Jul 2 2014

[Audio] Arcade High’s ‘Heat Wave’

One of our favourite SynthWave artists, the Pittsburgh based Arcade High has just released his new EP. Out on digital, or CD (with bundled T-shirt!) via Telefuture, the Heat Wave EP is the first proper release we’ve had from Arcade High since last summers storming Pixel Passion album and sees Ryan indulging his high energy ElectroPop side. Check out the EP’s title track below.

What Arcade High has served up with Heat Wave, which features a nostalgic, Debbie Gibson-esque vocal turn from Morissa Trunzo) is a classy slice of pure American 80s Pop. This one’s all about the pinprick brightness of the synths. Crisp electronic melodies play against each other in a carefree manner to provide a kinetic instrumental for Trunzo’s euphoric performance.A summer soundtrack if ever there was one, Heat Wave is a buoyant and insouciant tune that invites you along with it, you’d be a fool to say no.

♫ Arcade High (Feat. Morissa Trunzo) – Heat Wave

Arcade High’s Heat Wave EP is our now, you can pick up a copy here.

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Sep 12 2013

[Movie] Rage

Right, are you sitting down? There’s a lot of information to take-in in this post so pay attention. We’re going multi-media crazy and a worthy cause is gonna’ need your help. Pay attention. Our good friend and top SynthWaver Arcade High is not only one of the most original retro-synth producers around, he’s also a talented filmmaker. Currently in his final year at film school, Ryan is attempting to put together a short movie, written and directed by himself and highly influenced by the 80s flicks he loves. The film is called Rage, about a man who returns from the dead and embarks on a bloody quest to rescue his girlfriend. The film will expand upon a blood soaked test scene filmed earlier this year. Check it out.

So, here’s where things get really interesting, not only are the looking to fans and enthusiasts to fund the movie over on IndieGoGo for special perks, but they are also already selling the soundtrack. Out on Telefuture, the album is a thirteen track compilation featuring tracks from some of the best and brightest in the SynthWave scene, including, but not limited to, Silenx, Arcade High himself, Betamaxx, Tommy, Final DJs and Protector 101. The soundtrack costs $10, with all of the cash going toward the films budget. It’s a great funding strategy, and everybody wins. Check out some of the tracks, the release is loaded with top quality, ominous, pounding and pulsating synthesizer soundtrack music and relentless Italo beats. The soundtrack is on Bandcamp right now, and you can find out more about Rage and the crew involved in making it, along with donation options on their IndieGoGo page. Get involved!

♫ Tommy – Kurt’s Revenge

♫ Silenx – Rogue Vindicator

♫ Arcade High – Rise From Your Grave

♫ Betamaxx – Retaliation

♫ Protector 101 – Empty Shells

The Rage soundtrack is out now, all proceeds go towards the movies production budget. Get it here.

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Aug 9 2013

[Audio] Let Em Riot’s ‘Say What You Need To Say’ (Arcade High reMix)

Stop what you’re doing, even if it’s important. The only people authorised to continue with whatever they are up to are people who have others lives in their hands (in which case; get off the internet!). There’s a new single from Orange Country Dreamwave master Let Em Riot. This man is easily one of the most talented ElectroPop producers working today. We know what you’re thinking; are we saying that because we released his SlashWave EP, or did we release his SlashWave EP because we thought that? To which we’d like to counter with “shut up and listen to Let Em Riot’s new single”.

Say What You Need To Say is quintessential Let Em Riot. The big secret of Let Em Riot’s appeal is his knack of being able to mix utterly nostalgic SynthWave music that you can’t help but love with truly heartfelt lyrics that really resonate with people without resorting to cliché or tropes. And that’s exactly what he does here, laying his heart out on a backing of comforting synthesizer music. Nostalgia and emotion, what more do you want from a SynthPop tune? The single also comes equipped with a reMix from another excellent, and increasingly vocal, SynthWave artist, Arcade High, who brings the track in a slightly more traditional Outrun direction with his trademark added ChipTune spice, making the perfect compliment. The single is available on Bandcamp for a fee of name-your-price. You’d better name something that is at least higher than a four…we’re watching you!

♫ Let Em Riot – Say What You Need To Say

♫ Let Em Riot – Say What You Need To Say (Arcade High reMix)

Let Em Riot’s Say What You Need To Say single is out right now!

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Jun 27 2013

[MP3] Arcade High’s ‘Pixel Passion’ album

It was a year ago, almost to the day, that we reviewed Pittsburgh SynthWaver Arcade High’s début début album The Art Of Youth. We’re not sure if that’s a coincidence but this week, via the medium of label Telefuture, Ryan Boosel has unleashed his latest long player, titled Pixel Passion. Coming digital and physical formats (with the limited edition CD coming in a fancy, hand-crafted case mode from repurposed Nintendo cartridges) in packages that include treasures such as glossy posters and badges., Arcade High has really pulled the stops out for this release.

So, to the album. We really enjoyed his first outing, and especially his material with vocals, which luckily there is a few lurking about on Pixel Passion. In the last year or so Arcade High have risen to the top of the SynthWave pack, and that’s partly due to his originality. Rather than playing the same old Italo basslines and pseudo-80s tropes, Arcade High carves out a sound all of his own. Rolling ChipTune (in abundance), IndiePop and SynthPop into the SynthWave mix to create something instantly recognisable. As soon as the albums opening, title track launces into it’s retro synth/8-bit mixture, with frantic bitcrushed bass, gentle vocals and soaring vintage console leads, you know what you;re in for with the rest of the album. As the record moves onto One Year Ago you’re treated to how well Arcade High uses these influences. Where as the ChipTune crowd are content with recreating video game music of old, Arcade High takes those sounds and weaves them into beautiful, emotional, ElectroPop songs that take full advantage if the unique character of that sound pallet. But never lets the sounds control the songs, it’s always songs first. Without You, the Hannah Edwards featuring album centrepiece, is an epic, rousing slice of ElectroPop euphoria which a cool Indie vibe running through it, which leads into Outrun This! which seems to lean more toward the arcade cabinet than the genre. Running To You bring us back to more familiar SynthWave territory until Ryan busts in with some sweet vocoded vocals to deliver one of the albums highlights alongside the brooding, cinematic Electro of Night Of The Genesis. If you love the SynthWave sound, but are becoming a little burnt out on it and crave the same atmosphere but with a little originality injected into it, or if you love ElectroPop and have a fondness for 80s video games, or if you just love electronic music, well crafted with love, then you should definitely take this album out a spin.

♫ Arcade High (Feat. Hannah Edwards) – Without You

♫ Arcade High – One Year Ago

♫ Arcade High – Running To You

Arcade High’s Pixel Passion is out now via Telefuture.

Buy Arcade High’s music from:

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Mar 26 2013

[MP3] Arcade High reMixed by Jordan F

Well, this is just a meeting of two SynthWave minds that we’ve been looking forward to for a while. Back in July last year, Pittsburgh producer Arcade High released his track On The Edge Of Summer, which closely followed his excellent The Art Of Youth album. Now, with summer approaching (hello UK, yes, this is sarcasm) a year later the mighty Jordan F has delivered his reworking of the tune. Time to get on the edge of summer once more.

Jordan smoothes out the spikey production of the original, give it more of a sunkissed feel. If the original heralded the warmer months from an urban rooftop, Jordan F’s reMix welcomes the sun from a prime position on a lounger by the pool. Loaded with lush, thick, synths and playful melodies, Jordan, never one to get complacent with his music, performs a brilliant tempo adjusted breakdown before launching into the track’s Disco’d out finale. Synthesizer bliss.

♫ Arcade High – On The Edge Of Summer (Jordan F reMix)

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Mar 5 2013

[MP3] Let Em Riot reMixed by Arcade High

Pittsburgh SynthWaver Arcade High, who you may remember making our top twenty songs of 2012 in the last electronic rumors Awards had delivered this sweet reMix of our very own Let Em Riot. Let Em Riot’s Say What You Need To Say first appeared on a SynthWave compilation a few months ago and caused quite a stir, immediately attracting a ton of attention for the album.

Arcade High’s take on the track is a beautiful whirlwind of dreamy synths and vintage drums. Using Let Em Riot’s vocals to their fullest, Arcade High wraps them in a star-field of sparking synths. Driving and gloriously nostalgic, Arcade High’s reMix just proves what we already knew, when Ryan Boosel works with vocals, special things happen.

♫ Let Em Riot – Say What You Need To Say (Arcade High reMix)

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Nov 19 2012

[MP3] Arcade High’s ‘City Lights’

City Lights is the new one from Ryan Boosel, A.K.A. Arcade High. This guy has had a hell of a year, coming from nowhere to take the SynthWave scene by storm. Just use that little search box to your rights and check how much we’ve featured Arcade High in the last twelve months, we’ve pretty much loved everything he’s done, even moreso now he’s started dabbling in adding vocals to his work. City Lights is, unfortunately, vocal free (although it seems like it might have been arranged with vocals in mind?) but still shows off Arcade High’s beautiful, nostalgic, SynthWave sounds.

This is how we like our SynthWave, sparkly and emotional. Boosel wraps the listener up in a warm haze of vintage drum sounds, lush chords and melodies that slip into your mind. City Light’s is a nice combination of soundtrack-esque sounds with just a hint of Boosel’s ChipTune influences. It;s a really slick piece of SynthWave, we can’t help but wonder what it would sound like with vocals though.

♫ Arcade High – City Lights

Arcade High’s The Art Of Youthis out now.

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Sep 17 2012

Arcade High’s ‘Only In July’

Bringing a vibe for reminiscing about all the awesome times you had over the summer comes Arcade High with a new, free, single, Only In July. Ryan Boosel is rapidly becoming somewhat of a prolific artist in the old SynthWave game. It seems we can;t go a month with out a new Arc hade High release these days, and he never let’s up on the quality either!

Only In July is Arcade High’s “farewell to the summer”, and he has captured that mood perfectly. It’s a track build ion gentle waves of warm synths melodies that immediately sound like an old friend. Only In July displays a relaxed energy that really does feel like the winding down of a few months filled with love and laughter. It’s not melancholic, just nostalgic and pensive, but in a good way. Ryan’s mastery of lush synth layering and lead lines shines through making each synth one part in an orchestra of good memories.

♫ Arcade High – Only In July

Arcade High’s Only In Julyis out now.

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Aug 22 2012

Arcade High’s ‘Beauty Queen’ EP

Hot on the heels of his The Art Of Youth album, Pittsburgh SynthWave producer Arcade High has this week released a new EP, Beauty Queen. We really liked his album, but with this EP he seems to have stepped things up a notch including his first exploration of vocal tracks (apart from the Maddie Ardillo featuring Crush).

The EP kicks off with it’s title track. A gentle, nostalgic, easing into the proceedings. A beautiful swirl of retro sounds, a cascade of the sounds of growing up in the ‘80’s. A theme which reoccurs throughout the EP, but is most evident in the dancing melodies of Beauty Queen. Which leads us to Blacktop Rendezvous. This is the EP for us, this is the easily standout track. This is the track where Arcade High, A.K.A. Ryan Boosel, beaks out his vocal chops, and he nails it. The simple addition of an emotionally resonant, very personal, vocal elevates the track beyond what we would have expected from the EP. When we featured the video for Blacktop Rendezvous earlier in the week, we likened the track to “an ‘80’s SynthWave version of The Postal Service”. Both in songwriting and vocal style the are a lot of similarities between Boosel and the Post Service’s Ben Gibbard. The introspection, the vocal quirks that made Gibbard’s vocals so listenable are all present in Blacktop Rendezvous. Couple that with some sweet vintage ElectroPop and you have a track that worth the asking price of the whole EP alone. Dream Of Me follows and gets us back into the post-Italo SynthWave groove with an infectious groove and sparking synths. As with most of the EP, Dream Of Me is a fairly upbeat tune that conceals a layer of haunting melancholy, like the best ‘80’s tunes, which, we suppose, could be a metaphor for coming-of-age tale the EP represents. Up next is the deep romanticism of Prom Night, Everything you’d expect from this moment in an ‘80’s teen movie is present, gently swelling chimes, slow bass, and a sax solo, all adding to the ambiance that flow into the EP’s closer, You Said Forever. This final track feels like the prefect closer to the EP’s narrative. Slightly bittersweet in it’s use of deep warm synth sounds conveying a sense of sadness while a shot of optimist is introduced with the lead line. Arcade High’s début album was well received ‘round these parts, but with this new EP, he’s well and truly blown us away. Definitely something you should look into.

♫ Arcade High – Blacktop Rendezvous

♫ Arcade High – Beauty Queen

♫ Arcade High – Dream Of Me

Arcade High’s Beauty Queen EP is out now.

Buy Arcade High’s music from:

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Aug 20 2012

Arcade High’s ‘Blacktop Rendezvous’ video

Here’s a brand new song and video from Arcade High, Blacktop Rendezvous. It’s taken from the forthcoming Beauty Queen EP and sounds like an 80’s SynthWave version of The Postal Service. And that’s amazing!

Arcade High’s Ryan Boosel himself directed this video, loaded with youthful exuberance.