rock – NewRetroWave – Stay Retro! | Live The 80's Dream! https://newretrowave.com Stay Retro Thu, 12 May 2022 15:03:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.7 https://newretrowave.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/cropped-10906530_846941002018082_8508920941385779369_n-1-32x32.jpg rock – NewRetroWave – Stay Retro! | Live The 80's Dream! https://newretrowave.com 32 32 LeBrock teams up with Battlejuice on ‘Made of Steel’ https://newretrowave.com/2022/05/13/lebrock-teams-up-with-battlejuice-on-made-of-steel/ https://newretrowave.com/2022/05/13/lebrock-teams-up-with-battlejuice-on-made-of-steel/#respond Fri, 13 May 2022 14:59:32 +0000 https://newretrowave.com/?p=38740 In the mood for some 80s action? Has FiXT Neon got some kick-ass news for you! The undisputed masters of 80s rock anthems LeBrock have teamed up with Battlejuice for a hard-rock single bound to supercharge whatever activity you’ve got in mind into an epic montage scene from a classic action-adventure film. With its high-speed rhythm, chugging riffs and heavy metal vocal hook, ‘Made of Steel’ is just the single you need to get your blood pumping.

Battlejuice & LeBrock’s ‘Made of Steel’ is out now via Bandcamp.

 

]]> https://newretrowave.com/2022/05/13/lebrock-teams-up-with-battlejuice-on-made-of-steel/feed/ 0 William Ryan Key drops new single ‘Brighton’ https://newretrowave.com/2022/01/25/william-ryan-key-drops-new-single-brighton/ https://newretrowave.com/2022/01/25/william-ryan-key-drops-new-single-brighton/#respond Tue, 25 Jan 2022 20:55:09 +0000 https://newretrowave.com/?p=38328 Former Yellowcard frontman and Twitch Streamer Ryan Key is amping up the hype for a 2022 record drop, dropping a second cut from his upcoming Everything Except Desire EP.

Whereas 2021’s ‘Face in a Frame’ reeled us in with its blissful melancholic sounds, ‘Brighton’ keeps us immersed in a deeply intimate mood, where dreampunk-like soundscapes meet heartwrenching hooks. William Ryan Key seems to have embraced a neon-shaded aesthetic, melding synthpop sounds with a lo-fi ambient touch to create a truly distinct sound print of his own, and we can hardly wait to hear what the rest of the record has in store for us.

Everything Except Desire will be released on February 11th, 2022.

]]> https://newretrowave.com/2022/01/25/william-ryan-key-drops-new-single-brighton/feed/ 0 Meteor – White Crows Review https://newretrowave.com/2018/11/05/meteor-white-crows-review/ https://newretrowave.com/2018/11/05/meteor-white-crows-review/#respond Mon, 05 Nov 2018 21:20:24 +0000 https://newretrowave.com/?p=24919 The retro rock synth wizard of darkness, Meteor, has released his fourth all new full-length album, “White Crows!” Hailing from Medellin Columbia, Meteor, aka Jorge Reyes has returned with fantastic bravado in this latest release, pushing the boundaries of his already decent production skills and infusing the Meteor sound with a range of hearty influences.

Meteor’s synthwork has always been good – but with this latest release the ambiance is stepped up a notch, bringing “White Crows” fully into soundtrack territory. Each soundscape is lush – so much so that it is easy to imagine the gritty subterranean cyberpunk environment that the album aims for.

Having played guitar from the young age of 14, Meteor was one of the earlier artists to mix retro rock and synthwave to create an interesting, unique new sound. This rock sound definitely continues in “White Crows,” but it feels more bit mature and groovy than his previous releases – not in line with the heavier metal you usually hear from a darksynth/shredwave release. Instead, Meteor goes the way of a mix of David Gilmour and Mr. Mister – an ambient sort of blues rock-pop that calls to mind 80’s antihero detectives on the search for criminals, and willing to do anything to hunt them down.

This aesthetic fits perfectly with the narrative Meteor explained in a Reddit artist spotlight / AMA, where he revealed that as he produces music he frequently creates a narrative beforehand.  In the AMA he related that he would love to see Meteor in a video series or a graphic novel, and explained a bit about the character he’s created throughout these album releases.

“[Meteor is] … a bad guy who hates the bad guys, he is trying to make justice while committing some injustices. The “White Crows” are some kind of Asian mafia, they usually wear white suits and they are the biggest Meteor enemies. Each song of this new album is a scene of this story.”

All in all, “White Crows” absolutely nails that cyberpunk retro noir. This album feels like a soundtrack for
a film that doesn’t yet exist – expertly blending elements of darksynth, rock and ambient to arrive at a fully mature sound which tells a story in and of itself. There’s a little bit here for everyone and if you’ve enjoyed any of Meteor’s previous releases chances are you’ll love this atmospheric and witty update to his sound!

Top Tracks: “Slow Burn” “Secret Eyes” “Fugitive” and “When the Moon Rises”

White Crows by Meteor

]]> https://newretrowave.com/2018/11/05/meteor-white-crows-review/feed/ 0 KRISTINE – KRISTINE https://newretrowave.com/2015/07/21/kristine-kristine/ https://newretrowave.com/2015/07/21/kristine-kristine/#respond Tue, 21 Jul 2015 17:54:46 +0000 http://new-retro-wave.com/2015/07/21/2015721kristine-kristine/ Lyrically, Kristine is preoccupied with summer love, lovers lost and burning desire. It mixes nicely with the musical arrangements. Musical arrangements are actually more sparsely decorated with synth riffs than you would expect with a lot of guitar present.

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Kristine nurtures a very particular style of sound that exudes confidence, dedication and sophistication. Being one of the few, if not the only female synthwave artist/producers on the scene right now, makes this whole release a special one.

You don’t want to discourage more women taking the helm in front of their synths and mixing panels.

The fact that she plays so many roles – from vocals to playing instruments to producing – gives even more cause for celebration of her presence on the scene.

Lyrically, Kristine is preoccupied with summer love, lovers lost and burning desire. It mixes nicely with the musical arrangements.

Musical arrangements are actually more sparsely decorated with synth riffs than you would expect with a lot of guitar present.

My favorite Kristine tracks are her remixes. Especially that remix of The Deepest Blue by the master himself, Miami Nights 1984 – definitely worth a listen if you already haven’t.

Nonetheless, the album is really finely produced and in that respect, it’s immaculate.

Best enjoyed on your summer holiday where the aural landscape can blend into the palms, sea and sun rays you see around you.

Standout tracks: Rhythm of Love, The Deepest Blue

 

Track by track breakdown

1.       MODERN LOVE

Already released as EP in 2012, this is Kristine’s manifesto in terms of sound and lyrical focus. It’s pure longing mixed with tight production and that epic retro sound.

2.       DANGER

The follow-up “Danger” keeps the BPM in dance territory. Fierce blend of Kristine’s vocals that pack a punch, guitars and synths.

3.       SUMMER LONG GONE

Summer Long Gone. Thank God, not yet. It’s just @kristineoffcial feeling the pain of leaving the summer tryst behind in the 3rd track of the album. One of the few tracks with a more pure synth sound.

4.       RHYTHM OF LOVE

This track has that Latino, Gloria estefan vibe, summery dance number. The really bouncy and rubbery bass really makes the track standout.

5.       RADIO

A whispery retro ballad, Radio is Kristine reminiscing of good times with her beau once again. Guitar-laden, it’s an ultimate Bangles hit that never happened (oh come on you saw that comparison coming ;)).

6.       WILD HEART

Wild Heart is Kristine retreading similar territory, with first listen its hard to tell songs apart, probably get better with each listen. But it’s true, the song is same tempo and key as previous one which could’ve been handled differently.

7.       EVERYBODY

Everybody is the culmination of the stadium rock thread in Kristine’s sound. It’s a perfect encore closing number where the whole arena has the hands clapping and feels the collective climax. Personally, this is not my favorite sound, but stylistically, Kristine shows she’s done her homework.

8.       BURNING FEVER

Great vocals! But I got slightly bored at this point. It is quite similar to couple of songs before. I probably should listen more to lyrics. I can definitely see someone enjoying this more than I did  though.

9.       HEROES

Heroes brings a much needed different feel. Singing in lower register, Kristine sings an ode to everyday heroes in her life (correct me if I’m wrong). The main synth riff is full of longing and pride and really works well.

10.   THE DEEPEST BLUE

The Deepest Blue is the track previously released and really helped put @kristineoffcial on the map. It’s a perfect uptempo summer dance ballad with some nice lyrics that evoke images of palms, sunsets, hand holding and passionate kisses.

11.   SLEEPLESS NIGHTS

This track has more of that romantic feel and Kristine fiercely delivers this torch song with a lot of sensuality. Her vocals shine again in this one.

12.   THE CITY

This tracks is one of the weaker on the album. Piano and sax make an appearance but the overall feel is not as polished as with other tracks.

13.   LAST LEFT STANDING

Kristine rock credo shows again with a long guitar solo. This track can be seen as the end credits of the album where you look back on the trip Kristine took you with a smile on your face. I’d definitely love to see where the next trip takes us.

Overall

3.5/5

COMMUNITY RATINGS

]]> https://newretrowave.com/2015/07/21/kristine-kristine/feed/ 0 LOOKING BACK: WWF IN THE 80s: ROCK & WRESTLING CONNECTION https://newretrowave.com/2014/11/24/wretrowave-com201411looking-back-wwf-in-80s-rock-wrestling-html/ https://newretrowave.com/2014/11/24/wretrowave-com201411looking-back-wwf-in-80s-rock-wrestling-html/#respond Mon, 24 Nov 2014 16:36:00 +0000 http://new-retro-wave.com/2014/11/24/wretrowave-com201411looking-back-wwf-in-80s-rock-wrestling-html/
On January 23rd, 1984, Hulk Hogan pinned the Iron
Sheik to win the WWF (know called WWE) World Championship. This began a
phenomenon lovingly referred to as “Hulkamania.” It also set off one of the
more interesting periods in professional wrestling, and in pop music, which
came to be known as the Rock & Wrestling Connection.
Having inherited the WWF from his ailing father in the early
80s, Vincent K. McMahon was setting out to make wrestling history in a variety
of ways. For those unfamiliar with early pro wrestling, the sport was
controlled and promoted on a regional level prior to the rise of the WWF. These
regions were called “territories.” McMahon’s power base in NYC and his
substantial financial clout enabled him to poach talent from these territories,
eventually eclipsing and subsuming them into his own.
After inheriting his father’s wrestling promotion, McMahon would go on to turn it into a multi-million dollar enterprise.
One critical weapon in this conflict was the insertion of
the WWF into 80s pop culture. Men like Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage became
household names, and this was done in part by making pro wrestling “cool.” By
tying it in with popular music and other cultural fixtures, McMahon made the
WWF name a drawing point in itself, a sum of the colorful characters and
bigger-than-life storylines.
In 1985, Hulk Hogan began hanging around with 80s pop
sensation Cyndi Lauper on televised wrestling. Dave Wolff, Cyndi’s boyfriend
and manager at that time, was a huge fan of pro wrestling growing up, and
helped to engineer the deal with McMahon and the WWF. Prior to this, Wolff had
recruited WWF personality “Captain” Lou Albano to star in Lauper’s video for
“Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” Things were about to heat up, however, and Cyndi’s
involvement in sports entertainment was about to deepen.
Wendi Richter, posing with her manager Cyndi Lauper
For the buildup of the inaugural Wrestlemania event, Lauper
declared that she was managing WWF Women’s Championship contender Wendi
Richter.  At Wrestlemania, Richter
marched to ringside as “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” blared over Madison Square’s
sound system, and beat Fabulous Moolah for the Women’s Title. In addition, she
began “feuding” (the term used within wrestling for a staged, extended rivalry
or conflict) with both Albano and infamous WWF bad guy “Rowdy” Roddy Piper.  A match was even hyped and shown on MTV,
called “The War To Settle The Score,” which also involved Piper’s fellow heels
(wrestling bad guys) Bob Orton Jr. and “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff, as well
as TV celeb Mr. T coming to the aid of Hogan. In his autobiography, Piper
recalls being tempted to hurt Cyndi Lauper for real; it was suggested by an
unnamed WWF employee that “the end of Lauper’s career could be the beginning of
yours.” Piper, however, went easy on Lauper but developed some real-life heat
with Mr. T. The two went on to have an (allegedly) semi-legitimate boxing match
at Wrestlemania II, in which Piper claims (in his autobiography) that his hands
were purposefully misplaced in his gloves so as to handicap him.
Hogan and Mr. T prepare to battle Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. Also pictured is WWF Superstar Jimmy Snuka.
Cyndi Lauper was not the only 80s rocker to make appearances
at WWF events and get involved; the subsequent two ‘Manias had cameos from
famous rock icons as well. At Wrestlemania II, The British Bulldogs, a popular
tag team consisting of Davey Boy Smith and the Dynamite Kid, were joined by not
only Lou Albano but the infamous Ozzy Osbourne. While he refrained from biting
the heads off any small animals, Osbourne did stay ringside with Albano as the
Bulldogs took the Tag Team Titles from the duo of Greg “Hammer” Valentine and
Brutus Beefcake. At the third Wrestlemania, dark rocker Alice Cooper
accompanied Jake “The Snake” Roberts to the ring to confront the Honky Tonk Man
and try (unsuccessfully) to unseat the Elvis-gimmick villain as
Intercontinental Champion.
“BRITISH BULLDOGS FOREVAAAAAAAAAH!!!”

Jake and Alice, pictured with Damian the snake.

Celebrity cameos and involvement at major WWF events would
continue well into the 90s and the modern era, but nothing could hold a candle
to the craziness that was the Rock & Wrestling Connection.  While the WWE is currently very popular, not
to mention a very lucrative company, it owes its initial launch into mainstream
entertainment to the brilliant mix of pop culture and sports entertainment that
took place in the mid to late 80s. It was a formula that made people take
notice, and that put, in wrestling slang, “an ass every eighteen inches.” That
is to say, the tickets sold out and the plan was a success.
]]> https://newretrowave.com/2014/11/24/wretrowave-com201411looking-back-wwf-in-80s-rock-wrestling-html/feed/ 0 FEMMEPOP DELIVERS SOMETHING NEW FOR THE SCENE! https://newretrowave.com/2014/10/03/wretrowave-com201410from-girl-who-never-sleeps-by-femmepop-html/ https://newretrowave.com/2014/10/03/wretrowave-com201410from-girl-who-never-sleeps-by-femmepop-html/#respond Fri, 03 Oct 2014 16:07:00 +0000 http://new-retro-wave.com/2014/10/03/wretrowave-com201410from-girl-who-never-sleeps-by-femmepop-html/
From A girl who never sleeps by Femmepop

I first became familiar with the work of Margaret O’Sullivan aka ‘Femmepop’, when a friend of mine turned me onto her debut EP, entitled ‘Kick’. Released it 2009, it took me back to the alternative rock sounds of the early 90’s and drew some resemblance to the likes of Hole and The Breeders. Even from my first listen, it was immediately evident that O’Sullivan was enormously talented, her abilities as a singer/songstress were unquestionably accomplished from the get go and her songs never faltered in conviction and sincerity from beginning to end.

Following the release of ‘Kick’, Femmepop released a handful of singles, the first being ‘Beautiful Boy’ in 2013, a hooky sugar coated rock song, complete with a dirty guitar riff that wouldn’t sound out of a place at a riot grrrl show. The same year saw Femmepop transition into synth-pop with her single, ‘1983’, shortly followed by the first of 3 back to back collaborative singles, ‘Timescapes’ and ‘Our time’ both with Timecop 1983 and ‘Not that kind’ with Robert Parker.

On September 17th 2014, Femmepop released ‘From a girl who never sleeps’, her debut full length album, of which she wrote, recorded and produced. Mixing and mastering duties on the album were carried out by Gavin Monaghan, of who has previously worked with Babes in Toyland and The Twang. This eleven track gem is a perfect representation of O’Sullivan and she succeeds here in stitching together different sounds and influences, almost as if she were presenting you with a mix-tape. I’ve read a couple of reviews of this album that have highlighted that it sounds uneven in places and that the fusion of guitar and drum songs along with straight up synth songs doesn’t quite work together. I on the other hand believe that this only adds to its overall charm and in return makes for a much more interesting listen. In turn this further showcases O’Sullivan as not a one trick pony but as an artist with versatility. As a whole this record takes us on a nostalgic trip, with an overall tone that is greatly upbeat and hopeful.  As a synth record it delivers with ease and songs like ‘Neon Nights’ and ‘Astrogate’ could hold their own even against some of the retro scenes big hitters. Femmepop’s vocal range is incredible and at times is reminiscent of Madonna, helping cast the mind back to when the self proclaimed Material Girl was making good records. Whether you’re a fan of Femmepop’s guitar sound or her synth sound, the truth is that there’s something here for everyone and I strongly believe things will go from strength to strength for her. If your going to do anything today, swing by her bandcamp page and check it out for yourself. You wont be disappointed.

– Rhys Pearce

]]> https://newretrowave.com/2014/10/03/wretrowave-com201410from-girl-who-never-sleeps-by-femmepop-html/feed/ 0 THIS WEEKS MUST LISTEN IS… https://newretrowave.com/2013/10/23/wretrowave-com201310this-weeks-must-listen-is-html/ https://newretrowave.com/2013/10/23/wretrowave-com201310this-weeks-must-listen-is-html/#respond Wed, 23 Oct 2013 00:29:00 +0000 http://new-retro-wave.com/2013/10/23/wretrowave-com201310this-weeks-must-listen-is-html/
NONE OTHER THAN CRYSTAL.
THIS ALBUM ENTITLED, “COLLECTION” IS PACKED WITH PURE HARD HITTING SYNTH-ROCK AUTHENTIC TO THE 80’s SOUND. BEAUTIFUL MELODIC HARMONIES MATCHED WITH STRAPPING BASS AND CHORD PROGRESSIONS MAKES THIS ALBUM A COMPLETE ENJOYABLE MASTERPIECE.
THIS IS INSPIRATIONAL WORKOUT SYNTHESIZER DRIVEN ROCK MUSIC PEOPLE!! AND IT WAS MADE IN 2013!!
LISTEN UP

SUPPORT
]]> https://newretrowave.com/2013/10/23/wretrowave-com201310this-weeks-must-listen-is-html/feed/ 0 THIS WEEKS DISCOVERY OF THE WEEK… https://newretrowave.com/2013/03/13/wretrowave-com201303this-weeks-discovery-of-week-html/ https://newretrowave.com/2013/03/13/wretrowave-com201303this-weeks-discovery-of-week-html/#respond Wed, 13 Mar 2013 23:29:00 +0000 http://new-retro-wave.com/2013/03/13/wretrowave-com201303this-weeks-discovery-of-week-html/
NOT A LOT OF INFO ON THIS BAND AT ALL. HOPEFULLY WE GET MORE AS WE SEARCH ON THIS BAND!!
BUT THIS IS SIMPLY EPIC!!
Presenting…
ASSIA

😉
]]> https://newretrowave.com/2013/03/13/wretrowave-com201303this-weeks-discovery-of-week-html/feed/ 0 THIS WEEKS FREE DOWNLOAD IS ….. https://newretrowave.com/2012/12/29/wretrowave-com201212this-weeks-free-download-is-html/ https://newretrowave.com/2012/12/29/wretrowave-com201212this-weeks-free-download-is-html/#respond Sat, 29 Dec 2012 00:24:00 +0000 http://new-retro-wave.com/2012/12/29/wretrowave-com201212this-weeks-free-download-is-html/ SWAGBOT
SWAGBOT DROPS HIS 1991 EP –
FREE FOR ALL TO ENJOY!!

LISTEN AND DOWNLOAD HERE


]]> https://newretrowave.com/2012/12/29/wretrowave-com201212this-weeks-free-download-is-html/feed/ 0 THIS WEEKS FEATURED ARTIST IS… https://newretrowave.com/2012/11/29/wretrowave-com201211this-weeks-featured-artist-is-html/ https://newretrowave.com/2012/11/29/wretrowave-com201211this-weeks-featured-artist-is-html/#respond Thu, 29 Nov 2012 01:30:00 +0000 http://new-retro-wave.com/2012/11/29/wretrowave-com201211this-weeks-featured-artist-is-html/
BAD ELECTRIC



ALSO BAD ELECTRIC HAS A NEW SINGLE RELEASED LAST MONTH!



😉
]]> https://newretrowave.com/2012/11/29/wretrowave-com201211this-weeks-featured-artist-is-html/feed/ 0 WHO KNOWS HOW THE B52’S LOOK LIKE NOW?! https://newretrowave.com/2012/11/29/wretrowave-com201211who-knows-how-b52s-look-like-now-html/ https://newretrowave.com/2012/11/29/wretrowave-com201211who-knows-how-b52s-look-like-now-html/#respond Thu, 29 Nov 2012 01:13:00 +0000 http://new-retro-wave.com/2012/11/29/wretrowave-com201211who-knows-how-b52s-look-like-now-html/
HOLY MOLY
BEFORE
AFTER SEVERAL YEARS
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OTHER GUY PEOPLE?!
]]> https://newretrowave.com/2012/11/29/wretrowave-com201211who-knows-how-b52s-look-like-now-html/feed/ 0 THIS WEEKS FEATURED ARTIST IS… https://newretrowave.com/2012/09/18/wretrowave-com201209this-weeks-featured-artists-is-html/ https://newretrowave.com/2012/09/18/wretrowave-com201209this-weeks-featured-artists-is-html/#respond Tue, 18 Sep 2012 00:08:00 +0000 http://new-retro-wave.com/2012/09/18/wretrowave-com201209this-weeks-featured-artists-is-html/
NONE OTHER THAN SWAGBOT!!
CHECK OUT THIS NEW TRACK HE SEND US 
FIREBIRD
FIREBIRD IS NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED…WE CAN TELL YA!! IT HARNESSES A REAL TOUGH AND AGGRESIVE SYNTH-ROCK EDGE WHILE THE BASSLINE STAYS TRUE TO THE ITALO STRUCTURE. SWAGBOT ALSO KEEPS THE PERCUSSION TIGHT WITH CONSTANT KICK TO SNARE RUNS AND SWITCHES!!THIS WILL KEEP YOUR HEAD NODDING FOR A WHILE.

]]> https://newretrowave.com/2012/09/18/wretrowave-com201209this-weeks-featured-artists-is-html/feed/ 0