Tag Archives: SynthWave

Apr 17 2012

Cut Slack’s new EP

cut slack

The new Cut Slack EP is here! This Portuguese producer is someone we’ve been keeping close tabs on ever since he entered one of the standout mixes in Fear Of Tigers’ The Adventured Of Pippi Longstrump’ reMix competition. He’s got a slick, rich, SynthWave style that really appeals to us. Cinematic and rousing, his tunes notable kill. And his new EP is absolutely free.

This self titled collection sees Cut Slack mixing in a little Disco and a little 80’s guitar into his retro synth sound. The opener, ‘Daybreak’, is about as good as SynthWave gets, it’s a big powerful into that sets you up for a EP’s worth of synth nostalgia with a rock attitude. After the Nu-Disco and guitar solos of ‘T.M.H.S.R’, ‘Never Let You Down’ is a low down dirty Disco tune that exemplifies Cut Slacks style. a sexy Dancefloor groove with guitar shredding over the top, a strange combination maybe, but one that works so well and sounds like the soundtrack to the best buddy cop movie. ‘Lana’ brings the smooth with rolling vocoded vocals and lush electric piano. It’s summery vibe is a nice, chilled, middle point to the EP. A sunset respite before the party rap of ‘Move To The Beat’. For a first EP, Cut Slack has done an amazing job, at a brilliant price. This EP deserves your attention.

♫ Cut Slack – Daybreak

♫ Cut Slack – Never Let You Down

♫ Cut Slack (Feat. Thunder & Co.) – Lana

The ‘Cut Slack’ EP is out now, you can download it here.

Check out more from Cut Slack on SoundCloud.

Apr 16 2012

Tommy’s new EP

tommy

Released this weekend was the new EP from French SynthWaver Tommy. Tommy has slowly been building up a strong reputation in SynthWave circles for pumping Italo influenced tracks with soaring solos and this new EP, titled ‘Tuned Into The Future’, is crammed full of space-age synthesizer heaven. Six tracks to lift your emotions and move your feet.

The whole of ‘Tuned Into The Future’ plays like a complete soundtrack, a full narrative, both thematically and musically. Each track seems to capture a section of a story unfolding and gently ease you into the next. From the intro track, ‘Highway Heat’, whose driven Electro beats and cosmic Vangelis-esque lead lines set you up for the coming EP experience to the gentle  synthesized ebb and flow of ‘Plage Bleue’, each peice is quite separate, yet feels part of a whole. this is an EP that should be experienced, on headphones, from start to finish. As the tone shifts from the contemplative ‘Endless Desolation’ to the energized soundtrack of ‘A Town In Chaos’ you, as the listener, just tend to go with it, allowing your emotional journey to be led by Tommy’s expressive playing. It’s difficult to single out individual tracks within the ‘Tuned Into The Future’ EP, suffice to say the EP ends on the title track, which is a majestic synth epic that really sees the collection off on a high.

♫ Tommy – Highway Heat

♫ Tommy – A Town In Chaos

♫ Tommy – Plage Bleue

♫ Tommy – Tuned Into The Future

Tommy’s ‘Tuned Into The Future’ EP is out now.

Buy Tommy’s music from:

Apr 13 2012

Lenno & Martin Solveig

marrtin-solveig1

Hot on the heels of wunderkind Madeon’s reMix of Martin Solveig’s new single ‘The Night Out’ comes another of our favourite up-and-comers Lenno’s version of the track. Madeon’s an absolute genius, there some kind of freaky latent talent going on there that is so far beyond and normal human ability that it’s possible he’s a extra-terrestrial visitor sent here to study homo sapien reactions to Disco, but if, gun to our head, we had to pick between Madeon and Lenno, I think Lenno would just take the prize. His smooth but energetic French Touch gets us every time.

So, to his reMix. Solveig’s made some awesome reMix talent decisions (A-Trak also contributes a blinder) and in contrast to Madeon’s powerhouse track, Lenno drops something slightly more slick. The lead riff the Finnish producer has worked into the track is pure dancefloor jump-up energy and rides effortlessly over the kind of bassline that you could work into any set as it rolls along, unobtrusive, yet unconsciously building you to the big drop. As far as we’re concerned, this is the pick of the reMix package. I guess that makes us ‘Team Lenno’ then? Ah man, does that mean we have to change all out user icons?

♫ Martin Solveig – The Night Out (Lenno reMix)

‘The Night Out’ is out soon.

Buy Martin Solveig’s music from:

Apr 12 2012

Ghosthouse’s ‘Stop Drop & Roll’ (with Miami Nights 1984 & Sam Padrul)

Ghosthouse

Madcap Chicago Electro Boogie trio Ghosthouse have been an act we’ve been keeping an eye on for some time now. They are so much fun, like Chromeo and The Time and Prince in a blender. they’ve just dropped a new single, ‘Stop Drop & Roll’ with a full reMix package, for absolutely free!

‘Stop Drop & Roll’ is a precursor to their forthcoming EP, but that doesn’t mean it can’t fill out this single package in it’s own right. It’s funky as fuck and catchy as hell, complete with sing-a-long chorus and big synth stabs. Ghosthouse have got the retro-synth-Funk thing so locked down it’s hard to imagine world domination wouldn’t be an option. Seriously, ‘Stop Drop & Roll’ is infectious like boogie mind control. The reMix package is pretty stunning too, it’s amazing that this single is free. One of our favourite producers working today Miami Nights 1984 works some sweet sweet SynthWave magic, the sheer Funk of the original allowing MN84 to get a little groovier than usual. The reMix is of the quality we’ve come to expect from one of the leading lights of the SynthWave scene, a producer at the top of his game MN84’s reMix is all big vintage synths and mind-blowing solos. Another friend of electronic rumors, Sam Padrul, contributes a huge slice of laid back Disco with a cosmic twist and a chilled 70’s vibe to it’s electric piano lead line. It’s Disco of the inner-city variety, like a soundtrack to the summer’s heating up of the concrete and parties starting. The single is packed full of other versions of the track. Team Bayside High get digital slap bass heavy Electro with it while Shuteye drop some jump-up beats. J.Larroc’s mix is deep military Disco and the record is rounded off with some dancefloor Electro-House from Compact Disco. It’s a highly recommended collection with an unbelievable price.

♫ Ghosthouse – Stop Drop & Roll

♫ Ghosthouse –  Stop Drop & Roll (Miami Nights 1984 reMix)

♫ Ghosthouse – Stop Drop & Roll (Sam Padrul reMix)

‘Stop Drop & Roll’ is out right now, for the reasonable price of free! Pick it up right here.

Buy Ghosthouse’s music from:

Apr 9 2012

Alpha Boy’s new album

alpha boy

I think it is fair to say the Berlin’s Alpha Boy has grown up in these very pages. He first sent us his demo track back in November 2010, where Norman’s love of synthesizer music, the ‘80’s and video games came across in every beat. Since then we’ve seen him evolve and grow more confident in his craft, seen releases on some of the scene’s coolest labels, and a constant output that boarders on the prolific. Each release stronger than the last.

Now Alpha Boy is gearing up for to drop his second full length record, titled ‘Blockbuster’. In part a collection of tracks from his almost factory like output in the last year, in part new tracks, all soundtrack influenced SynthWave that is always rich and emotionally resonant. ‘Follow Me’ is as good an atmospheric intro as it was on the ‘Follow Me’ EP and paves the way for a voyage though synthesizer moods, sweeping form high energy, post-Italo juggernauts such as the familiar ‘Lightstorm’ (Alpha Boy’s Homage to the TV show Life On Mars) to quieter, more mood inducing peices, as with ‘You Are My’, with effortless ease. If you’re at all familiar with Alpha Boy’s previous work you might notice that ‘Blockbuster’ almost moves away from the SynthWave/Outrun sound and more towards a new vision of SynthPop. In-fact, there are tracks on the album, like the Jan Hammer-esque ‘Magic Of Sound’ and ‘It Was All A Dream’ that  almost sound like instrumental versions of vocal tracks, as does the Italo dancefloor gold of ‘As They Do On Your Mind’. Fellow SynthWavers Noir Deco and Jowie Schulner make appearances on the album and bring their distinctive styles to the tracks they collaborate on, the former lending a dark moodiness to ‘Abyss’ and Schuler and Alpha Boys collaboration being the huge soaring Dreamwave we’d expect. Alpha Boy’s ‘Blockbuster’ is a damn impressive second album, it sees a maturity of sound, a moving beyond his roots into new ElectroPop areas whist maintaining the ‘80’s soundtrack influenced Electro theme that had defined his career. What happens next is anyone’s guess, but it’ll be exciting to find out.

♫ Alpha Boy – Cassiopeia

♫ Alpha Boy (Feat. Jowie Schulner) – Lost In Space

♫ Alpha Boy – It Was All A Dream

♫ Alpha Boy – Follow Me

‘Blockbuster’ is released 10th April at Alpha Boy’s Bandcamp.

Buy Alpha Boy’s music from:

     

Apr 9 2012

Futurecop!’s ‘Starworshipper’ video

At the end of last week we gave you a listen to Futurecop! new, and actually first, single. The Diana Gen and Starrset featuring ‘Starworshipper’.

Well, get your eyes around the video to. There’s a lot of Futurecop! clips on YouTube, but this is their first, official, especially filmed promo and director AJ Jackson does a really good job of capturing the essence of Futurecop!’s youthful, optimistic ethos.

‘Starworshipper’ is released 24th April on Keiz Beats.

Buy Futurecop!’s music from:

Apr 9 2012

Le Prix covers U-96

leprix

Le Prix’s long-awaited ‘Cosmonova’ EP is coming very, very soon on the awesome Girlfriend Records, along with it’s amazing looking video. To tide us over until then, though, the Swedish SynthWave producers has dropped this cheeky cover of U-96’s ‘Love Sees No Colour’ from 1993.

Bringing the tempo slightly down (this ain’t ‘90’s EuroDance anymore!) Le Prix allows the riff from the original to slip into something a bit more retro sounding and let the emotional qualities of the chord progression shine though. The result is something that, apart from the main arpeggio, it’s quite different from it’s inspiration, a more contemplative meeting of post-EBM, pre-Trance, European dance music and ‘80’s soundtrack inspired Dreamwave Electro. Cannot wait for the EP!

♫ Le Prix – Love Sees No Color (U-96 Cover)

Buy Le Prix’s music from:

    

Apr 6 2012

Futurecop!’s ‘Starworshipper’ single

futurecop_03

I’ve got to say, for all my love for ’Futurecop!: The Movie’ I do prefer Futurecop! when they are doing what they do best, big retro ElectroPop, that’s why I love their Japan only album ‘It’s Forever, Kids’ and one of the best tracks on there was the Diana Gen featuring vocal version of ‘Starworhipper’, produced by none other than Diamond Cut.

Futurecop! must think so to as it;s getting a single release with an astounding reMix package. you probably know the original by now, infectious dancefloor ElectroPop with equal helpings of soul and nostalgia. A great single for the summer. The big excitement for me when seeing the reMix line up was the inclusion of the king of SynthWave Mitch Murder, and the man doesn’t disappoint. Mitch’s big, soundtrack influenced, ‘80’s sounds work perfectly with this track, and when the track kicks in with his trademark stratospheric soloing it’s pure gold. Lenno is another of out current favourites, when you want exciting, energy fuelled Nu-Disco, he’s your man and right here he delivers a tune suitable for the big room. Boombar man Jowie Schulner smoothes out the single with a slick laidback Dreamwave take on the song, giving the tune a sunrise vibe. Lastly it’s Out There who round off the EP with an Electro powerhouse of a track to end on a high. The single is a pretty essential purchase, how can a collection of talent like this go wrong?

♫Futurecop! (Feat. Diana Gen) – Starworshipper

♫ Futurecop! (Feat. Diana Gen) – Starworshipper (Mitch Murder reMix)

♫ Futurecop! (Feat. Diana Gen) – Starworshipper (Lenno reMix)

♫ Futurecop! (Feat. Diana Gen) – Starworshipper (Jowie Shulner reMix)

♫ Futurecop! (Feat. Diana Gen) – Starworshipper (Out There reMix)

‘Starworshipper’ is released 24th April on Keiz Beats.

Buy Futurecop!’s music from:

Apr 6 2012

Final DJs reMixes Tommie Sunshine & Disco Fries

Tommie-Sunshine-Disco-Fries

Final DJs in the mix again! This time tackling Tommie Sunshine & Disco Fries, already smooth as hell, ‘Don’t Look Back’. Can they make it any smother?

Why yes, yes they can. With liberal healings of soaring synth and some slick, subtle, vocoding Germany’s finest craft an epic slice of SynthWave euphoria. Whilst ultimately full of feel good synth Funk, this reMix also has some hauntingly beautiful moments, and that’s what we’ve always said  Final DJs do best. When they mix up their deeply emotional synth work with their straight up dancefloor grooves the world seems a better place.

♫ Tommie Sunshine & Disco Fries – Don’t Look Back (Final DJs reMix)

Buy Tommie Sunshine’s music from:

       

Apr 6 2012

Two new tunes from Mental Minority

Mental Minority

Mental Minority, then enigmatic German producer of awesome SynthWave, has unleashed another couple of new tracks on the world.

First up is ‘To M.J.’. The M.J. in question being the ‘Fox’ kind rather than the ‘Shamone’ kind. You’ll get this as it kicks off with a Back To The Future sample before launching into some sweet retro soundtrack SynthWave. With a nice refrain to bedrock the track, ‘To M.J.’ allows the shimmering leads to shine though, and there are several, weaving and intertwining with each other in quite an organic fashion. Mental Minority mixture of Italo grooves and emotional playing makes for an awesome, nostalgic chill out tune. The amazingly titled ‘I Used To Feel Quite Sad At Outdoor Raves’ opts for a more aggressive sound. A growling Italo bass and powerhouse drums drive this track which works a combination of early ‘90’s House and ‘80’s synth sounds in quite a unique style. It’s a building track that layers upon itself as it climbs toward the finale, a big hands-in-the-air moment.

♫ Mental Minority – To M.J.

♫ Mental Minority – I Used To Feel Quite Sad At Outdoor Raves

Check out more from Mental Minority on SoundCloud.