Retrofuturism reigns in the musical world of Anthony Benjamin. His new single All For You is a catchy emotive jam with retrowave appeal. There’s a hint of synthwave in the sonic design, as the minimalistic ingredients of soft synths and dance ready drum samples accentuate the 80s and even 90s feel! With indie sensibility he writes quick stylish melodies that roll off his tongue with percussive cadence. With a smooth vocal delivery he brings dance pop potential. The soft musical textures offer mass appeal.
All For You is catchy in the vein of recent releases by Sam Smith and Ed Sheeran. It’s intellectual pop that’s simple enough to be enjoyed by everyone but elegant enough to win critical acclaim. The smart nuances include how he delays his phrasing in the second verse when he sings “stay for a minute, stay in it.”
Benjamins voice is rich with depth and sincerity. He brings an impressive range and soulful delivery to the world of pop. Produced with heavy 80s vibes, it should connect with fans of synthwave artists like Michael Oakley and Ollie Wride, while also appealing to the world of pop at large. With the 80s being the preferred throwback of the moment, Benjamin brings a welcome smooth vibe lost on recent hyper throwbacks by The Weeknd and Dua Lipa.
Enjoy All For You now on our Best New Synthwave Playlist
Greeblin sets sail with his new release Contact. These cosmic soundscapes are rooted in 80s pop and it’s cousins new wave and post punk. The affect is on full display with the opening track Cruise Vector. Crunchy drums and a driving bass rumble beneath interstellar melodic synth lines. This conceptual arrangement is at the focal point of the Greeblin sound, as they employ catchy synth leads where the vocals could’ve been. The melodic appeal grabs you and gives these instrumentals character.
The live bass contributions give the recordings life and texture, as well as supporting more variation in the chord design. The feature is on full display with The Nameless Thing Awakens. A more introspective, brooding track, its a dark cosmic horror trip that should please fans of Carpenter Brut and Perturbator.
Greeblin ventures further into deep space with Forgotten Halls of a Derelict Ship. Perfectly titled, the dark and dreamy number conjures images of interstellar travel and perplexing mystery. There’s great soundtrack potential, or just a musical key to unlocking the secrets of our collective unconscious.
The synth bass does make an impressive feature on Adrift in The Spectare Nebula. Overall the EP flaunts Greeblin’s ability to write epic bass lines with impressive movement. For the closing number they employ a prominent live guitar line for added texture and character.
Altogether Contact is a collection to get lost to. Greeblin is an impressive addition to the instrumental synthwave scene, and the rolling bass lines give their songs movement and their vibe singularity. The use of live instrumentation offers texture and helps bring the mixes to life. In that way it connects with acts like FM-84 as well as underground acts like Retroglyphs.
The whole EP is fantastic, get started with The Nameless Thing Awakens now on our Best New Synthwave Playlist
The spirit of the collaboration and a positive musical message connect on Appreciation, the new single from Diamond Ace. The prolific synthwave producer teamed up Retroglyphs in writing the song, before employing singers Roxy Fae and Mayah Camara to perform it. The final release is an exposé of the underground synthwave scene, bringing together 4 dynamic acts to make something magical.
Lyrically Appreciation could be the synthwave song of the moment. Mayah and Roxy share in the struggle of just wanting to be appreciated and respected by their conceptual lovers. Roxy sets the tempo right out the gate when she sings, “It’s just another chance for you to turn me away, that’s how you show your friends that you’re in control.” Wanting attention from a toxic lover, it’s a painfully familiar story.
Appreciation has all the drip and snap of classic cuts by icons like Madonna and MJ. It has the synthwave appeal of hits by Prizm and Dana Jean Phoenix. The sonic design defines the new snythwave standard. With great writing and catchy production, the Diamond Ace and Retroglyphs team deliver again. Prior cuts like Never Get Out and Whispers are new synthwave classics. Appreciation is right there ready to be celebrated in the world of retro pop.
Enjoy Appreciation now on our Best New Synthwave Playlist
The Wild Is Calling 