Starting off strong, we’re talking about Kavinsky. Even for those who aren’t devout
followers of synthwave, this name might ring a bell. Born Vincent Pierre Claude Belorgey and
arriving on the scene in early 2006 with his EP Teddy Boy which immediately set the tone for his
future work with standouts like “Testarossa Nightdrive” which was followed up by the legendary track “Wayfarer” from his 2007 EP 1986. Most will have become familiar with Kavinsky with the 2011 release of the movie Drive, featuring the now iconic track “Nightcall”. With Drive itself being a major influencer on the synthwave scene itself with its gorgeous aesthetic it is no wonder why the two go so well together. Like many artists in this scene, Kavinsky is heavily influenced by his favorite movies and we can definitely feel the nostalgic vibe in each track. Widely considered one of the greatest
tracks of the entire genre, “Nightcall” cemented Kavinsky as a titan of synthwave and set the
gold standard for how music in this genre should sound.

Next up is another artist brought into the mainstream spotlight by Drive for most listeners. We’re talking about Electric Youth. Consisting of Bronwyn Griffin and Austin Garrick, the synthpop duo Electric Youth is perhaps most famous for the track “A Real Hero”, which basically
became the theme song for the main character of Drive, The Driver. Written about the crash landing of US Airways Flight 1549 it became an instant classic with its rolling synths and silky smooth vocals. This track single-handedly showed what Bronwyn and Austin are capable of and it is no question that “A Real Hero” will continue to be remembered as a staple of the genre for years to come. While “A Real Hero” was arguably the standout track on their 2014 release Innerworld it is just one of many memorable experiences on this album. You would be remiss to not lose yourself in the soothing synths of “Runaway”, “Innocence”, and “WeAreTheYouth”.

Having collaborated with Electric Youth on “A Real Hero”, the spotlight now falls onDavid Grellier hailing from Nantes, France. Known to many around the world for his musicalproject, College. Grellier is a member of many different projects each with their own unique sound. Like nearly all artists in this genre, Grellier was inspired by the aesthetic of the ‘80s and shapes his music around these influences. Through College, Grellier has consistently released great material always following his own unique sound but managing to make each release fresh and interesting. Many of his best work as College can be found on the 2008 EP Teenage Color, especially the opener “Can you kiss me first” featuring sounds that deliver instant nostalgic callbacks. Contrast this with the track “Save the Day” featuring Nola Wren from the 2014 release of the same name and we can hear the same soft consistent beats and vocals that he is famous for. The list of artists that pioneered the synthwave genre goes on and is nearly endless. No matter how long you have been creating music, each artist can honestly be considered a pioneer all working to deliver an experience of their own through this style of music. We’re proud to consider Kavinsky, Electric Youth, and College to be the golden standard and it goes without saying that we will continue to watch all of their careers with great interest, as always.

]]> https://newretrowave.com/2021/08/18/the-origins-of-synthwave-part-1/feed/ 1 https://newretrowave.com/2017/04/24/college-shanghai/ https://newretrowave.com/2017/04/24/college-shanghai/#respond Mon, 24 Apr 2017 20:18:46 +0000 http://new-retro-wave.com/2017/04/25/2017424college-shanghai/ David Grellier, aka College, is a synthwave pioneer. Whether you know it or not, he is likely one of the major reasons you even listen to retrosynth music - unless, of course, you were around for the first generation of synth music. Hell, it's not a stretch to say College's work is, in part, why outlets like NRW even exist.

David Grellier, aka College, is a synthwave pioneer. Whether you know it or not, he is likely one of the major reasons you even listen to retrosynth music – unless, of course, you were around for the first generation of synth music. Hell, it’s not a stretch to say College’s work is, in part, why outlets like NRW even exist.

College, along with The Valerie Collective and a handful of other artists such as Kavinsky, Mitch Murder and a bit later, Com Truise, laid the foundations for the modern resurgence of synthwave and its transformation into the genre we all know and love today.

Needless to say, when I heard College was dropping his fourth, full length album, “Shanghai,” on April 28th, I was thrilled – even more so when I was given the task of reviewing it! So then, you can imagine my disappointment upon realizing “Shanghai” is rather stark departure from College’s previous work.

No more neon. No more driven, disco-influenced beats. No more 80’s.

However, in spite of the initial disappointment and after more than five playthroughs, I can say without a doubt that no one should dismiss this release – even if it’s not what we’ve come to expect.

“Shanghai” is largely an ambient, almost experimental album which is heavily influenced by the city of Shanghai, circa 1920. (Does that count as “retro?”) It revolves around a mysterious, almost melancholic set of melodies that seem to be more interesting and more rewarding with each additional listen. The focus here is on mood and emotion, and “Shanghai” nails it.

This album, ironically, feels more like a soundtrack than most of today’s synthwave – which is, of course, inspired by soundtracks. There is still a retro feel here, in the synths themselves if not the composition or tonality. Reminiscent of the first synth pads in early video games, “Shanghai” feels like an eastern historical piece circa early 1900’s… if it was created by someone in the 80’s. A sort of nested retro.

So, why the departure from the College we know and love? Regardless of how you might feel about this new direction, one cannot deny that synthwave and all it’s wavy sub genres can become, at times, repetitive.

For someone who is literally a pioneer of the genre – what’s next? “Shanghai” does not signal the death of College, but rather an experiment in evolution. Why create more pastel sunsets, more neon grids or wistful palm trees when you’ve already done that?

What we have here at face value is an interesting ambient album –  but contextually, within the retrowave scene that is growing around us, we have an artist who is branching out, trying new things. Even if you don’t like “Shanghai,” it is important to remember that the first steps of musical evolution like these are the only things keeping us from genre stagnation, and eventually, genre starvation and death. “Shanghai” forces you to think outside of the box – and that is something to be lauded.

My top cuts from this album are “Bloody Palms,” “Lipstick,” “Is It Time” and “TyphoonAlert.” The single, “Love Peas,” is less ambient and differs greatly from the other tracks on this album. It’s luscious and lachrymose, truly beautiful in it’s own right. Chances are even if you’re not a big fan of ambient music, you’ll like this cut anyway on it’s own merit.
 

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