Jul 1 2013

[MP3] Strangers’ ‘Sense Of Liberty’

The UK’s finest epic SynthPoppers Strangers will be keeping your ears busy over the coming months. Today, we are proud to première, the first in a series of monthly free tune the guys are delivering. Six in all are incoming, once a month from now until X-mas, which basically means they are spending the rest of the year recording free tunes, just for you. By December they should be on all you X-mas card lists!

Sense Of Liberty is the first of the monthly gifts. Typically Strangers in it’s grandiose, bombastic take on SynthPop. It’s tracks like this that lead us to believe Strangers need to be playing stadiums as soon as possible, their music is just so epic, the kind of songs that would just be unbelievably euphonic to sing-a-long with a massive crowd to. Sense Of Liberty packs in buzzing apreggios, vintage beats, and a big, sweeping, string section that underpins David’s anthemic vocal. It;s unbelievable that these Strangers haven’t charted in the UK yet, but that’s only a matter of time, meanwhile they are more concerned with keeping you lot entertained with freebies. Now say thanks with an email address.

♫ Strangers – Sense Of Liberty

You can download Sense Of Liberty in exchange for an email address here. Stranger’s latest single, Something New, is out 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.

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Jun 26 2013

[Audio] Little Boots’ ‘LBD Edit’ of ‘Motorway’

Little Boots Discotheque is ElectroPop princess Little Boots’ new dancefloor oriented live experience. Basically it’s LB and crew doing the ‘hunched over Ableton thing’, so if you get the chance to catch LBD live expect to be dancing your ass off to live edits and reMixes of Boots’ material. They are headed to Glastonbury this weekend, then the world!

To get a taste of what to expect, Vicky is giving away the LBD Edit of her recent single Motorway. Taking the spacious, Kraftwerkian original, this Edit makes the room even bigger and mixes up Dub and House for a hypnotic, intoxicating (nearly) eight minutes. Interestingly most of the vocals are kept intact (expect live vocals from a LBD performance) and now roll over a ebbing tide of noir beats and enigmatic synths. Bring the strobe lights.

♫ Little Boots – Motorway (Little Boots Discotheque Edit)

Little Boots’ second album, Nocturnes is out now.

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Jun 26 2013

[Video] Goin’ Old School: Alphaville, Cee Farrow & The Neon Judgement

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

First up, from 1986, is German SynthPop heroes Alphaville with Dance With Me.

Cee Farrow‘s Soul tinged SynthPop début, Should I Love You, from 1982.

And finally Belgian EBM outfit The Neon Judgement’s Chinese Black, from 1987.

You can buy most of this music from:

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Jun 25 2013

[MP3] Rebeka’s ‘Melancholia’ reMixed

This week sees the release of a sweet collection of reMixes of Polish quirky ElectroPop duo Rebeka’s Melancholia single. Their label, Brennnessel, has pulled together some of the top names on raw electronic Disco to deliver three hefty versions of the tune. Moullinex, Shindu and Brennnessel bosses Kamp! all weave their dancefloor magic with Iwona’s epic vocals.

Moullinex’s reMix is instantly recognisably his. An energetic, Cosmic Disco take on the song, that borrows a few tricks from Dub and gets quite dark at times. Put together on all analog equipment, Moullinex’s offering blends his rough ‘n’ ready Disco sound with Rebeka’s soaring ElectroPop to great effect. Belgium’s Shindu get enigmatic as they tackle the tune. Working around a deep synth bass and sparkling 80s leads, Shindu turn in a reMix that is a dancefloor intoxicant yet reminiscent of the best in 80s Pop. Once you get drawn into Shindu’s bass and keys, it’s hard to get out again as the track envelopes you in it’s warm layers of sound. Brennnessel’s own Kamp! take the energetic route with their version, opting for a French House influenced floorfiller. Big beats, big riffs and a piano hook to get lost in are the order of the day here. This is definitely one for the crate, indeed they all are. Check em out, did we mention that they are free?

♫ Rebeka – Melancholia (Moullinex reMix)

♫ Rebeka – Melancholia (Shindu reMix)

♫ Rebeka – Melancholia (Kamp! reMix)

Rebeka’s Melancholia reMixes are out now.

Buy Rebeka’s music from:

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Jun 24 2013

[Video] Pet Shop Boys’ ‘Vocal’

Pet Shop Boys’ new single and ode to vocal dance music, Vocal, has got itself a nostalgic music video.

Loaded with clips of late 80s raves, this clip is like a document of 1988’s Summer Of Love.

Pet Shop Bot’s Electric album is due out in 15th July. Vocal is out now.

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Jun 14 2013

[Audio] Soft Metals’ ‘In The Air’

Here’s the second single from Portland Minimal Synth Robo-Pop duo Soft Metals’ forthcoming sophomore album, Lenses. We had a taste of what’s to come back in May with the first release, Tell Me, now this new track, In The Air, has us even more eagerly awaiting the new record.

With Glaswegian Electro master JD Twitch providing hypnotic warehouse drum programming ion this one, In The Air nicely mixes up ethereal DreamPop with a gritty Acid House groove. With futuristic pulsating Acid bass and retro, clap laden, House beats In the Air has a dark, strobe lit, quality to it that is tempered only by Patricia’s haunting siren song. Lenses is definitely shaping up to be one of the albums of the year.

♫ Soft Metals – In The Air

Soft Metals’ In The Air is released on 16th July.

Buy Soft Metals’ music from:

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Jun 13 2013

[Video] Goin’ Old School: Spandau Ballet, Karla DeVito & Ministry

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

Let’s begin todays journey with a bright SynthPop from Spandau Ballet’s 1982 single; Lifeline.

OK, this isn’t strictly a music video, because there isn’t one. But c’mon, what’s Karla DeVito’s 1985 track We Are Not Alone most famous for?

Before Ministry were shite Metal Ministry they were good, SynthPop Ministry, and even before that they were the Ministry who recorded this unreleased track, Same Old Madness, from 1982.

You can buy most of this music from:

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Jun 11 2013

[Audio] Reflex’s new single

We’ve been eagerly waiting for this one for quite a while now, it’s the new single from France’s finest ElectroPop duo Reflex. Out next week on Continental Records, the single, titled Together, is the prefect material for these two to make a return to releasing original tunes. it’s big, bombastic and fun and has a hook that’ll be stuck in your head all day.

Together, drops just in time for the warmer months, and that’s a good job too as there is a touch of the Balearic about it. This is all about big piano riffs and rumbling Disco bass, all wrapped up in a surprisingly euphoric package that’s ripe for some festival season anthem kudos. Loaded with groove laden House undertones that permeate every corner of the track, from the irritate beats to Lud’s chanting, call-to-arms vocals, Together is just what’s needed on this summers dancefloors. reMixes on the single come from Boys Get Hurt, Pat Lok and Ryan Riot. Pat brings one his wonderful deep, retro House tunes to the table. If the original is set for open air dancing, then the Pat Lok reMix is destined for warehouses. Abrasive House riffs and Chicago organ hooks relentlessly power the track on featuring all manner of modulated vocals. Ryan Riot gives the track a little 80s flavour with his SynthWave version of the track. Mixing in a hint of 90s Trance, Riot bring his typical fair for rolling synthesizer love. You won’t be able to shake that arpeggiated bassline. A pretty stunning release from Reflex, we’re hoping there is an album in the works.

♫ Reflex – Together

♫ Reflex – Together (Pat Lok reMix For Jessie)

♫ Reflex – Together Ryan Riot reMix)

Reflex’s Together is released 17th June, head over to their SoundCloud page to download the Boys Get Hurt reMix for free.

Buy Reflex’s music from:

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Jun 6 2013

[Audio] Echoes reMix Marsheaux

Greek EelctroPop duo Marsheaux have just released their deluxe double CD version of their latest album Inhale via Undo Records. The second CD comes loaded with reMixes including this version of the title track from out old friends Echoes. A band who really should release more stuff.

Their reMix of Inhale reminds of everything we love about Echoes, and why we’re missing them (having not released anything if ages). It walks a tightrope between atmospheric and moody SynthPop and bouncy ElectroPop, and Echoes handle these two moods with ease. Using just the right amount of vocal for what they are trying to do, Echoes create something Poppy and dancefloor oriented and ultimately bright and shiny. Welcome back Echoes.