If you haven’t managed to catch any of Artist/Designer/Photographer/Synth nut Katja Ruge’s Kann Denn Liebe Synthie Sein? exhibitions in the last couple of years, check out this video from her show at Reeperbahnfestival this year.
It’s a fun clip, with music out of Hamburg’s Synthesizerstudio and added Icona Pop, just for good measure.
Catch up with Katja at canlovebeasynth.com.
Goin’ Old School isn’t a trip down music memory lane, it’s a mugging in the dark alleyway of nostalgia:
Norwegian SynthPop legends A-Ha decided to call it quits this week, leaving a farewell message for their fans on their official website, so today let’s check out three of their best, starting with 1985’ The Sun Always Shines On TV.
One of the best Bond themes ever recorded, The Living Daylights from 1987.
And from 1986, ease yourself out with Hunting High And Low.
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Here we have another slice of the smoothest of smooth music from LA’s kings of Dreamwave Leisure Council. Once again they are turning their reMixing skills toward fellow Californian synth dreamers Young Digerati and their track Next Phase. Expect blissful beach vibes.
If you want something to carry your day along on a cloud of laid back synth haze and add a little warmth to a chilly December day, then you’ve come to the right place. Nicky, Jeremy and Sam wash this tune in rolling bass and breezy, nostalgic, synth work. The interaction between the rich vintage synth chords and the playful shimmering melodies give the tune spacious fantastical atmosphere that’s pinned down by an added layer of Funk. The whole track pumps along with some rhythmic vocals and builds toward a soaring solo that takes it to the next level.
♫ Young Digerati – Next Phase (Leisure Council reMix)
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It was back in March that Awesome Australian ElectroPop outfit Kids At Midnight released their long awaited début single via Alan Braxe’s Vulture Music. Since then, things in camp KaM have, at times, been a little up-in-the-air leaving Kids At Midnight essentially Jane Elizabeth Hanley’s solo project. Having weathered the storm Jane is now gearing up to come back fighting (after a brief diversion supplying the massive vocals for this little number) with some amazing new music, beginning with this reMix of LA Dreamwaver Touch Tone’s second single, Make Believe.
Jane decidedly proves she can easily handle the Kids At Midnight moniker solo as she delivers a Housed-up monster of a track. Equal parts laid back Nu-Disco and early 90’s House, the Kids At Midnight reMix offers up some superb piano hooks set against a backdrop of 909s driving basslines. All this Housey craziness actually works really well with Alex from LexiconDon’s vocal, allowing it to take on a slightly different mood than in the original, it almost feels like there is more optimism in his voice when set to such a jump-up backing. We’re hoping this is the first of many new Kids At Midnight track, soon-ish.
♫ Touch Tone (Feat. Alex Koons) – Make Believe (Kids At Midnight reMix)
Touch Tone’s Make Believe is out now on Binary.
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There’s a new single in the offing from ‘The ever-awesome Holographic People’, which also happens to be their big 1-0. This tenth release on the label comes from sable staple Shelby Grey, who delivers two tracks, slightly darker than we’re used to from him, full of atmosphere and import.
The Devil’s Dancer sees grey moving toward a more SynthWave sound. Ominous and cinematic, Shelby plays out a tense audio narrative using a sound palette not unlike the synthetic soundtracks of late early 80’s Zombie movies. With a hint of John Carpenter amongst the synthetic Disco sounds, The Devil’s Dancer is both funky and creepy rolled into one. the B-Side, Danse Macarbre, is surprisingly upbeat. Build on a foundation of Moog Funk, Danse Macarbre weaves it’s way through layers of intricate melodies and mood setting textures which end up being more Cosmic than Gothic. The single is a departure of Grey, but one that shows he has more than one string to his bow.
♫ Shelby Grey – The Devil’ s Dancer
♫ Shelby Grey – Danse Macabre
Shelby Grey’s The Devil’s Dancer single is out now.
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This is the latest work from amazing, and highly underrated, LA SynthPop purveyor Leitbur. It’s a reMix of German Indie rockers Civilianz’s Came Of Age and Leitbur transforms a riotous guitar dirge into five minutes of sweet urban electronic bliss.
Keeps things hazy, Leitbur wraps the track in a warm Dreamwave blanket with ringing chimes and reverb washed synth melodies alongside a driving bassline and drums. The effect is almost Chillwave, but retaining the smooth retro feel of Leitbur’s music. The original’s vocals slide into the tune with ease resulting in a nostalgic ray of electronic sunshine that bears multiple plays.
♫ Civilianz – Came Of Age (Leitbur Mix)
Check out more from Civilianz on SoundCloud.
Our favourite Minimal Synth duo, Violet Tremors, are back with a powerhouse new reworking of their track Control Submarine. The girls are giving this new track away to celebrate the one year anniversary of the release of their stunning début album Time Is The Traitor.
Where Control Submarine was a measured, ominous electronic mood generator, equal parts gentle and imposing, Control SubMission takes the core of the track and ramps up the aural assault. Bringing an relentless early EBM beat and bassline to the track completely switches the vibe of the track, turning into a pounding, robotic march destined to destroy black-clad dancefloor everywhere. Long-time Mute collaborator James Aparicio sits behind the mixing desk for this one, no doubt bringing a hint of that classic Mute SynthPop experimentalism with him. indeed, Control SubMission could sit nicely amongst the likes of The Normal, Fad Gadget and Cabaret Voltaire.
♫ Violet Tremors – Control SubMission
Time Is The Traitor is out now.
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The latest release from awesome French label On The Fruit Records comes from one other than electronic rumors alumni Ren Riz. We’ve been featuring this Aussie producer’s tracks for as long as the site has been around and this forthcoming single is one of his best.
Out later this month, Day Dream sees Ren getting funky with an irresistible syncopated bassline that is it physically hard not to move to. This massive slice of Robo-Disco keeps things synthetic with an Italo twist. Loaded with heavy synth sounds and a touch of added cowbell, Day Dream is a prime addition to the On The Fruit roster. Funky and fun, this is one to keep the party going.
♫ Ren Riz – Day Dream
Ren Riz’s Day Dream is released 10th December.
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Alongside an eclectic new mixtape from Johnny Jewel, Italian’s Do It Better have also just released this cover of Jewel’s Chromatics cover of the classic New Order track, Ceremony. The cover features on the new mixtape alongside the likes of Xeno & Oaklander, Desire and Kraftwerk.
Chromatics’ version of the tune is a slowed down, blissed out dream that gets Hooky’s bass spot-on and features Glass Candy’s Ida No adding a little guitar to the mix. Spacious, but not sparse, the track is a downtempo wave of relaxed sounds and Chromatics vocalist Ruth Radelet’s crooning out Sumner’s lyrics with a hazy tone. Perfect space-out music for dreamers, and a nice cover that remains true to the vibe of the original whist sounding completely unique.
♫ Chromatics (Feat. Ida No) – Ceremony (New Order Cover)
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Here’s a cheeky little bootleg from London based Italian TurboFunker Birdee. He’s taken the time to rework on his favourite tunes of 2012, Duke Dumont’s The Giver. In his own words: “Duke Dumont’s The Giver is one of my favourite tracks of 2012 – I love the vibe of it and the vocal is incredibly intense. I liked the remix package, but I thought a disco rework would have complemented it perfectly…so here it is. Just a little homage to a great producer and a great tune. Hope you enjoy it!”.
The original version of the tune has a deep House vibe and a hypnotic groove with some wonderful dancefloor moments, but Birdee takes all that, ditched it, and morphs the track into a full-on beach party Disco anthem. With a looping Disco hook, pounding drums and a really sweet build Birdee keep the energy levels high and dancefloors destroyed.
♫ Duke Dumont – The Giver (Birdee ‘It’s All Gone Disco’ Rebuild)
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electronic rumors 