This duo nearly needs no introduction. If you’ve been a NRW follower for any length of time you have undoubtedly heard the marvelous sounds brought to you by Futurecop! The growth of the synthwave genre is due in large part to the dedication and skill of this group. As the scene was taking off in the mid-2000’s, many artists experimented with a range of different sounds, all looking to find their voice. No voice was heard more loud and clear than that
which was formed by Manzur Iqbal and Peter Carrol, known as Futurecop! With the release of their new album Return to Alvograth imminent, let’s take a look at what turned Futurecop! from an idea in the minds of Iqbal and Carrol into the synthwave titan that it is today. Inspired by their mutual love of everything that makes the 1980s and 90s great,
Manchester duo Iqbal and Carrol had no difficulty gaining a significant following quickly with early hits such as “N.A.S.A.” from their debut EP The Unicorn & The Lost City of Alvograth, “The Only Way (feat. Keenhouse)” from its follow-up The Adventures of Starpony , and “1988 Girls” from the 2012 release The Movie OST .
The core of the retrowave genre is about capturing the emotion and the feeling you get when
remembering something great and turning that into music that can transport you back to that time. For Futurecop!, 2010 gave them the opportunity to harness the power of a professional studio where they collaborated with other artists to create It’s Forever, Kids , released in Japan. Each track features silky smooth vocals layered on top of crisp and dreamy synths. Throw on “Venice Beach (ft. Cavaliers of Fun)”, close your eyes and you’ll be soaring. This record firmly cemented this duo as a pioneer of the genre and with it they made it clear to us they were a force to be reckoned with.
It’s at this point in their career that Carrol and Iqbal got truly creative, releasing their next feature length album The Movie OST , a soundtrack to a fictional fantasy movie like something right out of the 80’s. If you didn’t know any better, just looking at the album
art would take you right back. For these guys the visuals are just as important as what you’re hearing. Their entire discography invokes an 80’s vibe and the same is true for
their live presence. For their 2013 followup Hopes, Dreams & Alienation , Futurecop! looked to collaborate once again with a number of different vocalists and soundly delivered a record
that is catchy to no end. Featuring fiery synths that hit you left and right and an uplifting nostalgic tone that almost forces you to dance along. The core of the Futurecop! sound comes from their refusal to follow a popular trend or do anything with their sound that doesn’t come naturally to them. Their creative freedom is what allows each consecutive release to sound fresh but still but still carry with it their own distinct style. It is this dedication to creating music that moves and inspires us that keeps us hooked and we can’t be more excited for their upcoming release, Return To Alvograth and where it will take us.
