Disaster Fantasy is innovative on their impressive new release Anywhere. The legacies of Human League and the Eurythmics can be heard in its retro appeal. Its more an appreciation than a throwback. This is the essence of retrofuturism, the progression of this sound in a new inventive ways that recall the era without sounding like cut copies. You can also hear the influence of the Talking Heads and LCD Soundsystem in the tempo design.
Collectively mesmerizing, the artists haunting vocal delivery is its most striking feature. The projects lead is a true starlet. Fashionable and devilish with a noir gaze, we see star potential. That elegant contrast of innovation and elite sex appeal gives it an exotic presence within the realms of dance ready pop.
Anywhere is featured on our Best New Synthwave Playlist.
Moonshine Queen erupts out the gate. The new single from Luke Freese takes no prisoners. Dark and delectable, it graces the borders of post punk, retro pop, and dark wave equally. The attitude and dark melodic palette emit an urban vibe. Inspired by the industrial and post-punk sounds of groups like Boy Harsher, Depeche Mode, and Bowie’s Berlin era, Moonshine Queen is chic, sexy and seductive.
We also hear evidence of The Cult. Its a dark gothic Romance, illuminated by the expressive percussion that dances beneath the track. The artist croons like a proto punk poet, displaying elite swagger and theatrical vitriol. In its closing moments he steps into his second level, unhinged from the confides of the narrative, giving all of himself to the passion and sexual violence of this narrative.
The outrage is fitting. The lyrics describe the breakdown of a relationship through the metaphor of alcoholism. The relentless disruptor, its fitting that the concept would inspire this dramatic dark design. We find it insatiable.
Hear Moonshine Queen now on our Best New Synthwave Playlist.
Let’s Get Retro Funky Fresh! Swim Fan are infectious on their recent Cruise. An exquisite blend of retro pop and recent indie updates, it graces the legacy of Prince and classic 80s pop with an indie sensibility known to artists like Dope Lemon, Dayglow, and even Daft Punk.
Cruise embraces a vibrant colorful mix. The warm affect suits its feel good intention. Swim Fan is silky smooth, doubling their vocals to help their soft delivery cut through the dense instrumentation.
They’re masters of inflecting emotion our of their synths, treating every note with attention and dynamic precision. They honor discos influence on 80s pop with a Nile Rodgers style guitar and flashy orchestra style runs. In the bridge section they also delve into an abstract experimental outburst known to modern psych pop, connecting them to the realm of Tame Impala and Sports.
Overall Cruise is a rich release that presents like an expose in dance pop, a sonic retrospective that touches on the best in the genre over the last 40 years. It bypasses the cheesy iterations and embraces the timeless qualities of our favorite iconic hits.
Hear Cruise now on our Best New Synthwave Playlist.
As comic book kids we were drawn to the creative cover art for the new single from Awesome-O-Saurus. Sit With Your Back To The Engine is a cosmic conceptual masterpiece. It recalls how the advent of synths inspired Sci-Fi themed music. After all, the instrument’s electric truth is otherworldly, synths deserve such proper tributes. Sit With Your Back To The Engine is progressive and cinematic. The first section is chic retro pop, referencing the legacies of Depeche Mode and New Order. It then enters into a John Carpenter style interlude. That soundtrack appeal presents like a classic musical essay, a snapshot into the bygone era of story records, before home movies were really a thing. Kind of like how comics once reigned supreme, now overtaken by the movies that represent their characters.
Awesome-O-Saurus honors that history with new updated sonic reverence. They offer the poetic musings of Nick Cave and the abstract works of David Lynch as influences. Featuring guitar contributions from Decades in the Shadows and a vocal premier by band member Stu, they nail the sentiment.
Dig into Sit With Your Back To The Engine now on our Best New Synthwave Playlist.
The Wild Is Calling 