Browsing Tag

80s

Robert John Hanson is affectingly arcane in his latest single, Blown Away, ft Stephanie Lottridge

Posted on 17 December 2023

Tissues at the ready for Robert John Hanson’s new single, Blown Away, which melodically unravels as a poignant and intricately crafted piece that resonates with depth of emotion and musical sophistication.

Born in the same city that birthed The Beatles, Hanson’s British roots are palpable in this track, which is tinged with the intimate storytelling reminiscent of Cat Stevens’ Father and Son and magnetised by the melodic allure of ABBA, all wrapped in an 80s-inspired production. Blown Away is a masterful blend of influences, carrying the arcane charm of Fleetwood Mac while maintaining a unique identity.

The mournful thematic elements of the song are delivered with a raw honesty that strikes a chord with the listener. Stephanie Lottridge’s rich and emotive vocals weave through the melody, capturing the melancholy and introspection of the lyrics which contend with the loss of dreams and monotony of reality. This depth is a hallmark of Hanson’s work, as seen in his previous album, The Bitter Suite, and continues to be a compelling aspect of his music.

As we anticipate his upcoming album, Sessions, this single stands as a powerful preview of what’s to come from the talented artist.

Blown Away breezed onto the airwaves on the 20th of October. Stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Nate Ridgeway romantically reinvented the 80s rock aesthetic with ‘Here I Fall’

Posted on 6 December 2023

Nate Ridgeway romantically reinvented the 80s rock aesthetic with the standout single, Here I Fall, from his double LP, The Emancipation of the Heart. The seminal single has already racked up over 71k streams on Spotify alone. From the very first hit it is evident why people struggle to part ways with the inexplicably superlative track which will cause your serotonin levels to spike as you lose yourself in the dreamy harmonies which blend effortlessly well into the colourfully rich choral atmosphere of the single.

Here I Fall effortlessly reignites the spirit of 80s rock, infusing it with Ridgeway’s unique blend of pop-rock and R&B influences. This sonic tapestry evokes the essence of iconic bands like Boston, Journey, and Foreigner, making it a perfect addition to playlists that celebrate the golden era of rock music.

Ridgeway, hailing from Muscle Shoals, brings a distinct authenticity to his music, drawing on the legendary musical heritage of the region. His double LP showcases his talent for crafting songs that resonate with listeners; produced and engineered by Eric Myers of Sonic Boost in Raleigh, NC, this record is a testament to Ridgeway’s commitment to quality and his passion for music. For those looking to rekindle their love for classic rock or discover its timeless charm, Here I Fall is a must-listen.

Stream Here I Fall on Spotify and keep up to date with Nate Ridgeway’s latest sonic ventures via Facebook.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Misty Drinx reinvented 80s nostalgia with his soul and funk-wrapped RnB pop hit, You’re So Cool

Posted on 1 November 2023

After bearing witness to a Toto show in LA, the up-and-coming singer-songwriter and pop icon-in-the-making Misty Drinx Americanised his infectious perception of pop and lavished his sophomore single, You’re So Cool, with layers of soul and funk-wrapped RnB that radiate reinvented 80s nostalgia.

With lustfully intoxicated exoticism oozing from the pores of the sax lines and synth-driven melodies, Drinx brought swathes of colour to UK shores with You’re So Cool. Fans of George Michael and Boy George will undoubtedly want to savour every drop of the delicious aural cocktail which envelopes you in the hazy hues that transform the mind’s colour palette when you’re lucky enough to be ensnared by someone.

With the eclecticism Drinx has already exhibited in his sound, we’re stoked to hear what will follow.

You’re So Cool was officially released on October 20; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Realer started the simulation with his bass-driven retro wave hit, Turn Me On Again

Posted on 22 June 2023
Turn Me on Again by Realer

The Scottish bassist turned one-man powerhouse Realer started the 80s synth pop simulation in his latest single, Turn Me on Again, which cuts right to the core of our contemporary proclivity to lose ourselves in the dopamine of our favoured procrastination-inspiring time vacuums.

Ingeniously, the reprise of Turn Me on Again can be taken as plugging into the digital domains that are becoming all-consuming, and with the funky 80s pop synthetics at play, it can similarly be deciphered as a cry into the void for a shot of visceralism derived from the real world. It is so easy to tell people to go out and touch grass, but when everyone is too addicted to their phones to venture out and experience verdant pleasures, it’s easier said than done to find connection away from the fake fray of online mediocrity.

Bass solos may not get the rep they deserve in the mainstream consensus, but if anyone has what it takes to advocate for them, it is Realer, with his trailblazing technical rhythms, which disrupt the sticky sweet synths, and are enough to make the most euphoric hits from the Human League sound positively melancholic.

Turn Me on Again is now available to stream and purchase on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

LJ Pheonix & The Renegades – In Time: Seductively Entropic Synth-Rock

Posted on 9 April 2023
LJ Pheonix & The Renegades

With dark and sinister synths that are as harbingering as the ones in the Slumber Party Massacre soundtrack, the intro to the latest gothy synth-rock single, In Time, from LJ Pheonix & The Renegades, reeled us in hook, line, and spacey sinker.

The 80s-reminiscent post-punk croons crawl into the mix as a scintillatingly soulful rapture as they boast all the atmosphere of Echo and the Bunnymen and the Psychedelic Furs. As the single progresses, interstellar psychedelia starts to amass amongst the dark tones constructed by the wailing guitars and stabbing synth lines to absorbingly disconcerting aphrodisiacal effect.

If the rest of the debut LP, Atlantis, is as warped in entropic sex appeal as In Time, the new up-and-coming UK powerhouse will easily seal their infamous fate.

In Time will release on all major platforms on April 9. Check it out via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Positronic signed, sealed, and delivered a 80s synth-pop postcard with his latest single, A Long Goodbye

Posted on 31 March 2023
Positronic

With an edge of 80s synthpop sharpening the future-embracing textures in the ardently dreamy release that picks up plenty of visceral weight from the crooned harmonies, the latest single, A Long Goodbye, from Positronic will warm even the most sub-zero souls.

Odes to the 80s can often sound trite at best – there was never any danger of that with the reminiscences to icons of aural cool such as Editors, noted through the harshness of the snares, the chillier timbres and the sheer depth of emotion in the vocals.

The unassimilated gravitas of A Long Goodbye starts to make infinitely more sense with a glimpse at the artist and producer’s biography; the solo artist has been in the synth-pop scene since 1988, spurred on by the love of The Pet Shop Boys, OMD, Erasure and Depeche Mode. The Cali solo artist is just as talented as the artists he pulled inspiration from.

A Long Goodbye will officially release on March 31st; hear it on Positronic’s official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

In The Papers: Cardiff’s The Vanities wonders if we will see the future on Private Army

Posted on 14 March 2023

Swerving away from their usual sound with an epically performed orchestral affair to hold hands in hope with, The Vanities strike the clocks of our moral code with a rather special effort which is due for release on 31st March, Private Army.

The Vanities is a Cardiff, Wales-based 90s-fused grungey-like 80s synth/electro-pop/rock outfit that only ceases to amaze the underground with its tailored-for-excellence sound.

After impressing all listeners with previous marvels Dropping A Bomb, London and Hollywood Hills, The Vanities simmer deeply about the ravaging wars and the scarcely believable actions of humankind.

Sung with genuine care to the state of play in the world and bringing us such a different experience, shows us their astute brilliance and all-around authenticity in a seemingly fake world.

Private Army from the excellently projected Cardiff, Wales-based band The Vanities is a quite spectacular song which deserves all the love in the world. There is a leader-like mentality on offer and soaring melodies to get lost inside. Breathless throughout and giving humanity a message to hear at full volume, this is proper music for the soul alright.

Listen up closer on Soundcloud.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Bella Moulden soaked synth wave with soul in her latest single, Wire

Posted on 11 March 2023

The moody stabbing synth lines and caustic rock guitar cuts create an intoxicating contrast to Bella Moulden’s soul-soaked vocal lines in her ode to 80s synth wave, Wire.

The 21-year-old singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist may have achieved viral acclaim via TikTok with her earlier release, SelfCare, but if any artist has what it takes to create a sustainable career with her juxtaposingly absorbing creativity, it is Bella Moulden.

The Buffalo, NY-born artist has already received plaudits from everyone from Peaches to The Black Keys to Juliette Lewis; her latest single will undoubtedly garner her even more acclaim for the way her sultrily sincere vocal timbre wraps around the lyricism that alludes to the hesitancy that gnaws away at the nectar of the honeymoon phase in a relationship.

Stream Wire on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Autoleisureland Interview: Showing us what fresh experience sounds like on Infiniti Drive

Posted on 25 November 2022

Opening up the cupboard and slicing us some tasty 80s nostalgia to nibble on, the excellent UK act Autoleisureland sat down with A&R Factory to delve into about all things Infiniti Drive and more. Honest and insightful, we’re even bigger fans now and unconditionally love their late career resurgence while doing what they love.

We appreciate you taking the time to chat with us today Autoleisureland. Firstly, please guide our loyal readers deep inside where your new music creation is currently based and who is involved in the project?

Autoleisureland: Hi, we’re Autoleisureland and we’re based between Sunderland and Newcastle, two cities in the North East of England. We’re a duo, comprising of Paul Woods, vocals, and multi-instrumentalist David Brewis. In a previous life, we were two founding members of The Kane Gang, a successful and critically acclaimed indie soul band.

Let’s swerve into your upcoming debut album Infiniti Drive, can we? What was the vision around the release and process to get the sound you both desired?

Autoleisureland: I suppose it started a few years ago when Dave was working on his instrumental album. Every week before we popped out for a beer, he’d drop off a new mix or new track. I really liked them and started on lyrics for some of them. I started giving him lyrics and ideas for new songs. Eventually, we came up with the song Autoleisureland and that was the catalyst for the sound we were going for in our heads. Stylish, sophisti-pop, sort of all our influences coming together. After that we never stopped, songs just kept on coming. We are what you could call music veterans and we never thought we’d be doing a late-career thing, but we felt it was so good and fresh, we had to put it out there.

How is the music scene doing in your local area and do you feel like live music is 100% back or not yet?

Autoleisureland: We’re no experts anymore, but it seems to be making a very slow recovery. I think it’s going to be hit again shortly with the UK recession looming.

When you close your eyes and imagine playing inside a packed stadium live with screaming fans aplenty, what does it feel like?

Autoleisureland: A long time ago, packed venues and a little less screaming. Sadly, nowadays I probably wouldn’t go to a place with that many people. Also, Autoleisureland so far is strictly a recording project. We’re in a hurry to get so much out there, before even considering live work.

If you could open for any band currently performing live, who would it be and why?

Autoleisureland: Dave suggested Hall & Oates as back in the day we had a planned tour with them cancelled, so it would be nice to have a dream fulfilled. For me, Poolside plays some interesting gigs – beautiful Mexican coastal venues and Californian wineries. I could go for that.

What do you think the music industry in the UK and worldwide needs more of?

Autoleisureland: More streaming payments for music creators should be a priority. Musicians should be fairly paid for their creations. People pay for food, chocolate bars, and beer, so why not music? I’ve worked in newspapers and music, two products that people expect to have for nothing. You can bet when that happens, the products will in time become devalued. When you have so much free music, for instance, that you have not invested in, you won’t even invest your time in it. Hence, usually a one-minute cut-off time on songs on streaming platforms. Sorry, I’m on my soapbox.

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Infiniti Drive is ready to be loved on Spotify. Find out more about these well-chiselled gents on Facebook.

Interview by Llewelyn Screen

The Spheres packed their alt indie synth-pop debut, The City of Lights, with evocative kryptonite

Posted on 16 November 2022

If it’s been a while since a debut single has left you utterly obsessed, delve into The Spheres’ alternatively inclined amalgam of 80s synth pop, indie-rock, and dance, The City of Lights. From the suburbs of Toronto, the duo lit up the airwaves with their infectiously hook-rife account of the frontman’s complicated relationship with his city of birth, Karachi, Pakistan. “In the city of lights, you die just for dreaming”, is cuttingly efficacious in alluding to the toll it took on the singer-songwriter and producer Reza Habib.

With the vibrato in the vocals spilling evocative kryptonite across the catchy synth-pop melodies, The City of Lights will blind you with its luminous soul before the solid riffs and punchier vocals conclude the track on a raucous high that will leave you itching for more. Thankfully, that itch will be scratched as more singles from the debut album will drop before its full release in Spring 2023.

Stick The City of Lights to your synapses by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast