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)

ev.exi – Forget – Artist: ?

Filmmaker – Somber Realm – Artist: Faunes

Protector 101 – Killbots – Artist: Serhiy Krykun

10. Fixions – Sleepwatcher – Artist: Atomcyber

9. Peter Zimmermann – Vapor Disco – Artists: Riccardo Sabatini & PUNKSY

8. Trevor Something – Escape – Artist: Trevor Something

7. Quixotic – Flamingo Drive In – Artist : Sonny Five

6.Hotel Pools – Constant – Artist: ?

5. Megadrive – 199XAD – Artist: Sean O’Neill

4. Billy Mays Band – Introspection – Artist: Atomcyber

3. Stilz – Hyperspace Drifter 3 – Artist: Atomcyber

2. Simple Circuits – Simple Circuits – Artist: STRNGR

1. Waveshaper – Artifact – Artist: Xurxo G Penalta

Based in Calgary, Canada, Stilz began producing music in the early 00’s, mainly focusing on hip-hop. Then, in 2013 he made the switch to synthwave. His very first Bandcamp release was actually the first installment of “Hyperspace Drifter” back in 2014. (And his later album Judicator one of the first I reviewed for NRW!)

So much has changed since then – including the level of production from Stilz. While his albums have always been good, the past handful of his releases have begun to widen his sound with the addition of a more ambient, full bodied aesthetic and a sharper focus on production. This laser-polished feel is adamantly from the very first moments of “Hyperspace Drifter 3,” quite possibly his most refined sound yet.

An inspired mix of dreamwave, spacewave, and a hint of synthpop, this release also feels a bit more down-tempo than Stilz usual sound. The driving, intense darksynth and cyberpunk motifs have morphed into more of a feeling of dream-like awe and grandiosity. The tracks that are more upbeat have a certain groove and panache, almost bringing to mind a Com Truise-esque instant-classic vibe.

The best part of about the sound on this album is that in spite of ramping up the dreamwave and spacewave tonalities, this sound is still uniquely Stilz. With this caliber of work, we can’t wait to see what he produces next!

Top tracks: “Wavelength,” “Construct,” “Look Beyond,” and “Hyperspace Drifter 3”

Check out the full album here!

Friday afternoons mean one thing – the NRW Weekly Selection. We’re striving to bring you the best of the best.  From outrun to darksynth, we have your weekend covered!
Check out who hit our top spots this week:

Yota – Limelight

Arcade High – Radio (Feat. Slyleaf)

FM Attack – Ultraviolet

L’Avenue – Business Talk

Stilz – Wavelength

10. Junks – Everybody’s Movin’

9. GUNSHIP – Dark All Day (feat. Tim Cappello and Indiana)

8. Stilz – Midnight Dancer

7. NINA – Sleepwalking

6. Deadlife – Hard Bitch

5. Robert Parker – End of the Night (feat. DoubleBoy)

4. Futurecop! – Edge of the Universe (feat. Parallels)

3. Ollie Wride – The Driver (feat. The Night Hour)

2. Indradevi – Idols

1. DJ Ten – Viral Lust (feat. Trevor Something)