Nov 2 2011

The Sound Of Arrows’ ‘Voyage’ album

The Sound Of Arrows

I’ve had a couple of weeks to listen to The Sound Of Arrows’ long-awaited début full length record, which is enough time to get over the anticipation and listen to it on face value, and y’know what? It’s better that way.

‘Voyage’ is an album that can completely stand up on it’s own, hype and reputation aside, this is eleven tracks of SynthPop of such quality you begin to understand what it took a few years to make. All the singles are here (save for ‘Danger!’), and they made the good choice of putting ‘Into The Clouds’ arguable their biggest hit, first. The track immediately reminds you of everything you love about The Sound Of Arrows, the ‘90’s indie-tinged vocals, the pumping synths and the sense of aspiration, and reminds you why you’ve been looking forward to the album for a while. Immediately following is the new single, the Balearic sounding ‘Wonders’, these two single set up the mood for the album, both musically and thematically. Musically the album is, mostly, euphoric stuff. Big major riffs and uplifting beats are the LP’s staples. There are a few downtempo tracks, such as ‘Hurting All The Way’ and ‘Ruins Of Rome’, but even they are shot through with an air of hopefulness rather than melancholy. Which brings me to the strain running through the album thematically. ‘Voyage’ is a manifesto of wonderment, a collection of songs that scream out their hope that the world can be a better place. The album dreams of adult problems seen through the eyes of childhood wonder, stripped down to their basic ridiculousness in a metaphor of magical discovery, culminating in ‘There Is Still Hope’ while the albums exit, ‘Lost City’ is a epic cinematic finale.

I suppose I better find some criticism to make of ‘Voyage….the single’s ‘Nova’ and ‘Wonders’ can get a bit too early 2000’s Ibiza for my tastes these days, whilst they are excellent songs the sounds are a little dated, but that’s it. On the whole album all I could find fault with is two lead synth sounds. If you’re a fan of SynthPop or ElectroPop the The Sound Of Arrows’ ‘Voyage’ is one of the top releases of the year, or the last few years, and set to be an electronic Pop classic with ease.

♫ The Sound Of Arrows – M.A.G.I.C.

♫ The Sound Of Arrows – Wonders

The Sound Of Arrows ‘Voyage’ is released 7th November, a deluxe version is also incoming featuring a second CD of instrumentals..

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Oct 31 2011

‘Boulevard Of Broken Dreams’ from Pop Inc.

Pop Inc. have premiered the mini-movie video for their Modern SynthPop track ‘Boulevard Of Broken Dreams’ .

Experience the full horror of Hollywood!

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Oct 29 2011

Annex 82

annex 82

Annex 82 is the brainchild of Michigan based Electro producer Rob Salazar.

He’s just released his new EP, titled ‘Skylights’, and it’s five tracks of pure synth heaven. Taking the current SynthWave sound and giving it a slightly more grungy, more analog, feel Annex 82 come across with both the Italo groove of Dreamwave crossover tracks and the rockiness of the ballsier end of SynthPop. This instrumental collection kicks off with ‘Laserbeam’, which is is everything a synth-head could want from a track, taking cues from everything from ElectroPop to Disco via Italo it really sets a precedent for the rest of the EP. Annex 82’s tracks flow with an unexpected kind of machine funk, there is a groove hiding amongst the relentless rapid-fire robo synths, and an emotion to the melodies. ‘Roadgames’ and ‘astrid eVe’ both lay the ‘80’s vibe on thick, with the former even getting a little Daft Punk about it. This is a very impressive EP from an unknown that leaves us eager to hear more.

♫ Annex 82 – Laserbeam

♫ Annex 82 – Roadgames

♫ Annex 82 – astrid eVe

You can download the whole of Annex 82’s new EP for free on their SoundCloud.

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Oct 29 2011

Miracle’s new single

Miracle

The almighty Steve Moore is back, the hardest working man in retro synth music is gearing up for the first proper single release (after the severely limited ‘The Visitor’ 12” and the ‘Fluid Window’ mini-album) of his duo project with Daniel O’Sullivan, Miracle.

The single, ‘Good Love’, opens with typically Moore vintage synths and a slightly Italo feel before powering into a majestic, SynthPop anthem. The mixture of ‘80’s European dance music with Depeche Mode style grandiose lyrical religious imagery. Like and orchestra of Italo, Moore and O’Sullivan crate a rousing yet melancholy sound with enough understanding of the dancefloor to see them as big contenders for HURTS, or at least a HURTS for the SynthWave crowd.

♫ Miracle – Good Love

‘Good Love’ is released 27th November on House Anxiety Records.

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Oct 28 2011

Lissi Dancefloor Disaster’s new EP

Lissi Dancefloor Disaster

The Swedish abstract ElectroPop duo of Josefin Lindh and Johan Tilli, otherwise known as Lissi Dancefloor Disaster (so named after Johan former cat) have just released a brand new EP, titled appropriately in LOLcat speak ‘As We Plz’.

The lead track is ‘Pop Musiiic’ a wailing electronic ode to the 3m30s Pop song and it’s promised ability to lift you from hopelessness. This is ElectroPop art it’s rawest. Raucous drums and screeching synths, a combination you’d expect to create a accompany, but somehow it all works together in a beautiful way. SynthPop with a Rock ‘N’ Roll swing, ‘Pop Musiiic’ is fun, Poppy and slightly chaotic and that’s what makes it great. One of the highlights of the EP, for me, is the track ‘Glowing Hearts’, which musically is more traditional SynthPop with an 8-bit twist but juxtaposes that with some pretty dark lyrical subject matters. Fellow Scandinavians Lo-Fi-Fnk contribute a reMix to the package, turning ‘Pop Musiiic’ into a quirky, left-field vocal House track.

♫ Lissi Dancefloor Disaster – Pop Musiiic

♫ Lissi Dancefloor Disaster – Glowing Hearts

♫ Lissi Dancefloor Disaster – Pop Musiiic (Lo-Fi-Fnk reMix)

The ‘As We Plz’ EP is out now.

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Oct 26 2011

The Ice Choir

Some slick retro SynthPop now from the heart of Brooklyn in the form of The Ice Choir.

The outfit, founded by The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart’s Kurt Feldman and Raphael Randa from Depreciation Guild, release their début single next month. ‘Two Rings’ is a classic SynthPop tune that musically brings early New Order or Pet Shop Boys to mind, that reverby dance beat and sparkly synths, whilst the vocals have a Marc Almond/Aidan Cassidy quality to them. Very reminiscant of early ‘80’s British Pop in it’s arrangement and vocal melody, ‘Two Rings’ doesn’t try to emulate the ‘80’s, it is the ‘80’s.

♫ The Ice Choir – Two Rings

‘Two Rings’ is out next month on Shelflife/yesboyicecream.

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Oct 26 2011

NinthWave Records Free Fall Sampler

NinthWave

NinthWave Records, one of the bedrocks of the North American SynthPop scene for well over a decade, has unleashed their Fall Sampler for free, right now, on Amazon.

If you head on over to the link below you’ll find 18 tracks of the pick of Modern SynthPop and the cream of NinthWave Records for the grand total of $0.00. Featuring tracks from The Modern (Matinée Club), Alan Replica, Kyle Brylin, The Garland Cult, The Peoples and electronic rumors alumni Empire State Human and Van Go Lion the sampler is a no-brainer for fans of classic ElectroPop, and if you’re not, it doesn’t cost anything to check some of these act out. Win/Win!

♫ Empire State Human – Search For Love

♫ Van Go Lion – Body Moves (QUBIQ Mix)

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Oct 18 2011

Goin’ Old School: China Crisis – Wishful Thinking

China Crisis? Yup, China Crisis. Why? Just in the mood. ‘Wishful Thinking’ from 1983.

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Oct 8 2011

Goin’ Old School: Fiction Factory – Feels Like Heaven

Chillin’ today. 1983’s ‘Feels Like Heaven’ from Fiction Factory.

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Oct 5 2011

Xeno & Oaklander’s ‘Open Walls’

Xeno & Oaklander

The king & queen of post-Futurist SynthPop, or Minimal Synth, or whatever Xeno & Oaklander return later in October with a brand new album, ‘Set & Lights’.

‘Open Walls’ is a taste of what you can expect from the new record. Slightly more upbeat than you would expect from X&O. Full of the duo’s trademark icy analog synth work and the interweaving of deadpan and ethereal vocals, the track has all the elements of back room Minimal-Synth there, but also contains something of a bounce to it. It’s a nice compliment to ‘The Staircase’ and bodes well for the forthcoming album.