Here it is ladies and gentlemen. The most important list of all! The Top Ten Best Retrowave Albums of 2017. It was such a packed year with many album releases. Making this list was not easy. Without further ado, we present The Top Ten Best Retrowave Albums of 2017.
10. Molchat Doma – S Krish Nashih Domov
This Molchat Doma sound is a virtuoso mix of Alphaville, New Order and The Cure. almost every track on this album feels iconic in a familiar, but also foreign way. Although it is sung entirely in Slavic, the sad, nostalgic themes still resonate deeply.
9. Kalax – Kalax
A new, enhanced retro feel makes this truly dreamy dreamwave feel much more nostalgic than the previous releases from Kalax – almost wistful at times. The result is an astounding release of synthwave that bears a beautiful cinematic quality like Kavinsky or College.
8. Mega Drive – The Grid
This dark and futuristic album perfectly embodies cyberpunk. The dense, uptempo tracks meld perfectly with ambient features on this album, creating a complete soundscape for some mysterious dystopian city.
7. ALEX & Tokyo Rose – AKUMA
ALEX and Tokyo Rose perfectly compliment one another’s style on this groundbreaking darkwave/outrun album. In spite of being dark, “Akuma’s” melodies feel more retro than it’s contemporaries, creating a rare form of nostalgia.
6. FM attack – Stellar
While his previous albums drew heavily from disco and had a more upbeat and dance feel, “Stellar” is steeped in postpunk and new wave vibes. This updated sound is unique and fantastic, creating a more wistful and nostalgic feel to the signature FM Attack sound.
5. HOME – Resting State
This interesting album is comprised of an astounding 35 demo tracks. In spite of this, they manage to be just as interesting and full-bodied as much of his more fleshed out work. If these are just demos, we can’t wait to hear whats coming next!
4. Various Artists – Magnatron 2.0
Powerful and dark, this compilation manages to be cohesive in spite of containing 16 very different and monstrously amazing artists.
3. Com Truise – Iteration
“Iteration” signals a tonal shift from Haley’s previous work. It feels more lachrymose and less hard sci-fi than his previous releases. This does not feel arrived at by way of nostalgia but instead from melancholy and heartbreak – a fitting end to a long journey.
2. Dan Terminus – Automated Refrains
This album is one of the darkest, most complex we’ve heard all year. Dan Terminus manages to elicit complex nostalgic melodies and a pitch-perfect retro-futuristic vibe through HEAVY synths – an accomplishment to be lauded. Top it off with a couple lighter, almost ambient tracks and you have a well rounded and well deserved top spot for “Automated Refrains.”
1. Lazerhawk – Dreamride
The synthwave demigod has returned in full force. Dreamrider suffuses Lazerhawk’s years of producer expertise and creates a thoroughly complete body of work that is in every way more than the sum of its parts. Lazerhawk’s mastery of the form is undeniable.
Special Mentions
Master Boot Record – INTERRUPT REQUEST
Meteor – Inner Demon
