Browsing Tag

Indie synthpop

Suni blended harmony, hope and heartbreak in his alt-indie dreamscape, Cherry

Posted on 5 March 2024

Suni’s sophomore single, Cherry, captivates with a cathartically melodious blend of dream pop, ethereal trip-hop, and 8Bit-esque synthpop, marking a distinct evolution from his debut single, At the heart of things, moving beyond the nostalgia of Elliott Smith and the influence of The 1975, into a realm uniquely his own.

In Cherry, the Edinburgh-hailing artist crafted a soundscape that reaches the epitome of mellow intricacy. The track synthesises its influences without becoming a mere pastiche, showcasing Steven’s skill in blending genres. The instrumental layers are a rich, future-forward tapestry; there’s an 8Bit charm which twines with sophisticated, ethereal synths, creating a backdrop that’s both nostalgically retro and cutting-edge.

The vocal harmonies are a standout feature. Light yet laden with emotion, his voice weaves through the Cigarettes After Sex-esque production, delivering lyrics that explore the complexities of affection and self-identity; it’s a lyrical journey that is fated to resonate with listeners, encouraging authenticity and introspection.

As he continues to evolve and refine his musical identity, Suni is far from a work in progress, he is already one to watch in the alt-indie-pop scene.

Cherry fell from the tree and onto the airwaves on February 23^rd; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Dream Optimist sugared sonic soul before pouring it into their spacey synthpop single, Think Gently of Yourself

Posted on 9 September 2023

Silence the maleficence of your inner critic with the latest interstellar indie space pop escapade, Think Gently of Yourself, from Dream Optimist. If Do You Realize by The Flaming Lips never fails to pull at your heartstrings and stir your soul with unabashed positivity, the same viscerally sweet reaction awaits when you hit play on the seminal single from Dream Optimist’s 15-track LP, Seven Day Love Challenge.

Atop the twinkling Grandaddy-esque keys and around the chamber strings, the questioning and pervasive with doubt lyricism leads you on an affirming odyssey of a journey through the cosmos, with the consolingly compassionate vocals acting as a star-roving guide.

The Oakland, CA-residing songwriter and composer, frequently voyages between synthpop, bedroom pop, chamber pop and a myriad of other genres when penning his hits for his ‘low head count collective’. Before breaking into song crafting for the airwaves, the collective’s head honcho, David Marc Siegel, honed his talents in art-punk outfits and as a composer for ad music, theatre music, musical theatre, and short films, which goes a fair way in explaining how he settled on his cinematically spirited sound that will take you as high as the transcendent register on the vocal harmonies.

Stream Think Gently of Yourself by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Junebug delivers meditative empowerment in her debut indie-pop single, ‘cut you loose’,

Posted on 6 May 2021

If you’ve been putting off severing toxic ties, the debut melodic indie-pop offering, ‘cut you loose’ from up and coming Cambridge, MA-hailing artist Junebug offers plenty of extra incentives with a stunning melding of easy guitar chords and playful synths.

There’s intrinsic innocence to cut you loose. Usually, tracks in the same vain spin the same archetypal, spiteful, ‘better off without you’ narrative. Yet, cut you loose is meditative in the way it reminds you that you’re worthy of inner peace with the cool choral tones.

Any fans of Kate Nash and Big Thief will appreciate Junebug’s airy yet ardent style which is heavily inspired by Joni Mitchell and Laura Marling, paired with her conversationally narrative lyrics that bring her voice as a queer artist into the conversation.

cut you loose was created in collaboration with instrumentalist Chris Howat, who added more depth to the cathartically connectable single that was written, recorded and mixed by Junebug (AKA Carolyn Fahrner) who has been part of the intrinsic fabric of the Boston music scene prior to her Junebug debut.

With her debut EP, ‘Turncoat’, in the works, which promises to be her most vulnerable material yet while exploring queer experiences and growing pains, Junebug is well worth a spot on your radar.

cut you loose is now available to stream via Spotify.

Connect with Junebug via Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Super Love hit peak relatability with their alt-synthpop track, ‘Bored’.

Posted on 1 May 2021

With their tendency to consistently switch up their sound, Super Love’s new releases always explore another facet of their expressively creative talent; their latest single, ‘Bored’, is no exception.

After the scuzzy NIN-reminiscent intro, the soundscape shifts into a funk-brandishing feat of alt-pop that allows Super Love to stay true to their NYC roots. With elements of indie-pop-rock and 80s synthpop, Bored unravels as a refreshingly relatable track that captures the frustration of lockdown boredom without ever resonating as melancholic or piteous. Instead, it speaks to listeners facing brand-new levels of boredom as they realised that the phrase, ‘only boring people get bored’, really doesn’t apply during lockdown times.

Next time you feel like you’re going to be *that* person and complain to your friends, hit play and get the compassion from Super Love instead.

You can hear Super Love on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sonarus – On My Way: Multiculturally Eclectic EDM

Posted on 26 December 2020

Dundee, Scotland-hailing artist, Sonarus brought her multicultural and multi-ethnic roots to her latest mesmerising single, ‘On My Way’. With elements of Afro Tech, Progressive Tech and Trance all breathing life into the galvanising mix, it’s as euphoric as it is intricately ingenious.

As trippy beats indulgently jar against arrestive synth-led melodies, Sonarus paints right across the tonal palette with cold chilling tones brushing up against transcendently light entrancing beats. Yet, the true hypnotic essence of On My Way lies within Sonarus’ smoothly evocative vocal timbre which is as close to an aural cuddle as you’re going to get.

If you could imagine what it would sound like if Shiny Toy Guns and Warpaint met in the middle, you’ll get an idea of what is in store when you hit play on this relentlessly enrapturing release.

You can check out On My Way for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast