OK, the next category in Synwthwave Essentials reviews. As a big EBM / Industrial fan, I really like some synthpop, so I was pretty keen to check out this category. But with the exception of Gunship and Kristine, it turned out to be pretty disappointing.
Electric Youth: Innerworld
A couple of trendy kids from Canada. This strikes me as the sort of thing that might have been semi-popular on Triple J around 2012. Kind of light indie dream pop stuff. It’s pretty well produced, but it’s not very synthwave and not very exciting. Reminds me a bit of M83 at times. I might give it another chance but I doubt it.
Rating: 6/10
Gunship: Gunship
Wow, this band is seriously amazing. For my money, probably the second best synthwave artist in the world, after Perturbator. Gunship just write amazing songs with amazing production. I actually prefer their second album, Dark All Day, but this self-titled debut is still essential. This is not as dark as Perturbator but it doesn’t need to be: it’s a thrilling, inspiring soundtrack to a beautiful Blade Runner world that I want to live in.
Rating: 9/10
The Midnight: Endless Summer
This is one for me I’ll file under “a good album but not for me”. I can totally get why a lot of people like this Danish / American duo. They do a pretty good job of cheesy 80s music, with loads of saxophone (a bit too much for my liking and I don’t mind a bit of 80s sax thrown into synthpop). The songs are fine but nothing super catchy. I might check out their other albums when I get some time because they have some talent.
Rating: 7/10
Trevor Something: Does Not Exist
Wow, what a super pretentious band and album name. The music isn’t impressive either, no surprise. It mostly lies somewhere between slow synthpop and generic electro house. At times it attempts to invoke the ghosts of Depeche Mode and Daft Punk, but this is not something that really needs to be done, and if it does, it ought to be done better than this. On a second listening I hated it less, but it’s still not great.
Rating: 4/10
Scandroid: Scandroid
This was an interesting discovery for me: a synthwave side-project of Celldweller (a well-known industrial band I’m familiar with). I quite liked it, though I don’t know if it really belongs in this collection. It’s more of an industrial / EBM album with a bit of 80s tone and style thrown in. I didn’t mind it but it didn’t shake my world, and this is my kind of music. I think Celldweller should stick to his main project.
Rating: 5/10
Le Cassette: Left To Our Own Devices
Pretty well done synthpop. It reminds me a bit of the Australian group Cut Copy, which isn’t an entirely bad thing. The production, mixing and vocals are good. I just wish the songs were a bit bgetter, but they’re not bad. Check this one out if you like indie synthpop / dream pop. I might revisit this one if I’m in the mood.
7/10
Rating: 6.5/10
Kristine: Kristine
What a discovery! This is an obscure female artist from Greece, and she totally rocks. This is great fun 80s power pop, like Pat Benatar or Billy Idol. This is perfect music for driving. Kristine writes, sings and produces great songs. I would definitely check her out.
Rating: 7.5/10
Tesla Boy: Tesla Boy EP
I liked the name of this band, and the fact that they were a Russian synthpop group. However, this was very disappointing and forgetful. Just a short EP of bland 90s Euro synthpop, with nothing interesting or catchy to recommend it. It doesn’t even sound very synthwave or 80s to me. Definitely pass on this one. Looks like they did a few full length albums but I’m not curious to check them out.
Rating: 3/10
Maxthor: Another World
A Spanish three-piece group with just one album (and a few other releases), rated very highly on Discogs. I liked the album art and concept and wanted to like this album, but I just didn’t. It’s just very slow and uninspiring music: nothing really fun, just bland slow samey synthpop with random bits of guitar thrown in. Skip this one.
Rating: 4/10
Sunglasses Kid: Graduation
This obscure artist has really run with the idea of making a soundtrack to an imaginary 80s movie, since that is basically what this is. It’s a cute idea, and reasonably executed (even has an intro theme with a voiceover from this imaginary movie), but the music itself isn’t exciting. It literally sounds like the soundtrack to a straight-to-video 80s teen drama movie. It’s probably the most authentically 80’s sounding music in this whole collection, but I won’t be revisiting this one. The only exception is the last track, Sunshine, which is a great instrumental closer.
Rating: 5/10
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