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)

At 1980’s Beginnings in Synthwave / Synthpop

At 1980 is the wonder-duo of England-based Josh Dally and Madrid-based  Adrián Quesada Michelena. Michelena originally started At 1980 because he was born in 1980. He contacted Dally for vocals and the two enjoyed working together so much that they began producing together. Josh Dally is known for his amazing synthpop vocals, and continues to deliver on track after track on “Late Night Calls.” Frequently featured alongside Timecop1983’s wonderfully well-produced synthwave, Dally has also worked with a number of other heavy hitters. He’s been featured on numerous classics like FM84’s “Atlas.” A true powerhouse of synthpop vocals.

From an interview with Retro-Synthwave:
“It started out as my personal project. I was born in 1980, hence the name. I contacted Josh for a vocal performance on a more or less finished track (Now), but we enjoyed working together so much that we decided working on another track (ended up being Have a heart), this time co-writing it. The creative match was further confirmed and we decided to embark on an album project together.” – Adrian Michelena.

Together, they created their first release,  “A Thousand Lives” and instantly became retrowave fan favorites. Fun Fact: At 1980 joined NRW after Ollie Wride introduced them to us. Thanks Ollie! (Read a full interview with Ollie Wride here.)

The Dreamy Synthpop Continues with “Late Night Calls”

Now At 1980 is back with “Late Night Calls“- what shaping up to be another synthwave / synthpop smash hit! Only the first three tracks are available to hear for now until the album drops – ‘Maria,’ ‘California Nights,’ and ‘Caroline.’ These endlessly catchy upbeat synthwave tracks are filled with nostalgic crooning vocals and a huge emphasis on nostalgia. “Late Night Calls”  instantly tugs at your hearstrings, playing them like a wistful instrument of the past. We’re incredibly excited for this release, and we hope the fans are too!

Grab a listen to the “Late Night Calls” singles and purchase physicals Here!

It’s been three long years since Timecop1983’s last full length, with the darker “Night Drive” dropping way back in 2018. Timecop1983, aka Jordy Leenaerts, has definitely been busy, spending a lot of time on tours like the “We Are Dreamers” tour with Arcade High + Korine, and releasing some fantastic singles and collabs – so we’re super stoked to finally get another full album!
(Side note, Arcade High and Korine both have physical merch left from their latest releases, here and here – go grab them before they’re gone, they’re awesome albums!)

Josh Dally is also back in “Faded Touch,” lending his amazing synthpop vocals to almost half the album. Frequently featured alongside Timecop1983’s wonderfully well-produced synth, Dally has also worked with a number of other heavy hitters. He’s been featured on numerous classics like FM84’s “Atlas” and also comprises half of At 1980 as well, who debuted on NRW last year. This dynamic duo are a match made in synth heaven, and they continue to astound in “Faded Touch.”

Dreamwave Written During a Dark Time

All that touring mentioned above was, of course, interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Leenaerts explained in a recent interview with Vinyl Writer Music that he was actually working on his live show when the virus struck. The extra time he found himself with allowed him to work on “Faded Touch,” and perhaps this explains why the album is so emotive, as some of it seems to have been written during that dark time.

As we mentioned before, “Faded Touch” really wears it’s heart on it’s synth. This album feels particularly passionate and profound, even compared to other Timecop1983 albums. That makes perfect sense, considering it was created at least partially during the pandemic lockdowns. The album deals with themes of heartbreak, regret, and perhaps most telling – loneliness. Several tracks on the album directly reference failing or unhealthy relationships, and one track is even simply titled “Alone.”

All of these sentimental themes combine perfectly with the experienced vocals of Dally and some truly top-notch synthwork from Leenaerts, and make for one of the most memorable releases we’ve heard recently. “Faded Touch” is a plaintive mix of synthwave, dreamwave, and synthpop that blends together to form a remarkable release. While we’ve heard tracks about relationships before from Timecop1983, (He has two EP’s titled “Lovers Part 1” and “Lovers Part 2” after all,) I don’t think we’ve heard quite as much hurt before. Something about the nostalgia of the synthwave and dreamwave genres really blends well with these themes, making this album feel very poignant.

But It’s Not All Heartache

But, it isn’t all heartbreak. There are certainly more upbeat anthemic tracks on “Faded Touch” too. Cuts like “One Night” and “Chemical” really help break up some of the wistful elements of the album. The instrumental tracks also deliver well with some very interesting and instantly memorable melodies.

Overall, “Faded Touch” is a beautiful album, partly created during a tumultuous time in history. The album reflects that through the lens of nostalgia and loneliness, creating a sense of lachrymose longing that pairs well with the synthwave aesthetic. We hope it sees a physical release soon! In the meantime, you can download your copy here.