Browsing Tag

Synth Pop

Policy Orchestrated the Ultimate Shadowed Symphony of Alt-Electronica with Lunella in ‘Lights Out’

Posted on 7 May 2024
Policy

With his latest single, Lights Out, the award-winning producer, multi-instrumentalist and recording engineer, Policy, exhibited how his three decades in the industry have culminated through his heart-wrenching cinematic soundscape which paralyses with power from the first ominously reverberant synth stroke.

The dark and stormy instrumentals feed delicious disquietness until the dawn of the single breaks with Euro House nostalgic euphoria. Through it all, Lunella’s vocals keep an even heart-breaking keel, channelling ephemeral grace in the same vein as Bjork. Her voice, steady yet heartrending, navigates the complexities of quasi-heartbreak with a finesse that mirrors the track’s richly layered instrumentals. The refrain, “You only love me with the lights out,” acts as a raw nerve, exposing the pain of love that lingers in the shadows, never fully revealed.

Policy’s synthesis of trip-hop, house, and dystopic avant-garde synth-pop will leave you ensnared in the beautifully crafted chaos of heartbreak. Every note and lyric is meticulously woven to explore themes of love, rejection, and the introspective shadows of the human experience. For fans and new listeners alike, Lights Out promises a sonic experience that captivates and haunts in equal measure.

Lights Out will be available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify, from May 7th.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Etherdene delivered a tenderly interstellar reminder of our place in the universe with ‘We Are in Space’

Posted on 1 May 2024

We’ve made our adoration of Etherdene’s illuminatively authentic dreamy synth-pop signature and her evocatively ethereal vocals no secret. After the release of her latest single, We Are in Space, which serves as a groundingly interstellar reminder of our place in the universe, she’s affirmed her position as one of the most promising artists of her generation.

Following an open sequence of glassy synths that resound as though they could have been conjured by the Weeknd, Etherdene drifts her latest tender tour de force into a shoegazey installation that cuts as deep as Slowdive’s discography. As the instrumentals glide and glisten throughout the impeccably crafted progressions, We Are in Space tears at the heartstrings with a reprise of, “We are in space, I don’t know what’s going on, but I love you, I love you”.

Even though it is all too easy to feel minuscule and inferior when contemplating the vastness of the universe, Etherdene ensured that there was no danger of that through the soulful juxtaposition of her refrain which testifies to the true meaning of life in the chaos of our mostly understood universe. The sticky sweet and synthy brand of romanticism is enough to drive you to the brink of tears before replenishing your soul with euphoria. Someone give the girl a Grammy.

We Are in Space moved into Earth’s orbit on April 24; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Drench Yourself in the Decadence of PeachMotif’s Latest Dream Pop Hit, Don’t Break Your Neck

Posted on 29 April 2024

PeachMotif’s latest single Don’t Break Your Neck sets a high bar for emotional and sonic depth. The Atlanta-based dream pop duo, comprised of Steffi Jo and Corbin Hoats, channelled their rich backgrounds in performance and production into a track that radiates a Yin-Yang effect through the equilibrium of style and soul.

Don’t Break Your Neck is underpinned by glassy synths that glisten with a brightness akin to Warpaint’s coolest moments. The crystalline vocal lines shimmer, weaving through the production with a mesmeric luminosity. Each note is carefully curated, ensuring that the instrumentation not only constructs and deconstructs the musical landscape but also toys with the listener’s emotions—balancing them delicately on a tightrope.

The fusion of solid, syncopated backbeats with cascading drops radiates hypnotic warmth, drawing the listener deeper into PeachMotif’s arcane atmospheric creation. As the track melodically and emotionally progresses, it illustrates PeachMotif’s ability to blend commercial potential with profound narrative depth.

Steffi and Corbin’s chemistry is palpable, reflecting their shared history and deep understanding of each other’s artistic strengths. Originating from their collaborative efforts during a local theatre production, their partnership thrives on a mutual passion for authenticity and emotional resonance in their music.

Don’t Break Your Neck was officially released on April 12th; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Take a lush leap into etherealism with Etherdene’s indie synth-pop exploration of aftermaths, The End

Posted on 16 April 2024

Singer, songwriter, producer and all-around ephemeral aural icon Etherdene reached the paragon of indie electro-pop perfection with their latest single, The End.

Titularly, the release is definitive as they come; sonically, the single is limitless. The ethereal air, which breathes just as much through the transcending tones of the vocal lines as the scintillating synth lines that pay tribute to the new wave trend, is intoxicating from the first emotionally charged progression.

As the lyrics explore the aftermath of a breakup, proving that the love that once endured never dies but takes another form after the final acts of affection, Etherdene laces the bass, which wraps around the stridently momentous synthesised percussion, with lush heartfelt synergy to achingly compelling effect.

Imagine Taylor Swift simultaneously meeting the styles of Enya and Cigarettes After Sex, and you’ll get an idea of how affectingly cathartic and cutting-edge Etherdene’s tender tour de force is.

The End was officially released on March 20th; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Roubix & Ollie King painted the night in neon euphoria with their definitively 80s synthpop track, In Your Head

Posted on 11 April 2024

Roubix & Ollie King’s latest collaboration, ‘In Your Head’, is a vibrant homage to the golden era of 80s synthpop, masterfully blending our collective appetite for nostalgia with contemporary production. Following the viral success of ‘Atlantis‘, this dynamic duo continues to captivate the European disco scene, and ‘In Your Head’ is poised to be their next chart-topper.

The track is a kaleidoscope of upbeat, synth-carved rhythms that instantly transport listeners back to the neon-lit dancefloors of the 80s. Fans of Erasure, Gary Numan, and The Human League will find themselves in familiar territory, yet there’s a freshness to Roubix & Ollie King’s approach that prevents the song from being a mere pastiche.

The way the duo embrace their pop roots is completely unapologetic. Rather than reinventing the wheel, the single unadulteratedly nods to the 80s era of pop as it professes to be head over heels under the reflections of a disco ball. The harmonies are sticky-sweet, the lyricism impassioned, and the instrumentals perfectly calibrated to evoke both memory and emotion. This isn’t just an earworm; it’s a track that transcends time, offering an exhilarating escape into a world of neon euphoria.

With Spotify already confirming its inclusion in one of their official playlists and an impressive line-up of gigs across Europe, Roubix & Ollie King are poised to reign synthpop supreme throughout 2024.

In Your Head will be available to stream on all major platforms from April 11; stream it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lizzie Hill put all her emotions on the line in ‘Dirty Laundry’

Posted on 4 March 2024

If you never got over t.A.T.u.’s hit single, All the Things She Said, Lizzie Hill’s latest single, Dirty Laundry, which uses oscillating synth lines and delicately evocative vocals in the same vein, has all the makings of your new favourite perennial pop earworm.

Blending the etherealism of dream pop with the hooks of a synthpop anthem, Dirty Laundry lays it all out on the line in the intimately electrifying production, which proves that the Cornwall-residing singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist’s talents belie her years.

As the lyrics relay a relatable vignette of how friendships can turn sour in a sequence of imbittering progressions, Lizzie Hill projects swathes of morose emotion in her perfectly pitched vocal lines while ensuring Dirty Laundry remains a soulfully euphonic anthem of liberation from the toxic ties that bind you to people determined to diminish your self-worth.

It’s a stunningly creative and affectingly cathartic release through and through and a clear sign that the singer-songwriter has exactly what it takes to dominate the pop domain in 2024.

Dirty Laundry will be officially released on March 1st; stream the single on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

TALK IN CODE injected modernism into the euphonic aura of the 80s with their indie synthpop hit, Something of Nothing

Posted on 2 March 2024

TALK IN CODE’s latest single, Something of Nothing, is effortless to translate. The Swindon-based fourpiece injected modernism into the euphonic aura of the 80s to deliver a perennial pop earworm that will hook you into its core as it laments on people who can’t fight the compulsion to clamour over drama.

As the nostalgically retro synths cascade around the angular indie jangle-pop guitars, the vocals that flow with the new wave of pop pull you deeper into the anthemics of the rhythmically bolstered track that moves beyond stylistic influence.

If you’re sick of wading through the landfill of contemporary indie pop that now monolithically towers over what we had to contend with in the 90s, the cultivation of Something of Nothing will allow you to remember how it feels to get truly excited by a new outfit – you won’t be alone. TALK IN CODE has garnered swathes of critical acclaim from BBC Introducing, Q Music and Amazing Radio to supplement the fervour from their loyal fanbase.

After gracing over 500 playlists and racking up 300k streams across streaming platforms, indie ensembles don’t come much more promising than TALK IN CODE. If you got caught up in The 1975 hype, find a new obsession by hitting play on Something of Nothing.

Something of Nothing will be available to stream on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify, from March 1st.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spirits of Saturn – Transfigured: A Synth-Pop Remedy for Souls Unbounded by Earth’s Orbit

Posted on 1 March 2024

Spirits of Saturn, a band that emerged like a comet in the musical cosmos, has graced our auditory senses with their latest single, Transfigured. The synth-pop odyssey that transcends the mundane unravels as a vibrant fusion of synth and strings, weaving a star-roving tapestry of influence from Kraftwerk, Todd Rundgren, and Daft Punk to submerge synth-pop fans in a constellation of future-perfect disco-pop sonics and vocals that can croon your soul out of kilter.

The beat-bolstered synth-pop ballad explores the mental labyrinth navigated during post-relationship dissolution; It’s a narrative of emotional metamorphosis, where even the most visceral feelings disintegrate through transmutation. The song’s structure, with its stabbing synth lines and euphoric beats, creates an atmosphere that will bring you down to earth and beyond its atmospheric remit. As Transfigured plays, you can’t help but feel unshackled from earthly constraints while simultaneously being in tune with the ache only humankind will know through our romantically masochistic tendencies.

If any outfit has what it takes to dominate the synth-pop scene in 2024, we’d put our money on Spirits of Saturn. They’ve already graced some of the most renowned venues in the UK with their decadently transcendent tones and proven their neon songwriting stripes.

Transfigured will land in Earth’s orbit on March 1st; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jessie Berkshires – Enough: An Ethereal Synth-Soaked Lesson in Self-Discovery

Posted on 29 February 2024

Jessie Berkshires’ latest single, Enough, is a masterful blend of alt-pop finesse and 80s nostalgia, wrapped in a neon glow of modernity and soulful conviction. The single opens with Berkshires’ ethereal harmonies which weightlessly drift across the stabbing synth lines.

The intro’s melodic foundation sets the stage for a rhythmically compelling backbeat that kicks against the rest of the reverb-swathed instrumentation to create an immersive experience reminiscent of a neon-drenched dreamscape.

Berkshires’ vocal delivery is a study in artful beguile, echoing the haunting allure of Kate Bush. Her voice, a serene yet strident force, weaves through the track, delivering catharsis and conviction with equal measure. The lyrics, a poignant reflection on independence and empowerment, resonate with a poetic clarity that strikes at the heart.

The track’s production is a deft mix of contemporary magnetism and retro charm. Imagine pouring Warpaint’s style into The Human League’s mould, and you’re close to the unique cocktail that is ‘Enough’. It’s a sound that’s as deliciously poured as it is thoughtfully concocted.

In ‘Enough’, Jessie Berkshires offers a lesson in how to blend past and present, pain and hope, into a track that’s as empowering as it is enchanting.

Enough arrived on the airwaves on February 16. Stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Def Ember synthesised the future into retro melodies in their expansively fusionistic track, Quiddity

Posted on 27 February 2024

Def Ember’s latest seminal release, ‘Quiddity‘, from their double A-side single established the aural alchemist as a forerunner of genre-obliterating innovation. Released on January 26th, this track is a bold venture into unchartered melodic waters. Known for their genre-fluid approach, the Los Angeles-based artist ensured ‘Quiddity’ stands out with its warm meandering rhythms that guide listeners through a serenely dynamic soundscape.

The track skillfully balances a solid, kicking backbeat with mellifluous synth lines and soulfully arresting guitar licks, creating a mesmerising contrast that you can lose yourself in time after time without any of the magic in the polished production getting lost. While the synths bring a touch of nostalgia, the other layers in this smorgasbord of style push the release into the future.

The layered synthetics add depth and complexity without overwhelming the rhythmic pulses, thanks to the track’s meticulous construction and sci-fi-esque ambience. It’s a track that doesn’t just play to the ears but engages the soul, marking an exciting chapter in the artist’s evolving musical journey.

Stream the latest release from Def Ember on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast