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)

To top it off, this edition also contains several remixes from the likes of Betamaxx, Anoraak, Maethelvin, Morgan Willis, Glitbiter, and more! At the time of this writing, there is a scant 21 copies left – grab one now before they’re gone!

Parallels is comprised of vocalist Holly Dodson, drummer Cameron Findlay (formerly of Crystal Castles), and Joey Kehoe smashing it up on the synths. “Visionaries” dives into a pensive, disco-influenced electro synthpop sound that was an early influence on the synthwave genre, having been released way back in 2010. Since then they’ve released an EP and album that slapped the charts, and even collaborated with Futurecop!

The Parallels sound has always been intriguing, mixing melancholic and introspective vocals with glistening synth melodies and some truly groovy, driving drums. This sound has truly never sounded so great as with this “(10th Anniversary Edition) remaster of Visionaries.” Many times you can barely even tell the difference on a remaster – but here it is an absolutely inspired update with crystal-clear vox, boosted basslines and a deliciously new highlighted grooves.

The plethora of new remixes from a large swath of heavy-hitting retrosynth artists also gives this release a huge boost. “Visionaries” always felt close to retro synthwave, but still succinctly fell more into the electropop category. With the addition of these truly fantastic remixes, we finally hear the Parallels sound shine with a delicious retro synthwave influence. The two varied sounds meld so perfectly together, it’s easy to imagine what Parallels could have been if they had really focused in on that retro sound.

Overall, “Visionaries (10th Anniversary Edition)” is a wildly fantastic album who’s mix of influences reminds us of the early days of synthwave in the very best of ways. It’s an amazing package of nostalgia – even for the times have have just recently passed. You don’t want to miss this one, and I’ve even grabbed a copy myself. My only wish for this album is that it gets a release on cassette!

Grab a listen to this fantastic remaster and it’s decadent remixes here!

If you’re feeling nostalgic, there are some actual first-edition copies left of “Visionaries” too here!

Top 10 Retrowave Collaborations of 2019

10. DJ Ten & Lost Nights – Creation

9. Wayfloe – Spirit Bomb (feat. Violette Wautier)

8. FacexHugger – Power Unleashed (feat. Street Cleaner)

7. Futurecop! – We Belong (feat. Parallels)

6. Jay Diggs – Ready (feat. JJ Mist)

5. YORU 夜 & Turbo Knight – King And Queen (feat. Polemic Heart & Starquake Synthmaster)

4. Michael Oakley – Now I’m Alive (Feat. Dana Jean Phoenix)

3. NICOLAAS – No Stranger Thing (feat. Lucy Mason)

2. To Live & Die In LA – Remember (Feat. Dana Jean Phoenix)

1. Brandon – She’s on Fire (feat. SJBRAVO)

Saying “Aaron Vehling is brains behind Vehlinggo,” is a vast understatement. As the editor, publisher, senior writer, and podcaster behind the stellar Vehlinggo machine, I imagine him as a sort of multi-armed many-faced deity constantly spinning about like an enlightened dervish, synth music, news, and reviews spewing from his fingertips with righteous retro glee.

The scene owes Vehling a great deal of thanks – and instead he has thanked us with “Vehlinggo Presents – 5 Years,” featuring many fantastic artists like The Midnight, Parallels, Anoraak, Betamaxx, Bunny X, Deadly Avenger, Diamond Field & Dana Jean Phoenix, FM Attack, Forgotten Illusions, Highway Superstar (feat. Zoe Polanski), In Mirrors, Johan Agebjorn (feat. Tom Hooker & remixed by Wolfram), Le Matos, Maethelvin, Mecha Maiko, Metavari, and VHxRR.

The album is fantastic – go listen to it here now!

Friday afternoons mean one thing – the NewRetroWave Weekly Selection.
We’re striving to bring you the best of the best. From outrun to darksynth, we have your weekend covered!

ALEX – Horns

Parallels – The Magic Hour

Tonebox – Hydron (feat. SILVER)

Power Glove – Crypt

Makeup and Vanity Set – No Survivors

Check out the track here!

Tour dates below!

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! 

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!

As if this single weren’t enough – it’s debut has been accompanied by remixes from the fantastic Robert Parker,  Morgan Willis,  LLLL, and Beautiful Machines!

Grab a listen of this cozy single and it’s remixes here – and stay tuned for more news about the upcoming album from Futurecop!