Dec 7 2012

[MP3] New Arcades

New Arcades are a London based SynthPop duo who are making some delicious retro Pop noise. Dean Canty and Adam Sullivan released a single a few months back and are now dropping a brand new track in anticipation of an EP in the coming months. Expect some sweeping, emotional, synth tunes.

Sitting just a tad too far into SynthPop to be SynthWave, New Arcades still retain some of SynthWave’s nostalgic optimism in their shimmering melodies, but layer that with a particularly British vocal and Pop structure. Remember The Nights, their new tune, counterpoints it’s anthemic sing-a-long vocal and bouncy lead line with some deep vintage electronics. The result being an all-round winner, catchy and upbeat with an underlying richness. That’s some impressive SynthPop right there. Their previous single, Echoes Of A City, strikes the same note with a little more of an Italo drive that would sit better with the Outrun crowd. these guys are definitely a name to keep an eye on in the SynthPop world.

♫ New Arcades – Remember The Nights

♫ New Arcades – Echoes Of A City

New Arcades’ Echoes Of A City is out now.

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Dec 6 2012

[MP3] Walter Sobcek reMix Sebastien Schuller

Well, it certainly been a while since we heard form our Dreamwave friends Walter Sobcek, not since the start of this year have we heard a new track from them, but they haven’t been sitting around waiting their time it seems. Some of the fruits of their absence is right here in the form of this dreamy reMix of French artist Sebastien Schuller’s ‘Nightlife’.

Immediately we remember exactly what we loved about Walter Sobcek ad they take just four minutes to carry you away to far-off Cosmic locales. Warm, resonant, synth tones, ringing melodies set against gently guitar and a steady Italo bassline. I finished off that pervious sentence about an hour ago and have just been sat here, with headphones on, listening to this track on repeat, it’s like a music daydream. A swirling mist of beautiful sounds and electronic beats, half heard vocals and a rolling synthetic choir of synths. Oh, and the wicked solo just adds an all new dimension of epic just when you aren’t expecting it. Amazing stuff, we’re so glad these guys are back.

♫ Sebastien Schuller – Nightlife (Walter Sobcek reMix)

Sebastien Schuller’s Nightlife is out now.

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Dec 6 2012

[Audio] Only You’s ‘The Starchild’

A couple of months ago we featured New Jersey retro Pop artist Only You, who came from nowhere, with just one song, but impressed the hell out of us with his slick, personal, take on vintage Pop music. Now here comes track number two which is, dare we say it, even more catchy and a hint more anthemic.

The Starchild continues Only You’s quest to capture the best of 80s American SynthPop. It’s got everything you’d want in a retro Pop track, punchy drums, appreciated bass, shimmering lead lines and razor sharp chords, with Only You’s vocals, this time round, taking on a big, stadium Pop, quality. You can just imaging rows of screaming teens in big hair singing along on old VHS concert footage. There’s only really a handful of artist who get 80s Pop completely right. Kid Kasio, Patrick Barker and the like, Only You has definitely joined their ranks.

♫ Only You – The Starchild

Check out more from Only You on SoundCloud.

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Dec 4 2012

[Audio] Shelby Grey’s new single

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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Nov 30 2012

[Audio] SaiR’s new EP

Well, this is a nice surprise for the end of the week. One of our favourite SynthWave artists, Portuguese producer Ruben Allen, A.K.A. SaiR, has just released a shiny new EP on none other than Rosso Corsa Records. It’s been a while since we heard from SaiR, but it looks like his time hasn’t been going to waste.

The Sunfield EP holds four tracks from SaiR output in the last couple of years, each one loaded with a sweet nostalgic synth Funk. Kicking off with Clockwise, rocking an Electro-Funk bassline and a punchy buzzing lead. Clockwise twists it’s way through Disco, SynthWave and Funk, revelling in the best of each with some glorious synth sounds and melodic playing. Shoreline conjures a mood of lazy afternoons in the sun with it’s laid back vintage synth style and some dreamy melodies. Sunfield delivers an even more chilled groove that sees SaiR getting a little synth Jazzy while Bright merges the best LA Funk with, and Herbie Hancock style keyboard wizardry, with blissful Dreamwave. If you’re a fan if Disco, Funk or SynthWave this EP is a must. Also, the guy on the cover (pictured above) is Ruben’s old-man, in the 70s, dirt-biking it!

♫ SaiR – Clockwise

♫ SaiR – Bright

SaiR’s Sunfield EP is out now on Rosso Corsa Records.

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Nov 29 2012

[MP3] Starcadian reMixes Unique

Here’s the fresh reMix, of an old school track, from a guy who is easily one of our favourite new producers this year. To us it seemed that in 2012 Brooklyn’s Starcadian came from nowhere and dropped immense production that put may others to shame. His massive Electro and Disco sounds have kept us moving throughout most of the second half of the year, and with a new album in the making, Starcadian has unleashed his remix of Unique’s 1983 DiscoPop classic What I Got Is What You Need to tide us over.

Starcadian shows us his smooth side, mixing up his chainsaw Electro and fantasy Cosmic Disco with some laid back funk. Twisted Moog bass and a driving beat underpin this slick track, letting the original’s vocals hazily drift in and out of the track, lifted by Starcadian;s euphoric piano rises and lush strings. True to form the man gets a little gritty and Sci-Fi in the breakdown, which makes it all that much sweeter when the Disco groove kicks back in. This is probably Starcadian’s most Funk fuelled tune to date, purpose built for late night dancefloors.

♫ Unique – What I Got Is What You Need (Starcadian reMix)

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Nov 28 2012

[Audio] Nathan Swiss’ new EP

The latest release from excellent Cardiff based label Pole Position Recordings comes from Dutchman Nathan Swiss and his Two Worlds single. A gloriously lush slice of laid back Disco, Two Worlds comes backed with a host of reMixes and B-sides.

Out boys, Germany’s Final DJs step up with a truly epic seven minute Disco oddessy. Funking bass and massive stabs rule this track. Bumping up the BPM and working an infectious piano hook into proceedings Final DJs deliver a Cosmic opus, with it’s funky, Housy feet on the dancefloor and it’s head in outer space. Elsewhere on the single you’ll find a few new tracks, including the poolside Nu-Disco bliss of Daze, which rolls with a horn sample and funkin’ bass. Pole Position’s own Viper Strike teams up with Swiss for All Night, the EP’s final track, a smooth buzzing Disco tune with brain-worm infectiousness in it’s hooks. More quality tracks from the Pole Position stable.

♫ Nathan Swiss – Two Worlds (Final DJs reMix)

♫ Nathan Swiss – Daze

♫ Nathan Swiss & Viper Strike – All Night

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Nov 20 2012

[MP3] Awkoder’s ‘Your Love’

There’s a bit of a trend amongst SynthWave producers recently. More and more of then are delivering vocal tracks, whether collaborations or having a crack at vox themselves, we’ve seen a few of the scene’s heavyweights drop vocal fuelled masterpieces recently. It a trend we approve of here, and one that sees French master of atmospheric SynthWave Awkoder up next, as he joins forces with fellow Frenchman Phlore for Your Love, released this week.

Your Love ends up being one of this month’s nicest surprises. Awkoder handles a sung track with ease, his right, multi-layered synth sounds flowing in total support of Phlore’s impassioned vocal. These two obviously have a great love, and more than that a great understanding, of 80s Pop and why 80s Pop worked so well as they incorporate a nostalgic tone into this powerful ElectroPop tune. Mixing it up with a few Nu-Disco style flourishes and a screaming solo at the track’s climax, Awkoder and Phlore has hit on a definite winner right here.

♫ Awkoder (Feat. Phlore) – Your Love

Awkoder’s Your Love is out now.

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Nov 20 2012

[MP3] NeonFlashDrive’s ‘Kimberly’s theme’

Short but sweet. That’s how we’d describe the new one from British SynthWaver NeonFlashDrive. What we like about NeonFlashDrive, other than the razor sharp production, is that this guy always writes tunes that are specifically about something, in this case Kimberly Hart, the Pink Ranger. Yes, you read that right. We kinda’ see his point.

Kimberly’s Theme boasts NeonFlashDrive’s typical clean mix and gently increasing layers of arpeggios to create an emotional high. It walks the line, in that way that Futurecop! do, between being obviously 80s influenced, but sounding very modern. There’s no classic analog grit here, it’s all pure, piercing, digital synth goodness. NeonFlashDrive skilfully handles multiple synth lines throughout the track, there’s enough going on here to sound muddy in another producers hands, and keeps things bright and shiny as the track builds towards it’s emotional rush.

♫ NeonFlashDrive – Kimberly’s Theme

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Nov 19 2012

[Release] Let Em Riot–SlashWave

Incoming. We’ve got another amazing release right here on our electronic rumors label out today!

Today sees the release of the new EP from Californian Indie-Electro outfit Let Em Riot. The SlashWave EP delivers five tracks of stunning, emotional, Dreamwave Pop.

Ranging from upbeat floorfillers to impassioned ballads, SlashWave draws on bitter-sweet nostalgia and new romanticism set amidst a hazy retro 80s ElectroPop soundtrack made contemporary with Indie sensibilities.

Like the soundtrack to the John Hughes movie of your life, SlashWave brings together lush, rich synthesizers and the kind of gently melancholy, tempered with optimism, that characterized the best 80s Pop. Perfectly packages for today’s vintage Disco dancefloors.

SlashWave was written and produced by Let Em Riot’s Alan Oakes, mixed by Chris Fudurich (Jimmy Eat World, Nada Surf, RX Bandits), and mastered by Bob DeMaa (Semisonic, The Rembrandts). The cover features artwork by SBJKT.