One thing that is for sure is that Kavinsky has definitely cozied up to the Synthwave genre and the love it has given him over the past decade. If anything, Reborn very much feels like the exact comeback album that the Retrowave scene has been wanting to hear from him for all of these years, the very album some may have built a name on by attempting to produce.

The main issue one may address about the album is that whereas past releases helped flesh out a new retro retro aesthetic, Reborn does little if anything to expand this universe further. The steady pace that is maintained throughout most of its 47 minute runtime eventually flattens out the impact of the album’s main singles and further instills the impression of a driver cruising on autopilot. Furthermore, the vocal performances more or less blend together seamlessly whilst not quite living up to the grandeur of Belorgey’s past hit singles. ‘Goodbye’ featuring Sébastien Tellier stands out in its attempt to evoke the raspy, robotic vocal effect of ‘Night Call’, but feels ultimately dwarved by its predecessor.

Ultimately, Reborn stands on firm ground as a tribute to Belorgey’s retrowave legacy, adds a couple of new cuts to your Outrun playlist but doesn’t quite hold the sense of ambition needed to stand out from its peer releases and lead the retrowave sound to new horizons.

Kavinsky Reborn is out now.

Era by Shiruetto

Shiruetto ‘Era’ is out now on bandcamp.

Featuring Prudence (the Dø) and Morgan Phalen (Diamond Nights) on vocals, ‘Zenith’ has been announced as a sequel to the Outrun mega-hit ‘Nightcall’. The track adopts a more contemplate vibe than ‘Renegade‘, with sexy sax licks and wailing synth leads that will take you back to the days of leopard spandex and curly-haired hard-rock ballads.

Kavinsky ‘Reborn’ is out on March 25th via Astralwerks/Record Makers and is available for pre-order.

Now, Sung is back again with his sophomore full-length release, “Monster” – and what an impressive monster it is!

Some have said recently that “synthwave is dead,” but “Monster” to me is a perfect example of why that is untrue. Although admittedly some segments of the synthwave genre have become stale with repeated chord progressions from pretenders to the retro throne, Sung is a perfect example of continued sonic synthwave innovation in the face of oversaturation.

“Monster” is filled with Sung’s meticulously crafted melodies packaged in a new form. Not only has he added some interesting non-pop (finally) vocals reminiscent of a Trevor Something release, he’s also revisited the very roots of synthwave.

Taking a large nod from Danger’s 2017 release “Taiko,” there is a deep cinematic quality that has been crafted for this release. Also here are plenty of nods towards Justice’s French house synth stabs and wide, powerful synths.

However, where other artists sought to infuse French house into their albums in a bid for dancefloor intensity, here Sung has strayed away from house and more perfectly integrated them with a synthwave sound.

Couple that with amazing new melodies that feel familiar – such as in “Menace” – and you have instant nostalgia – not even for the 80s, but the mid-2000’s that birthed the very genre.

Grab a listen to this “Monster” here now!

Power Glove is comprised of the brother-duo Jarome and Joel Harmsworth – who have been releasing high quality synthwave for almost a decade now. Gaining early notoriety in 2010 with the stunning “EP 1,” when the synthwave scene existed within the confines of Myspace, Power Glove went on to produce tracks for the cult classic film “Hobo With a Shotgun” and Ubisoft’s “Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon.” After that they continued on to release EP 2 and another soundtrack.

Now after 4 long years Power Glove is back and better than ever, releasing an absolute bombshell of an album. Every track is expertly produced and mastered, really bringing out the best of what Power Glove has to offer. “Playback” is easily one of the best installments in their entire discography, even edging close to unseating the their historic and seminal “EP 1.”

This album is filled with sonic references to legends like College, Daft Punk, Danger, and Justice, incorporating iconic deep french synths, bass stabs, and bitcrunch effects. This acts to quickly transport the listener back to the 00’s and the very beginnings of retro synthwave as it evolved from French house. “Playback” in short, is a true return to form. The most amazing feat is that in spite of borrowing all of these influences, nothing on this album feels repetitive or derivative – somehow it all remains identifiably Power Glove.

In addition to the titanic influences and iconic sound there are also tracks on this album that feel completely different, with hints of future funk, ambient, and even a touch of pop peppered throughout – though never heavy handed. These tracks really break up the intensity of the full album, giving the listener a break and showing the true breadth of what Power Glove can accomplish as producers. The result is a well-rounded album that pokes at not just the nostalgia of the 80’s – but nostalgia for the advent of retro synth itself.

Check out the full album here:
Playback by Power Glove