Top 10 Synthwave Album Covers of 2015
2015 was a fantastic year for the genre of retro-synthwave. Along with thousands of fresh fans, a plethora of fantastic genre-bending albums have continued to pour out of producers from around the world.
2015 was a fantastic year for the genre of retro-synthwave. Along with thousands of fresh fans, a plethora of fantastic genre-bending albums have continued to pour out of producers from around the world.
Nearly two years after his debut single, we still don’t know a lot more about Trevor Something’s true identity. However, on his third LP, Death Dream, that was just released, we are allowed a small glimpse into who he REALLY is.
Confrontational has done it again with a monolithic, spooky album that’s perfect for October. A Dance Of Shadows is heavy
The Cold Rise From Sleep by 20SIX Hundred 20SIX Hundred has gone on a bloody rampage. His brand new album,
After multiple listens of DYNATRON’s latest album, Aeternus, the first word that pops in my mind to describe the album is not one which describes atmosphere or tone. Instead, it is the word meticulous. More than anything, Aeternus is a meticulous album. The attention to detail that Jeppe Hasseriis displays is impressive, and is (even beyond the crisp production) the primary reason that this album works so well.
GUNSHIP, a.k.a. Dan Haigh & Alex Westaway & Alex Gingell, love for all things “80s sound” is evident in every note on the album, but instead of another exercise in style we got something more.
Lyrically, Kristine is preoccupied with summer love, lovers lost and burning desire. It mixes nicely with the musical arrangements. Musical arrangements are actually more sparsely decorated with synth riffs than you would expect with a lot of guitar present.
Why has it been the best summer for synthwave album releases? Seriously. Butterflies & Barbiturates by SWAGBOT makes my job as a reviewer so easy. The album is, first and foremost, strange. The songs are all varied wonderfully while still maintaining a consistent sound, but that sound challenges genre classification. “demons in the dressing room” has new wave all over it, “natural high” contains many elements from chiptune music, “laying in the rain” has such an odd and forceful beat, and “perspective” feels similar to Crystal Castles. In fact, that is probably the closest anchor I can even compare Butterflies & Barbiturates too. Think Crystal Castles meets synthwave.
One of my favorite things about the scene is the fact that you can find an artist you have never
Around September of last year, I applied to write for NewRetroWave. Our fearless leader sent me a link to an album called The Arcade Dream by an artist called Shirobon. I was blown away. Roughly one year later, here I am, listening to Shirobon’s newest effort, Infinity. Not only am I astounded again, but I am also intrigued. Shirobon’s been at it since at least 2007; now he seems to be kicking into a whole new gear.
Miami Kills is the sophomore LP by the genre veteran Action Jackson who brings back his tight production skills and great storytelling on this record.