Below is the list of our top 10 collaborations from this year from some of the best acts in the scene….

10. Dreamreaper & MAGNAVOLT – BLOODRAVE

9. Earmake & Stilz – Artifact Hunt

8. ALEX & Mono Memory – SOCIAL MEDIOCRITY

7. Futurecop! – Home (feat. Parallels)

6. Fury Weekend & Ollie Wride – Soul Survivor

5. All the Damn Vampires – I Can’t Go (feat. Mint Simon & Sunglasses Kid)

4. DRYVE – 80s Song (feat. Cassiopeia)

3. Josh Dally & Timecop1983 – Take Me Back

2. PYLOT – Invisible (feat. Ezra Hyte)

1. Miami Nights 1984 – Only When It’s Dark (feat. Gunship)

Biosynthesis:
This next vibe starts off simple enough with a steady climb, but the more you listen the more details come to the surface. Laser beams and sci-fi themes showcase “Biosynthesis” as a track that I could easily place in Destiny, No Man’s Sky, or Mass Effect. The gentle cymbals and building tension prepare the suspenseful succession of chords, and the temptation to keep listening never ceases. As the song comes to an end, the distortion gravitates to the aesthetic that flows through the album. Earmake builds a universe around us that we can only hear but manage to see via imagination and intrigue; the major drivers in any album concept.

Synthetic Memory:
This tag-team album title is a collaboration between Earmake and Arwelone. This spectacular result of musical genius is an entanglement between the expanse of ambient middle-tone frequencies and the environmental feedback from the outer limits. We’re interrupted by the punchy kick of the drum and bass as it compliments the synthesizer. The serenity of the chimes, bells, and the echo of a tambourine create a fantastic flow. This entire track embodies a resonance of discovery because you can hear each instrument in and out of sync. The guitar presents itself but doesn’t have full control of the direction of the song. It intensifies beautifully, and unapologetically without overshadowing the rest of the instrumentals.

The Stone Giant:
Next on the collaborative, we have Dynatron alongside Earmake, and from what we know of both artists, we’re in for a ride. The trumpets resound the start of something epic on its way, and the synth gently follows their lead. A unified march matches the melodic opening. Nostalgic details captivate me and instill suspense. The Impactful percussion beats amplify the intensity and the colorful loop of keys coordinates alongside the kick drum. Towards the ending, there is an ominous intrusion of descending chords and dismal drums. “The Stone Giant” enraptures the listener to feel a warm fusion with the music, and I’d be out of my mind to deny it.

Waves:
The uplifting cascade of “Waves” is enthralling, to say the least. This duo between VHSToyko and Earmake is nothing short of a feel-good hit. If you need a track to listen to alongside your trip to Nirvana in space – here it is! I’m reminded of distant horizons as the synth serenades me into visualizations. I reminisce over glorious sunsets as a resident of Earth, however I find it easy to imagine scenes where the sun is coming up just behind an unknown planet. The whimsical bridge clashes dramatically with the drum, and my visualizations have evolved into floating along the vastness of space, admiring nebulae and red giants. 

Interplanetary Overdrive:
I know I’m not supposed to pick favorites, but I’m claiming it out loud anyway. “Interplanetary Overdrive” has everything a girl could want, speedy arpeggios, an aggressive kick, synthesized seduction, punchy beats, and these are all essential ingredients to a mind-blowing experience. We’re traveling at the speed of light, dodging asteroids, and what I could only describe as the “powering up” effect of the rise, has me tightening up internally as we go overdrive! I recommend listening to this on repeat. The celestial bodies across the expanse of time are merely blurs outside of the spacecraft as we’re traveling at light speed. The destination is unknown, but we’re landing in 3….2….1. 

The Signal:
We’ve made our way to a strange planet, and from what we know, we’re chasing after “The Signal”. Our sense of uncertainty and curiosity stirs as the bass writhes itself awake and the sound of the synthesizer fills our ears. It’s only a matter of time before the kick changes course, and the element of the chase unravels into a melodic ascent. Earmake channels the 80’s in a number of ways, but none of which overcome the overwhelming allure of synth keys, mechanical feedback, and the atmospheric immersion. 

Starlight:
Slightly similar to the latter track, “Starlight” serves to comfort the transition, while implementing more of that raw mechanical disarray. As the song progresses, the emotion escalates into an enigmatic arrangement. The chimes compliment the bells, the claps echo, and the body rolls with the beat. An eclipse of the ethereal chorus dislodges the sense of familiarity we had in the beginning, and it becomes an entity of its own. I’m loving how Earmake correlated the tracks as an extension of each other, complimenting this chaotic journey of imaginative space exploration.

Crepuscular Rays:
A piano arrangement in the middle of so much action can be a shock to the system. Dreams Beat as the co-star of this rhythmic epilogue is a serendipitous touch to the ending of this chapter. I’m dazzled by the dimensional co-creation of “Crepuscular Rays” because it’s the perfect ending credits arrangement. Together, the piano and the synth make use of the theme as the space dust settles on our minds. The percussion picks it up a notch, and the orchestral descent slows our heart rate as we listen to the lullaby of the smooth landing.

Immersion to the Unknown:
Earmake’s bonus track reminds me of that final scene after the credits when you get too comfortable with the ending. Y’know the one, when you see the villain survived or there’s another threat to humanity that is hiding in plain sight. There’s an ominous tension surrounding this track, and the drum beats and resounding echoes of steel pipes can’t help but intrigue me. What is the cliffhanger of Cosmic Hero 2, and what lies beneath the barriers of this fantasy? As fans, we’re always left in the dark of whatever stories surround the true meaning behind the music we hear

Cosmic Hero 2 is an incredible album. It plays on the nostalgic themes of 80’s science fiction films, subtle vibes from interstellar shoot-em-ups, complimented by our modern views of the universe, and what resides beyond our imagination. Whether we’re aware or not of what the meaning, direct reference, or obvious inclusion is – there is a level of awareness while listening to this album that resonates deeply with what we’re uncertain of. This album has atmosphere, attitude, and less of the typical, predictable paradox of what synthwave dilutes – a modern class of character that thrives off of the old without drowning out the new. 

Parallels opens with “Regulus”, a track that is distinct in the way that it tames the grit of the main synth into something melodic and beautiful. There is a tone that permeates the track, and to an extent the album as a whole, of the unknown. That mood is perhaps strongest in this opener. A little over a minute in the mood changes a little when the snare comes in like a bomb. Not long after, the entire track becomes more upbeat and that’s where the melody and grooves show the listener what they can expect from the rest of the album.

“I’m the Law” follows, with a unique opening that builds tension. Just when you expect something aggressive to come from it, it opts for something groovy instead. This is in stark contrast to “Between Good and Evil”, easily the most straightforwardly film-score esque track of the bunch. Earmake’s music has been featured on an HBO show previously, and it is hard to believe that will be the last time it pops up in other media. The dynamic tendency where songs don’t always end up where you expect and transform from the beginning is what makes Earmake so distinct, and this track is the best example of that.

The next track, “City Motion” the most unique on the album. Amid a bouncing bass synth is some minimal drum work and vaguely acoustic sounding keys. None of these elements conflict with each other. It would seem on paper that those disparate components wouldn’t work, but Earmake’s mixing and mastering make everything seamless.

The late-album stretch of “Omega”, “The Abyss”, and “Avalanche” is strikingly consistent in quality but varied in execution. “Omega” is similar to “City Motion” in terms of having very distinct drums, but it stands out with the excellent guitar work from Denis Cherryman from BlazerJacket. “The Abyss” clocks in at nearly 7 minutes and is the longest song on the album. It never overstays its welcome, as it spends every second building atmosphere. The entire song is heavy on the emotion despite the minimal composition. “Avalanche” again sees Earmake transforming a track throughout a few short minutes. The upbeat final minute or so of the song is the best part of the entire album.

The album concludes with the sprawling “Sensual (Vapor)”. It has a lot of the perks of “The Abyss”, but executed with less of a focus on minimalism. In its place is probably the moodiest, most atmosphere-heavy song since the opener. Overall, neither the album nor any individual track drags. There’s a real crispness throughout this, and a sense that nothing is wasted. Earmake was obviously on the rise prior to Parallels, but following an album this impressive, it’s hard to imagine that won’t continue.

If you like this album and would like to find out more about Earmake, check out our interview with him here!

This release marks Earmake’s debut with NewRetroWave Records – and for good reason. “Parallels” rides between spacesynth, dreamwave, and darksynth to create vibrant, otherworldy soundscapes. This album has a bit in it for everyone, as the “Parallels” is reference to the duality within our own personalities. The music ranges from the more upbeat “Miami Chase” to the polar opposite ambient track “The Abyss,” and everything in between.

This is a fantastic showcase of Earmake’s wide swath of genre knowledge and shows how multidimensional the artist can truly be. Top Tacks: “Avalanche,” “Sensual,” and “Miami Chase.”

Check out the full album here!