

S: Juno 106.

ER: Do you prefer songwriting/studio work or playing live/DJing?

S: I think that they complement each other. It would really hard to do just one and skip the other.

ER: What’s your breakfast preference? Cereal or cooked breakfast? Would your answer change the day after a show?

S: Right now I’m actually working out and eating healthy for a change so my breakfast is a few small tomatoes, a little cheese, 2 egg whites and green tea. And yes, after a show it would change probably Haha.

♫ Surrender! – Fast Days

Surrender!’s self-titled début album is due out in September on La Bombe.

Buy Surrender!’s music from:

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Jul 25 2012

Mitch Murder’s Glass Cities’ EP

I’m not sure Johan Bengtsson A.K.A Mitch Murder sleeps anymore. In the months leading up to the release of his amazing second album, Current Events, the Swedish SynthWave king was pretty quiet. Since then, though, we have been treated to a year of constant new tracks, new EPs and new reMixes, almost weekly. And never once had the man missed a beat, never once has he released something anything less than the very best SynthWave. Next month sees another new EP, the man just doesn’t stop.

At the beginning of next month the Glass Cities EP is released, not by Johan’s usual home of SynthWave central, Rosso Corsa, but on new Irish imprint DhARMA. DhARMA have given Mitch free rein to do what he does best. From the opening, and title, track you are immediately back in Mitch Murder mode. After a imposing cinematic intro Glass Cities make a brief nod to Zoolook era Jean Michel-Jarre with it’s just of woody melodies and vocal samples as an instrument. It’s a tack make of pure 80’s bliss that glides effortlessly into Last Call, which seems Mitch add a little Trevor Jones into the mix, ,and is an amazingly smooth and emotive pallet cleanser before the high-octane Outrun of Heading South, a full on post-Italo race to the boarder. Hopeful and uplifting, this track mirrors the best inspirational ‘80’s soundtrack peices and leads into the club soundtrack of Shoot The Core! with flying lead lines. Best Of The Best lulls you into a false sense of security with slick 80’s Pop drums and big emotional chords before treating you to some of Mitch’s best Malmsteen-esque synth shredding. Ever optimistic, with a hint of melancholy, like the best ‘80’s music, Mitch constantly amazes with his mix of part Italo, part 80’s soundtracks, part sheer synthesizer joy. The EP also holds a reMix from Sylvester, who bring the Electro Boggie to Glass Cities, and this bonus mix from Norwegian duo Nite Sprite who inject a little Nu-Disco electro noise into Heading South. Most of this collection has been available at one time or another in the past year, Mitch Murder’s output is verging on prolific these days, but to have all these tracks together, in high quality, is really something special. Obviously for Synth Wave fans this is a must have EP, but for any fans of synthesizer music, Mitch Murder comes so highly recommended it’s difficult to put into words.