The Top 10 Synthwave Albums of 2022:

10. Nosebleed (Deluxe) by Midnight Drift

9. Ultrasound by A.L.I.S.O.N & Hotel Pools

8. Heroes by The Midnight

7. The Textorcist OST by Gost

6. Triangle Unicode by We Are Magonia

5. Lovers Lake by Lovers Lake

4. I by Voyage

3. AKUMA 3 by ALEX & TOKYO ROSE

2. (Tie) In Motion I & II by Memorex Memories

2. (Tie) Tortured Waters by DEADLIFE

1. Sentimental by Miami Nights 1984

Honorable Mentions

(In No Particular Order)

In Search of Tomorrow (Original Documentary Soundtrack) – by Various Artists

Forgotten Shapes by Waveshaper

Payback by Neon Nox

Synth City by All the Damn Vampires

Distorted Memories by Lucy In Disguise

So rejoice and wait no further, fellow humanoid! Gear up on headphones and get your fix of cybernetic synth waves.

DEADLIFE ‘God in the Machine’ is out now via FiXt Neon on Bandcamp and other streaming platforms.

10. Droid Bishop – “End Game”

9. Yota – “The Vibe”

8. Clyde Shelton – “Spending Spirit”

7. The Midnight – “America Online”

6. W O L F C L U B – “Electrify”

5. TOKYO ROSE – “TYRAEL”

4. Florida Skyline – “Hello World”

3. Com Truise – “Galactic Melt”

2. Waveshaper – “CRT Days”

1. DEADLIFE – “Strands Unravel”

Honorable Mentions:

A.L.I.S.O.N – “Lightyears”

Voyage –  “Sync”

Dan Terminus – “Requiem”

Baldocaster – “Map to the Stars (Part 1)”

View our other Best of 2020 lists here!

Like our lists? Check out our Top 10’s from previous years:

Top 10 Retrowave Songs of 2019
Top Ten Retrowave Songs of 2018
Best of 2019 

Top 10 Synthwave Tracks of 2020

10. Clyde Shelton – Spending Spirit

9. Dan Terminus – Last Call For All Passengers

8. A.L.I.S.O.N – Éternité

7. Droid Bishop – Music

6. Hotel Pools – Still

5. The Midnight – Monsters

4. Various Artists – Magnatron III

3. W O L F C L U B – Runaways

2. Com Truise – In Decay Too

1. DEADLIFE – City of Eternal Rain

(Very) Honorable Mentions

Daniel Deluxe – Ghostrunner (Original Soundtrack)

Baldocaster/Traveler CS – Exodus/Solare

Molchat Doma – Monument

Master Boot Record – Floppy Disk Overdrive

Yota – Hazy Paradise
Top 10 Retrowave Albums 202

View our other Best of 2020 lists here!

Like our lists? Check out our Top 10’s from previous years:
Top 10 Retrowave Albums of 2019
Top Ten Retrowave Albums of 2018
Best of 2019

Top 10 Synthwave Albums of 2020

Old World Death:
The prelude of Dark Nation, a track called “Old World Death”, is a culmination of effects that I can only describe as dystopian demolition. Whether it’s from this world or the next, this track certainly prepares us for departure with a suspenseful lead by way of ominous keys. The bombing of bass gives us a reason to be wary of what’s to come. An unintelligible voice breaks through and provides little comfort. A monolith of sound and untraditional influences of what we know as Dark Synth is no longer present. DEADLIFE introduces us to the landscape of a grim future that is inescapable, and the theme of discord emanates throughout this track. It certainly gives me an appetite to discover the entirety of Dark Nation and what more is left to uncover.

Complete Meltdown:
The howling winds accompanied by a showering noise-fry surround us. The coaxing synth serenades us deeper into calm. However, all mystery and sense of safety is temporary once the chords take over. We’re blasted away by hefty bass and a sequence of synth keys alongside an adrenaline-inducing arpeggio. The chimes are well met with the shatter of each clap. The climax of “Complete Meltdown” is fueled by the fire of a fantastic ladder that dissipates back into the calm before returning to the action. The track itself gives me the impression that DEADLIFE has more in store for the remainder of the album, and there is a bit of pep in me to tread forward enthusiastically.

Out of Anger and Avarice:
The glitchy nuances are something I can’t help but have a taste for now that we are three tracks into Dark Nation. “Out of Anger and Avarice” opens with a tone in mind just before the loop takes over. It carries us full throttle into a fury of modular keys, creating an impactful dive into a choir unbeknownst to us as anything less than the occupants of the Dark Nation. The bass and I are past the friend-zone and it’s all benefits from here. DEADLIFE creates a world that we can not only see ourselves in, but we’ve seen before. The apocalyptic scenes from Terminator, the horrors of Dead Space, and the gruesome memories of Operation Dark Storm from Animatrix.
All of these references and more come to the surface as I listen on. Behind each rhythm and melody is an unseen force of influence, and we as the audience can only assume what they are for the artist.

Drift:
This track harbors many emotions, and within them lies an undeniable sense of self-absolution. The climb and pacing of the synth make way for a robust acoustic that sets the stage for the monologue in between. “Drift” shares with us the precipice of a new chapter with the percussion leading us by ear. The distortion delivers within it an emotional resonance. One of poignant memories and distilled disturbance. This makes for a slower arrangement than the previous few we’ve encountered so far, but also the most consistent in mood throughout its duration. Whether it’s in the synth keys or the pronounced beat of the heart on the bass – DEADLIFE knows how to set the mood and significantly change gears for their audience to follow.

Health is a Currency:
I love this track title because it reminds me of not just the ethos of video game mechanics but also life itself. There are elements of music that give me life, however, and it’s the usage of a choir and bells in electronic tracks. DEADLIFE uses these details to raise the stakes and offer an ethereal anguish from one thread of sound to the next. The delicate, industrial strings of what sounds like a shamisen eloquently introduce the cryptic discorded notes being played ominously. Like a haunted music box in space, or a futuristic house of mirrors. I’m astounded by the whine of soundwaves as they fill my ears and direct my attention to what lies beneath the bridge.

Her Broken Smile (feat. Tessa Hedrick):
Sometimes there’s one track that beats them all. There’s always a toss-up situation between tracks with lyrics and tracks without. Tessa delivers a hauntingly angelic vocal ambiance to “Her Broken Smile” that makes for a showdown of chronic satisfaction. Mixed with the synthesized vibrance from DEADLIFE, the lyrics only further highlight the polarizing emotions we’ve picked up with every track leading up to this moment. Heartbreak devoid of healing and an overall demise of character mirrors the words that Tessa sings, and an unraveling of personal resonance has us thinking, “Yes, I’ve felt this way before.”

Dreams of a Variant:
As we dial into our next track, the first thing we hear is mechanical feedback, followed by an ascension of keys as it smacks us into the new reality of Dark Nation. The chasm of curiosity has led us into a traditional 80’s drum kick, inevitably rushing time forward through dazzling chimes and bass. There’s a gradual climb from one pillar to the next, and the choir returns, ushering us into their pilgrimage of sound. Discordian keys guide us back into the calm of the storm. I relish in this transition because it doesn’t last long enough for me to get comfortable. We’re slammed again by that beauteous bass and synthy-goodness. DEADLIFE recreates a resurrection of old versus new, and I’m here for it!

Modern Gestalt:
A foreign planet awaits our arrival as we listen to this next track, “Modern Gestalt” and beyond its atmosphere, are heavenly arpeggios, and distorted choirs. If one could call themselves human at this point, it’s only because you’re not focusing on the world-building going on. I could call this album a soundtrack to the future at this point and moving forward. There are introductions, climaxes, and fight-scenes. There’s renewal and there’s ruin, and despite this being an album review, I’d like to consider this as more of an opportunity to imagine a world that DEADLIFE created. The satisfaction and seduction of sound and its varieties, some familiar, and some unique, offer the imagination to reach beyond the limitations of mere mortals. Something cybernetic lingers, and the future is nigh.

Drenched in Dead Wires:
If I’ve learned anything it’s not to get too cozy in the lingering lullabies and interludes of gentle melodies; not while DEADLIFE is in control. Always brace for impact and embrace the unrelenting interruptions of drum kicks and bass-heavy leads. It’s coming for you, and there’s no escaping it; not while you’re trapped in Dark Nation. Alas, the choir is back and excites the senses. There’s an underlying serenade of synth, and it turns into a futuristic Eldrich horror track before you realize it. Beyond words, the ladder reveals the revelation of the differences between electronic sound. The artist alone holds their individuality, and this album reaches those heights as it ebbs and flows from comfort to chaos.

Fragile Stratum:
Ah, the delicacy of gaming samples and all the fruit that it bears encompasses this introduction. I feel as though I’m viewing my own inventory, except mine is not as badass. A phone, a laptop, a bottle of water, and Dark Nation. Okay, maybe the album in my arsenal makes it a little kick-ass. This dancey beat uploads a variety of visions aside from the game-like, “first-person shooter equipping the big gun” details in the beginning. I find myself enjoying the reload of rhythm, and once we meet back at the base of the calm, it’s light and airy with the 8-bit companion of keys. The choir welcomes us and the rise beckons us to continue the good fight.

Displaced Anomaly:
The beginning of this track takes us back to the dimly lit alleyways of the ’80s. A nostalgic serenity is interrupted by the thrilling escalation of a threatening vibrato. This track is a bit of a playful amalgamation of what we’ve heard so far from Dark Nation. Within “Displace Anomaly” are subtle reminders of our desire to remember the eras of old. A ballad that bursts into a final form of freakish discordian sequences. The progression escalates into a feeling of moving forwards and backward through time simultaneously as the modern and darker approach to synthwave mingles with and disrupts the sounds we recognize. I’m eager to find out what awaits beyond as we near the end of the album.

Outlier:
“Outlier”, and the surprises that lie within it blossom from the way DEADLIFE arranges the transitions. The moment you feel comfortable with the keys, they shift the sands beneath you. Soon enough you’re traveling through a futuristic version of Conan the Barbarian if he suddenly walked through the neon lights of Tech Noir. A true parallel universe that would surely be the furthest from mind had I never mentioned it – but now that I have – I need it. “Outlier” would be a great soundtrack to hear through Arnold’s battle cries. We can’t help but engage in the way the bass carries us through each synthy solo, and the unapologetic progression begs for our attention.

New World Birth:
DEADLIFE’s great unveiling grants us passage to a new world order. We hear a delicate voice, and as it emerges, we’re barraged by the ongoing kick-drum and mimicry of the underground deliverance of bass. It’s a habit at this point to gauge when and where DEADLIFE will plant his chorus or verse, and I’ve gotten fairly good at depicting it. Knowing what details are used to shroud them, however, are where they differ from each track so far. The cascade of thunder and rain accompany the calm before the storm, and I’m reminded of Outlier, the track ahead of it. This ending to Dark Nation is albeit, an interesting one. The story of Dark Nation will trigger the imaginations of many and announce itself aggressively in any quiet room.

Now that we’ve reached the end, I’d gladly revisit the realms of DEADLIFE time and time again. So long as the soundtracks hit as hard as they do! I’m extending the invitation for you all to listen for yourselves and tell us what your own imagination cooked up! What lurks within the depths of your fantasies, and did any come to life while listening? Deliver us the details, and venture past the boundaries of your mind!

As we mentioned in the article “DEADLIFE, Past, Present, and Future,” “Bionic Chrysalis” was not an immediate smash hit. It premiered in 2017, to relatively little fanfare. Some hardcore darksynth fans took notice – but it wasn’t until later that year that MetalSucks posted their glowing review and placed it in their top 15 albums of the year that it gained wider notoriety. Now, “Bionic Chrysalis” considered by many as a cult classic of the darksynth genre.”

I am personally incredibly excited to finally have a hard copy of “Bionic Chrysalis,” and you can too if you hurry – there’s currently only 25 copies left!

Check out the bandcamp page HERE.

The Early Years

“I mainly always listened to electronic music and soundtracks. Even when I was in bands, I only really listened to instrumental OSTs, so it was always something I wanted to do. When I left the band I was in it was pretty natural to go into producing that kind of stuff. It’s what I loved most. “ – Ed Hawx

Bionic Chrysalis – 2017

Premiering in 2017, “Bionic Chrysalis” was not an instant mega-hit. Some hardcore darksynth fans took notice – but it wasn’t until later that year that MetalSucks posted their glowing review and placed it in their top 15 albums of the year that it gained wider notoriety. Now, “Bionic Chrysalis” considered by many as a cult classic of the darksynth genre.

“Bionic Chrysalis” certainly had all the trappings of a major darksynth album – an intense, upbeat, and dramatically raw dark synth score – but it also broke the darksynth stereotypes in many ways. With bits of cyberpunk, chiptune, minor elements of French House, and an array of hauntingly beautiful melodies, this album was more house than the Perturbator / Carpenter Brut / Dan Terminus / GOST headbang.

The Order of Chaos – 2018

A fierce follow-up to “Bionic Chrysalis,” “The Order of Chaos” continued to progress DEADLIFE’s unique and intensely melodic darksynth sound. This album felt even harder than his debut, even touching on some minor elements of dubstep. We also hear some more traditional elements of darksynth, such as high-pitched shrieking “Psycho” synth stabs

However, amongst the harder darksynth are hints of a lighter, almost ambient touch – such as “Anxious Souls” and “Digital Rain (feat. Mecha Maiko).” A hint of what was to come next. (PS – There are still Vinyls available here!)

Experimentation

“I felt I’d kind of explored the darker intense stuff and wanted to do something totally different for a couple of records. It kept me fresh and learning new stuff. Also, I was in a very specific kind of head space where I wasn’t sure where I was gonna go with my sound. As it turns out I went on to do Singularity, which I don’t think I’d have done if I hadn’t done Variations and Orphan. I wanted to expand my sound and those albums helped me do that” – Ed Hawx

Variations on the Resolve – 2018

In a stark contrast with his first two albums, “Variations on the Resolve” is a largely atmospheric, ambient-based album. Most fans were taken by surprise – some were even quite upset by this change in direction. However, as any good artist knows, creating music is about more than just pleasing your fans.

But, In addition to those that were upset, even more were intrigued. The lush soundscapes contained in “Variations on the Resolve” are beautiful and haunting in their own way. The mixture of dark synth music and ambient tones were unlike anything we had really heard at the time.

Orphan – 2019

Continuing the trend of experimenting with atmosphere, “Orphan” was a mix between almost beat-oriented music and ambient sounds, reminiscent of Shlohmo’s early albums. I personally thought it was an “Exercise in Brilliance,” and one of the best albums I had heard that year. Yet still, fans were worried DEADLIFE’s darksynth days were behind him – so much so he took to social media to explain that was not the case.

In my review, I related as much: “So, for those of you that fancy their synth hard and fast, don’t worry – the old DEADLIFE isn’t dead – just beautifully mutating in his chrysalis. In the meantime, don’t miss this evolution.”

And evolve he did. I

A New Awakening

“I wrote Rebel Nights off the cuff because it was a really hot summer and it just kind of came out. I did one song originally and my friend was like “You should do an album like that for lolz” and I was like “ok!” So that was in the bank for a while, then I did Singularity the following year (I wrote Rebel Nights in summer 2018), and showed both to NRW. They said let’s release both and I was like sure why not!”

“I guess I’m always learning stuff and finding my sound and refining it. Cyberpunk has always been something I love from the beginning, I’ve been into the subculture of it for years for both it’s aesthetic and socio-economic sides. I’ve always viewed my stuff as rooted in cyberpunk, but it is what it is. After all it’s kinda hard to know what cyberpunk music would be, it has varied throughout the years. But as an artist I am definitely leaning more toward the cyberpunk gothic side, with a lot of inspiration from the subculture, novels, films and also fantasy cyberpunk like certain Final Fantasy games. It kinda all just coalesces into the melting pot, and comes out as an amalgamation of all these things tied together.” – Ed Hawx

Singularity / Rebel Nights – 2019

This double-release saw the beginning of DEADLIFE’s new awakening. “Rebel Nights” was an interesting release, mixing chillsynth elements with minor key melodies to create a metallic yet relaxing effect. It’s probably the first time we’ve ever heard DEADLIFE go full beach vibes. I really regret not grabbing a copy at the time myself though, because as the new chillsynth genre expands it’s clear this album was really quite ahead of it’s time.

“Singularity,” on the other hand, starts to hone-in on that sound it feels like DEADLIFE was looking for. Nostalgia mixes with darksynth to create a wholly heart-wrenching but intense experience that feels miles ahead of the darksynth DEADLIFE started out with. “The album really shines when the combination of darksynth and cyberpunk genres are held together with more major nostalgic tones. This where DEADLIFE really nails something special.”

City of Eternal Rain – 2019

There’s not too much more to say here. It’s the latest incarnation of DEADLIFE’s sound, bringing all of these disparate elements together to create something brilliant. It really is quite a cyberpunk masterpiece. Check out my full review here if you haven’t read it yet – and grab a listen here!

The Future?

So what does the future hold in store for DEADLIFE a? I asked the man himself:

“I have a lot coming. One full album that is a follow on from City of Eternal Rain, and I’m working on another that is way more downtempo and cinematic – an album that could be a soundtrack for a film – but the film doesn’t exist. I guess the latter is just me experimenting and having fun. Also I’m looking to go live in 2021, which I’m really psyched for. I’ll prob give it a test run and then build from there. But I’ll always be writing for sure, I just love making music.” – Ed Hawx

We had heard some fantastic singles ahead of release from Waveshaper, Wice, and Powerglove with PYLOT, and I am pleased to report that the rest of the album stacks up against their quality. Easily the best in the trilogy, each artist on this magnificent compilation has truly brought their A-game, contributing some new instant-favorites to Magnatron 3.

It really is not exaggeration to say that “Magnatron 3” hits harder than ever before. Each track feels bigger, more epic, more intense, with each artist giving the series a fitting finale.
Each previous Magnatron release has had sci-fi themes, but with Magnatron III the sci-fi synth leads seem to blend more with nostalgic tones such as in “Tyrael” from Tokyo Rose, or in “Grit Rewired” from DEADLIFE.

The combination of more nostalgia with the retro futurist themes, heavy basslines and danceable kicks really makes “Magnatron III” stand out more than ever before as the best synthwave in the scene. Easily the best in the trilogy! At the time of this writing there is still some physical merch left – but it’s sure to be gone soon!

Click here for physical merch from Bandcamp – Click here for other streaming services.

Dropping next Friday, July 24th, “Magnatron III” is jam-packed with absolute fire tracks from some of the best hand-picked artists in the retro synthwave scene. Just listening to the gleaming production of first three singles (Waveshaper – Vivid Stars/ Wice – Interstellar / Power Glove & PYLOT – AEON) is proof-in-pudding that Magnatron III is going to be an absolute banger! With genres ranging from dreamwave to synthwave to darksynth and everything in-between, This synthwave compilation is set to be stuffed with a track for everyone.

Initial pre-sales of rare bundles are already sold out – but fear not! We’re adding more to the store at 9:30AM EST tomorrow via NRW Records. This will include standalone items in larger amounts and different colorways. – https://NRWRecords.lnk.to/MagnatronIII

Tracklist:

1. Wice – Interstellar
2. Waveshaper – Vivid Stars
3. Zombie Hyperdrive – Ghostwalker
4. Absolute Valentine – Magnatron Engaged
5. STRAPLOCKED – Active Aggression
6. ALEX – SAMUS ARAN
7. Power Glove & PYLOT – AEON
8. Tonebox – Pulsar Blast
9. TOKYO ROSE – Tyrael
10. F.O.O.L – The Truth
11. Daniel Deluxe – Frontier
12. Sandman – Destiny Unknown
13. Donbor – Brume
14. DEADLIFE – Grit Rewired
15.Turboslash – Phantom
16. ORAX – Shelter
17. Kick Puncher – Last Resolve
18. Volkor X – Aftermath

Magnatron / Magnatron III / Magnatron 3

This momentous album contains the best elements of the UK based DEADLIFE’s previous music, all rolled into one. “City of Eternal Rain” is the culmination of years of time and effort spent in various genres from the breakout darksynth hit “Bionic Chrysalis” to the experimental and ambient “Orphan.” or the recent “Singularity.” Each of these elements can be heard vividly in this release, and work together to create something which sounds entirely unique and groundbreaking.

This album also continues DEADLIFE’s traditional sound – heavy beats and dark synths, but at the same time being also very melody driven – drawing a stark contrast and never getting stuck or bogged down on one particular synth sound. At times in previous releases these contrasts could feel a bit jarring at times, but here the contrasts compliment each other perfectly, creating insanely catchy synth hooks that drag deeper into the album. In fact, the varied synths meld together in such a way to create a true gestalt of sound – something much more grand than the sum of the individual parts.

“City of Eternal Rain’s” melodies are also more often than not laden with classical baroque elements as well, creating a wholly unique feel I have heard in a few other artist’s releases here and there – but which were never fully realized. Again, DEADLIFE nails it out of the park. The ambient noises and interesting off-the-wall soundscapes and audio pans strewn occasionally throughout such as with “Strands Unravel” also likewise are incredibly cohesive, a true feat of sound design.

The result of all of these elements coming together is to create a listening experience that feels familiar but also foreign, old and also new – out of place and time but wholly, beautifully unique unto itself. We don’t rate albums on NewRetroWave – but if I did this would break the scale.

Top Tracks: ‘Collapse is Imminent,’ ‘To Unify With Clear Sight,’ ‘Generation Damage,’ ‘Strands Unravel,’ ‘Young Fury, Endure,’ ‘A Future of Ultraviolence’

Listen to City of Eternal Rain here!

“Strands Unravel” is DEADLIFE’s latest fresh single ahead of his new upcoming  album, “City of Eternal Rain!” This fantastic track follows on the heels of “Singularity” which debuted on Billboard Electronic Sales charts at #12.

DEADLIFE is clearly looking to outdo himself – and if “Strands Unravel” is a proper signal of what’s to come – “City of Eternal Rain” will be an instant classic.

Grab a listen here!

The last we heard from DEADLIFE, he was experimenting madly with some amazing ambient tones in “Orphan.” This time around however that ambiance has been traded for a sonic sledgehammer, a seismic black hole “Singularity” with which DEADLIFE promptly smashes into our collective domes. I am continually astounded at the versatility of DEADLIFE’s production, never rehashing releases like far too many other artists in the synth scene, and these two albums are no different – but lets focus for a moment on “Singularity.”

This album, on it’s face, almost hints at being a generic darksynth outrun album. The basslines are there and thrumming along as usual with neon rain in the windshield – yadda yadda you know the drill. When suddenly the purple lambo skids headlong into a cyborg at top speed and explodes into a ball of pure retro fury.

Each listen I give “Singularity” reveals a bit more depth. The album really shines when the combination of darksynth and cyberpunk genres are held together with more major nostalgic tones. This where DEADLIFE really nails something special, such as “She Only Exists in Screens,” and “Sand and Snow.” Even in the darker tracks that lack a bit of the nostalgic panache, we hear a more danceable version of darksynth and cyperpunk – reminiscent in its EDM BPM to some old Danger tracks.

All in all, this is an astounding album, and not one you should miss! Listen Here.