Top 10 Retrowave Songs of 2019

10. McRocklin & Hutch – One of Them

9. Michael Oakley – Push It To The Limit

8. FM Attack – Dark Blue Sky

7. Futurecop! – Star (feat. Computer Magic)

6. Kalax – Let Go (feat. Anton Vic)

5. Timecop1983 – My Delorean (feat. Primo)

4. FM-84 – Bend & Break

3. Wayfloe – Fractions (feat. Jessie Frye)

2. SYML – Clean Eyes (The Midnight Remix)

1. Ollie Wride – Back To Life (Official Video)

This festival is going to be jam-packed with some huge names in synth, like Timecop1983, FM Attack, Kalax, Michael Oakley, Dana Jean Pheonix, Mecha Maiko, and Parallels! Also included will be a screening of Turbo Kid featuring Le Matos, as well as retro cocktails, tons of merch and a best-dressed 80’s contest.

Known for spectacular audio, HD Synth visuals, and a Super Light Show, Outland 2019 will be taking place at the famous Mod Club on Saturday July 6. This show is set to be one of the best for a long time, and at just around $40 is incredibly reasonable to see so many jaw-dropping artists!
Grab your tickets here now! 
Let your friends know your coming with the event page here!

Every week on Friday afternoon we will be bringing you five of our favorite recent synth tracks. From outrun to darksynth, we have your weekend covered with our Weekly Selection! Check out our first picks below, in no particular order:

Michael Oakley – Left Behind



Florida Skyline – Turning 10 Again

OSC – Boys on Boards

Boys On Boards by OSC

Master Boot Record – IRC

INTERNET PROTOCOL by MASTER BOOT RECORD

Kalax – Out of Time

With his telltale crisp production and layered synths, the profound Kalax sound is back and in glorious action. With “III,” however, we now have more of a focus on vocals, bringing a new sense of life to the already heartfelt synth tracks. This certainly isn’t the first time Kalax releases have featured vocals – but “III” has by far the most focus on them, making each track reminiscent of The Midnight or Michael Oakley – or Pylot’s latest album “Solai.”

Interestingly, Kalax hasn’t seemed to have performed many of the vocals himself. In keeping with his tradition of collaboration, we hear some fantastic vocals from, Anton Vic, Player One, Kidburn, Future Punk,  Jay Diggs, and Frankmusik – all fantastic artists in their own right. Also in keeping with Kalax tradition this release is entirely indie – self released and self promoted!

Grab a listen here!

10. Molchat Doma – S Krish Nashih Domov

This Molchat Doma sound is a virtuoso mix of Alphaville, New Order and The Cure. almost every track on this album feels iconic in a familiar, but also foreign way. Although it is sung entirely in Slavic, the sad, nostalgic themes still resonate deeply.

9. Kalax – Kalax

A new, enhanced retro feel makes this truly dreamy dreamwave feel much more nostalgic than the previous releases from Kalax – almost wistful at times. The result is an astounding release of synthwave that bears a beautiful cinematic quality like Kavinsky or College.

8. Mega Drive – The Grid

This dark and futuristic album perfectly embodies cyberpunk. The dense, uptempo tracks meld perfectly with ambient features on this album, creating a complete soundscape for some mysterious dystopian city.

7. ALEX & Tokyo Rose – AKUMA

ALEX and Tokyo Rose perfectly compliment one another’s style on this groundbreaking darkwave/outrun album.  In spite of being dark, “Akuma’s” melodies feel more retro than it’s contemporaries, creating a rare form of nostalgia.

6. FM attack – Stellar

While his previous albums drew heavily from disco and had a more upbeat and dance feel, “Stellar” is steeped in postpunk and new wave vibes. This updated sound is unique and fantastic, creating a more wistful and nostalgic feel to the signature FM Attack sound.

5. HOME – Resting State

This interesting album is comprised of an astounding 35 demo tracks. In spite of this, they manage to be just as interesting and full-bodied as much of his more fleshed out work. If these are just demos, we can’t wait to hear whats coming next!

4. Various Artists – Magnatron 2.0

Powerful and dark, this compilation manages to be cohesive in spite of containing 16 very different and monstrously amazing artists.

3. Com Truise – Iteration

“Iteration” signals a tonal shift from Haley’s previous work. It feels more lachrymose and less hard sci-fi than his previous releases. This does not feel arrived at by way of nostalgia but instead from melancholy and heartbreak – a fitting end to a long journey.

2. Dan Terminus – Automated Refrains

This album is one of the darkest, most complex we’ve heard all year. Dan Terminus manages to elicit complex nostalgic melodies and a pitch-perfect retro-futuristic vibe through HEAVY synths – an accomplishment to be lauded. Top it off with a couple lighter, almost ambient tracks and you have a well rounded and well deserved top spot for “Automated Refrains.”

 

1. Lazerhawk – Dreamride

The synthwave demigod has returned in full force. Dreamrider suffuses Lazerhawk’s years of producer expertise and creates a thoroughly complete body of work that is in every way more than the sum of its parts. Lazerhawk’s mastery of the form is undeniable.

Special Mentions

Master Boot Record  – INTERRUPT REQUEST

Meteor – Inner Demon

Kalax is back in a truly grand fashion with his astounding and cinematic self-titled sophomore album.

The Liverpool-based producer has been releasing music for more than three years now, beginning with 2014’s “Outlands EP” and followed by his first LP “Metropolis” in 2015. Each release has been a stepping stone in an evolution of greatness, and, in a truly sophomoric fashion, the self-titled “Kalax” is set to be his best release yet.

His first release, “Outlands,” seemed steeped in science fiction. The synthesizers were clear, crisp, and mixed in way that is reminiscent of a video game soundtrack – uptempo and intense. This intensity gave way to “Metropolis,” which built on these themes but layered in more sounds, giving the release more of an atmosphere.

The fresh self-titled “Kalax” is a magnificent merger of these themes. While the sci-fi tones still titillate in the background, a new highly atmospheric quality has taken center stage. The light and airy, high-quality mastering has multiple layers of depth lends favor to the soundtrack vibe. These new production techniques resolutely cement a clear retro feel into the music.

A new, enhanced retro feel makes this truly dreamy dreamwave feel much more nostalgic than the previous releases from Kalax – almost wistful at times. The result is an astounding release of synthwave that bears a beautiful cinematic quality and can hold it’s own against big name synthwave acts like Kavinsky or College.

Truly, this is not an album to be taken lightly. Alongside Kalax’s amazing mix and master in this album are some stunning sax licks from Miguel Sueiras, intense vocals from World Wild, (which also contributed vocals to Take Me Back, a standout track from “Metropolis”) and an awesome drum mix down from Dream Fiend.

In what may be one of the best releases of the year, “Kalax” shows a new nostalgic side in this self titled album you cannot afford to miss. The standout tracks are “The Ride (Into The Midnight),” “Electric Love,” “Renegade” and finally the amazing “Soaring.”

COMMUNITY RATINGS

“Kalax”

with his album

“Metropolis”.