SAGITTARIUS V – NewRetroWave – Stay Retro! | Live The 80's Dream! https://newretrowave.com Stay Retro Tue, 23 Jan 2018 23:46:33 +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 SAGITTARIUS V – NewRetroWave – Stay Retro! | Live The 80's Dream! https://newretrowave.com 32 32 2014: Top Ten Newcomers https://newretrowave.com/2014/12/22/wretrowave-com2014122014-top-ten-newcomers-html/ https://newretrowave.com/2014/12/22/wretrowave-com2014122014-top-ten-newcomers-html/#respond Mon, 22 Dec 2014 18:00:00 +0000 http://new-retro-wave.com/2014/12/22/wretrowave-com2014122014-top-ten-newcomers-html/ To cap off a great year for retrowave music, I’ve compiled a
list of ten amazing newcomers to the scene from 2014. While the artists near
the top of this list are personal favorites, and some are more popular than
others, this list isn’t meant to stratify them. It is meant to bring them all
to your attention, for the first time or all over again.
10: Colonizer
Texas- based Colonizer released his debut “Dawn of the
Hunter” in May, and quickly followed up with November’s self-titled work. While
both are quite good, the fun part here is listening for the improvement and
growth between the albums. One of the more enjoyable parts of my work for NRW
is observing the growth of newer artists, and Colonizer did not fail to impress
me. He is one worth keeping an eye on!
9: Android Automatic
Talk about a guy who’s got it figure out. Android Automatic may
have been making and playing music before 2014, but hadn’t released any of it
to us until this year. Upon listening, all I can say is that it perfectly fits
the formula, and that is a compliment, not an insult. AA produces crisp,
unforgivingly precise retrowave, with rich synths and a truly classic ear-feel.
8: Panda P. I.
Here’s someone who’s spent the entire year cranking out good
tunes, and I feel dumb for having overlooked it. Panda P. I. debuted in
January, releasing a few EPs and even featuring on an indie game soundtrack.
Just this month he released his first full-length, “Victim of Technology,”
which is very good. While staying true to form, Panda P.I. plays a little with
the formula and keeps you on your toes while you listen. There is also a
wonderful metamorphosis of style and skill across his work. It is all worth
taking in.
7: Glass Apple Bonzai
Glass Apple Bonzai is certainly something else. Much of
newer retrowave music focuses on the synth and doesn’t primarily feature
singing or lyrics, but Glass Apple Bonzai throws that out the window.  Upon first jumping in and firing up the
self-titled album, my thought was “it’s good that Thomas Dolby and those other guys
have someone to pass the torch to.” And that’s not a bad assessment. It is very
tight music, with attention paid to quality throughout, but the guy has a good
voice, too! Here’s hoping we hear much more from Glass Apple Bonzai in the
future.
6: Mega Corp
Mega Corp has released just a small handful of tracks so
far, but I wanted to feature him for a couple of reasons. One of these is that
he hails from my home state of North Carolina. I believe that makes exactly two
of us out here who are into retrowave. The other is that, while his work is
sparse, it has been good enough that he has been featured in NRW compilations
before. Therefore, you may have heard him. I sincerely hope he gives us more to
hear; as well as having only made a couple of tracks, he also hasn’t made much
about himself known outside of his location. Personally, I’ll be watching this
guy like a hawk. He seems to have a good sense of dramatic buildup in his
music, and also a good ear for blending tones.
5: Dana’s Vision
This Swedish artist is another one who’s done sparse work
but ended up on one or more of our comps. From what little I’ve heard, this is
outrun-style music at its finest. You want to get in your car and count the
white lines down the highway. Dana’s Vision is another one I expect great
things from.
4: Lazerpunk
Lazerpunk, a Hungarian retrowave artist, went ahead and
debuted with a full-length album this past August. Since then he has busted a
few tracks here and there, but I wanted to draw attention to him because he’s
got something else good going for him: He’s very approachable. Many musicians
milk the mysticism of being aloof and hard to reach; not so our Lazerpunk. I
have an interview with him that will be published later on. As far as his
music, it is nice and sharp, with a dark flavor but no lack of energy to it.
“Game Over” is an album worth listening to.
3: Street Cleaner
Also easy to approach and phenomenally talented, Jesse
Bishop aka Street Cleaner was pretty busy during 2014. Starting out in July
with a set of remixes, Street Cleaner kicked ass all through 2014. His current
album, “Payback,” was just recently reviewed by yours truly and was a real
treat. He also has an interview published on our site. Street Cleaner isn’t
screwing around; he’s got his look down, his aesthetic settled on, and he’s got
a solid reputation already despite being new to the scene.
2: Sagittarius V
“Lucidator” was featured on our most recent compilation, and
we all thought it deserved to be; this guy is amazing. Hailing from Belgium,
Sagittarius V snuck out and dropped some bombs on us. 2014 for him included
“Symphonies In Space” and “Renegade,” two excellent short albums with very
different themes. While “Symphonies” seems much more experimental, “Renegade”
fits like a Tetris block into the retrowave aesthetic and is good from front to
back. Sagittarius V is poised to continue impressing us, and I for one hope he
plans to hit us again and again with tracks as great as “Lucidator.”
1: VHS Glitch
Oh, where to start with VHS Glitch. His “Digital Rebirth”
occurred in April and he’s been at it with a fury ever since. He’s appeared on
our comps, we’ve featured his songs on YouTube, and he’s been busy popping out
albums and remixes and just not letting up. 
VHS Glitch shows little sign of slowing down, either: the dude has
finished up 2014 by releasing a set of remixes for free as a gift to his fans.
And to address the music for a moment, it is fare for any 80s soundtrack. If I
flew a spacecraft, this stuff would definitely make the cut for my interstellar
road trip mix tape.

If you’d like a listen, here’s everyone’s Bandcamp page…
VHS Glitch http://vhsglitch.bandcamp.com/
Sagittarius V http://sagittariusvmusic.bandcamp.com/
Street Cleaner http://streetcleaner.bandcamp.com/
Lazerpunk http://lazerpunk.bandcamp.com/
Dana’s Vision http://danasvision.bandcamp.com/
Mega Corp http://megacorp.bandcamp.com/
Glass Apple Bonzai http://glassapplebonzai.bandcamp.com/
Panda P.I. http://pandapi.bandcamp.com/
Android Automatic http://androidautomatic.bandcamp.com/
Colonizer http://colonizer.bandcamp.com/
It’s been a heck of a year, and we’ve got a lot in store for
you in the next one. Happy Holidays to all you retro fans, and we’ll keep
bringing you the best as long as artists like these keep making it!
]]> https://newretrowave.com/2014/12/22/wretrowave-com2014122014-top-ten-newcomers-html/feed/ 0 Top Ten EPs of 2014 https://newretrowave.com/2014/12/22/wretrowave-com201412top-ten-eps-of-2014-html/ https://newretrowave.com/2014/12/22/wretrowave-com201412top-ten-eps-of-2014-html/#respond Mon, 22 Dec 2014 16:07:00 +0000 http://new-retro-wave.com/2014/12/22/wretrowave-com201412top-ten-eps-of-2014-html/  NewRetroWave’s Top Ten EPs of 2014
by Joey Edsall
(@JoeyEdsall)

10. Dynatron – Throttle
Up

My list begins with the first release I reviewed for NRW. I
initially described the release as “confident“, and after months of
listening this still stands.  Throttle Up has a thumping, driving quality
to it that never really lets up.
Twitter
Soundcloud

9. Sagittarius V – Renegade

Sagittarius V’s thematic and dystopian release from September 2014 was one I found myself going back over several times.
Several of the songs balance this line between frantic and calming, a quality
which made this EP a standout.
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8. Midnight Static – Colorwave
No Album Art Available

The undeniably catchy and lo-fi tracks on Midnight Static’s
very recent release feel like they could be New Order demo tapes. Let me be
clear: A lot of the synths on this EP are not pristine and clear. Let me be
clearer: they sound beautiful and it makes this release memorable, unique, and
one of the ten best synthwave EP’s of the year. Oh, and it’s free.
Soundcloud

7. Com Truise – Wave 1 

Moving away from the most obscure on this list to the
closest this list has to “mainstream“, Com Truise released an EP this year, and
it was (unsurprisingly) groovy and awesome. While demonstrating the scene’s
love of certain words (“waves“, in this case, more on that later!), the
releases showcases a lot of funk sensibilities, a trait that I noticed popping
up in a lot of underground electronic releases this year.
Website
Twitter
Facebook

6. Dead Astronauts –  ­Self Titled EP 2.0

If you’re like me and loved Dead
Astronauts’ full length, then you would be happy to know they
have a name your price EP also available on Bandcamp. It is technically a
rerelease of a 2013 EP, but has re-mastered audio and bonus tracks to keep you
more than satisfied. It has everything that made Constellations so memorable and enjoyable.
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5. Josef Kenny – Parallax

Parallax really
emphasizes the ­–lax in this subdued, chill EP. The album is dripping in
analog, being recorded with a slew of synthesizers, guitars, and a drum machine
all into a cassette recorder. While the digital vs. analog debate is…endless,
the EP has an identity all to its own and is refreshingly original from start
to finish. The guitar work in particular in this album is unlike any guitar on
any release this year.
Website
Twitter
Soundcloud

4. Marco Maiole – Pollen­


Marco Maiole’s debut from November has one of my favorite
opening tracks of any release of the year. This is another very funky release
this year, with upbeat and euphoric synths and vocoder laced vocals. The entire
EP feels like the playlist for a dance club that closed when you were too
young, and you spend the rest of your life imagining how much fun it must have
been.

3. Timecop1983 – Waves

Wait a minute… Retrowave artists love Miami and the night.
Miami is in Florida. Florida gets a lot of waves. Retrowave artists really love waves. This website is
called NewRetro….Wave. Illuminati
confirmed! Open your eyes, people!
Nobody does dreamy like Timecop1983. His
absolute skill with setting mood and then refining it with beautiful melodies is what makes me return to his music time and time again. He is
hands down one of the best artists in the scene. This EP has a lot of long
songs, but not one deserves to be skipped.
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2. Arcade High – Heat
Wave

Waves again (shut up, it counts)! The record label
Telefuture has been all over this list with their unique batch of artists. The
titular track features vocals by Morissa Trunzo and its combination of joy and
sine waves is so good that it would find its way into the list on the strength
of that track alone. It is that good.  The reason it is so high up on the list is
because the other tracks on Heat Wave
are all impressive. The EP manages to make you really wish it had twice the
amount of songs it had.
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1. Starcadian – Saturdaze

Another countdown win for Starcadian! Two minutes of Saturdaze opening track, “Ultralove“,
should show you why. Starcadian manage to mix lush pads and retro sounding
synths with high-energy beats and a very Random
Access Memories-esque feel. No release this year left me wanting to dance this
much. The entire EP is gripping and interesting and really unlike anything else
in the scene. It is impossible to listen to it and stay motionless. You find
yourself possessed by Saturdaze.

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]]> https://newretrowave.com/2014/12/22/wretrowave-com201412top-ten-eps-of-2014-html/feed/ 0 SAGITTARIUS V RELEASES HIS FIRST EP! – A MUST LISTEN! https://newretrowave.com/2014/09/15/wretrowave-com201409sagittarius-v-releases-his-first-ep-html/ https://newretrowave.com/2014/09/15/wretrowave-com201409sagittarius-v-releases-his-first-ep-html/#respond Mon, 15 Sep 2014 20:45:00 +0000 http://new-retro-wave.com/2014/09/15/wretrowave-com201409sagittarius-v-releases-his-first-ep-html/ The shadowy figure in the background is a good representation of the surprises lurking in the actual music.

]]> It’s an under-appreciated art to be able to make an album’s cover embody the musical content. I am reviewing Sagittarius V’s music, but the subtleties of the artwork on the new Renegade EP give you a good idea of what to expect. The shadowy figure in the background is a good representation of the surprises lurking in the actual music.

The album opens with a rather simple moog-ish rhythm that is quickly pulsing to vintage beats. Sometimes this sort of pulsating beat/synth combo can be overbearing, but on “Lucidator” it succeeds in creating atmosphere. This EP in general and this track specifically creates a defined atmosphere, one that would prove effective in a film or game score. The melody is catchy, but it is not simple. Parts of it sound as though they were originally written on a guitar or composed by someone who listens to a lot of technical metal. The hi-hat in the quieter section of the song ricochets off of the glassy synth in a really unique and original way. It is a strange and exciting listen that had me replaying the track several times.

The title track is the highpoint and the inclusion of vocals created something special (is that two reviews in a row now where the best track is titled “Renegade”?). The decision to not make the vocals excessively breathy and laden with reverb was a wise one, as the distortion added a borderline dystopian feeling. The song creates very interesting juxtaposition between lighthearted bounciness and a moody urgency.

“The Night” and “Sunrise”, the middle two tracks of the EP, are obvious companion pieces. Of the two, “The Night” is more memorable, with a twinkling synth that feels like a cold night wind in a city. The latter song has a guitar solo that absolutely cuts through the mix. It’s unfortunate that a song with such interesting sections, mainly the solo and the smooth use of guitar on the verse, also winds up being a little underwhelming. It’s definitely an idea that I’d be excited to hear Sagittarius V pursue further in the future.

A song that comes close to the emotion of “Renegade” follows. It has a bit of a rocky start and I was worried the release would prove to be top heavy, but some of the prettiest melodies of the whole batch of songs start finding their way to the front. The song becomes frantic and starts playing around with accelerating and decelerating tempos. It’s definitely the darkest track.

The EP ends with a slower song that manages to match every other song on the album in terms of sheer energy. Sound-bites in songs can come across as cringe worthy at times, but “Standby… Me” sidesteps this with a catchy synth line, surprisingly complex drum pattern, and soaring guitar. I won’t lie, my initial listen had me placing this song as one of the worst on the EP. Subsequent listens really let this song shine. Since this album runs the gamut in terms of emotion, Sagittarius choosing to end the album on a smooth crescendo of hope left me smiling and eager to listen again.

Does this album break new ground as far as the genre is concerned? No. It doesn’t have the most unique synth tones in the world, but the flair and invention is in most of the compositions themselves. This solid collection of songs is not just an enjoyable listen, but an enjoyable re-listen.

– J. EDSALL

<a href=”http://sagittariusvmusic.bandcamp.com/album/renegade”>Renegade by Sagittarius V</a>

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