Filled with fantastic vocals from Dora Pereli and Jaki Nelson, “Just Drive (Part 2)” answers the call of fans clamoring for more after their “Just Drive (Part 1)” earlier this summer. But “Just Drive (Part 2)” doesn’t just give fans more of the same. While Wolf Club retains their signature synthpop / indie rock/ synthwave sound, they mix it up on this album just enough to keep things sounding new and refreshing.

Releasing a two or three-part album is a tricky thing, especially when the releases are only months apart. Many artists who go this route end up releasing more of a collection of 20 tracks than two separate albums, and I’m extremely pleased to hear that each album really does sound and feel different than the other.

Steve Wilcoxson, half of Wolfclub, also related in a recent interview that they tinkered with the idea of making “Just Drive” a trilogy, but now “… I don’t know if that would work, because I think – given the sort of direction of the latest few demos after Part 2 – I’m not entirely sure if it would fit.” They also related that they really tried to turn it up to 11, saying “Most of our songs are usually about escape – which everyone needs at the moment – driving away, great nights, skies, stars. All of that imagery that gets pushed a little further.”

With “Just Drive (Part 2)” we hear a bit of less emphasis on indie rock, and more of an emphasis on the synthwave and electronic sound. However, the album is still grounded soundly in those wonderfully catchy signature pop vocals – “California Days (feat. Dora Pereli)” is probably one of the catchiest tracks we’ve heard all summer!

Laid over the amazing blend of pop and synthwave with a hint of indie rock influence is an incredible twist of nostalgia that only a seasoned retro band like Wolf Club can muster. It gives every track on “Just Drive (Part 2)” a floating, ethereal quality that feels incredibly wistful and instantly memorable.

Just Drive (Part 1) and Just Drive (Part 2) perfectly compliment one another, taking the Wolf Club sound to new heights. We can’t wait to see what’s coming next – though after a double release it’s probably some time away. For now, just make sure you grab a physical release if you want one – because they’re going fast!

Grab a listen here.

The first part in the “Just Drive” series of albums came back in March, and instantly sold out. Wolf Club’s signature blend of synthwave and indie rock just keeps getting better, and “Just Drive (Part 1)” was no exception. Filled to the bring with awesome melodies and catchy pop-rock hooks, fans just can’t seem to get enough!

“This album split me apart in ways I never realized I could. W O L F C L U B has always been able to find the magic behind sadness, love, and so much more outside and in between. I love an album that beckons me to dig deep to my core – and that it did.”
(Read the full album review here!)

Well, shortly after that release, Wolf Club did a series of interviews explaining how “Just Drive” came to be, and also hinting that “Just Drive (Part 2)” was coming just around the corner!

Well, now with the crooning anthemic “Flashbacks (feat. Dora Pereli)” we finally have our first sneak peek at the upcoming “Just Drive (Part 2)!” I’m very pleased to announce that this track is full-on fantastic, continuing the trend of excellent unique music we’ve come to expect from Wolf Club. Although their sound hasn’t changed too much, they continue to deliver high-quality music like almost nothing else in the synthwave scene right now. They really know how to play our heartstrings like an instrument. Something about the blend of indie rock, pop, and synthwave gives the tracks an almost 90’s feeling while still sounding completely retro.

In a previous interview, Steve Wilcoxson, half of Wolf Club, said they even thought about making “Just Drive” a trilogy, but now “… I don’t know if that would work, because I think – given the sort of direction of the latest few demos after Part 2 – I’m not entirely sure if it would fit.” They also related that they’re pushing their sound further than ever before with “Just Drive,” saying “Most of our songs are usually about escape – which everyone needs at the moment – driving away, great nights, skies, stars. All of that imagery that gets pushed a little further.”

Grab a listen to the new single here!

Siamese Youth is a truly righteous duo, comprised of Mark Gritsenko and Christoph Hassel. Although this is only their second full-length album, their experience as musicians is immediately evident. Prior to Siamese Youth, Mark Gritsenko was the lead singer for the German rock back Marakesh, and Christoph Hassel is a seasoned songwriter, having acted as writer and producer for several different acts. The result of this experience is the high production value we hear on “Echoes of Tomorrow,” which almost seems to glisten as you listen.

The Siamese Youth Sound Get’s An Iconic Synthpop Upgrade

This album isn’t just shiny though, it’s better all around. The Siamese Youth sound has definitely had an upgrade, taking the best elements from their debut album “Electric Dreams” and improving on them. The tracks here are much more groovy, and they play with space more as well, with many of the tracks feeling very wide and impressive. “Electric Dreams” had its fair share of amazingly upbeat catchy tracks, but overall it seemed a bit laid back at its core. Siamese Youth have really come out of their shell, and take it to a whole other level in “Echoes of Tomorrow,” with certain tracks like ‘Can I Be Me,’ and ‘Young Nights’ sounding downright iconic.

Don’t get me wrong, “Electric Dreams” is a fantastic album, but “Echoes of Tomorrow” absolutely knocks it out of the park! All of these elements and vocals blend together even more to make an even better release, and the result is absolutely gorgeous, groovy, iconic synthpop and dreampop!

Similar to their debut “Electric Dreams,” “Echoes of Tomorrow” draws on elements of dreamwave, synthwave, and catchy pop vocals. This combination makes for some excellent dreampop, but with “Echoes of tomorrow,” the arrangements are even more upbeat and poppy – and also now infused with some chord progressions seen more in anthemic alt-rock. The additional influence of that stadium busting alt-rock iconic U2 sound plays extremely well with their synthwave and dreamwave roots, elevating it just that much more.

Siamese Youth recently explained a bit more about the transformation to their sound in an interview with The Big Takeover:

“I think our sound has developed a lot. Our approach was to make Echoes Of Tomorrow more mature, stronger and a bit rockier than Electric Dreams…Our first album was very introverted, dreamy and nostalgic. But on Echoes Of Tomorrow we extended the topics we write about a lot…. In many tunes, it was like writing a synthwave song and producing it nearly as a rock song. While our first album was more dreamy and we would even say a bit shy, this one is more of a clear sonic statement.”

“Echoes of Tomorrow” Almost Sold Out!

Overall, this is a truly fantastic album and not one to be missed. If you’re a fan of synthpop acts like The Midnight and Michael Oakley, or enjoy the rock, pop, and synthwave influences from Wolf Club, you will likely absolutely love Siamese Youth’s “Echoes of Tomorrow.”

Sadly, MiniDiscs and cassettes are already sold out – but Vinyl and CDs are still available! But they won’t be for long – grab your copy here today!

“Just Drive (Part 1)” is another delicious blend of the indie rock and retrosynth sound that Wolf Club has become known for. In the past few years, Wolf Club has stolen top spots in our “Top Ten Retrowave Albums of 2018,” and our “Top 10 Retrowave Albums of 2020,” as well as top spots in our “Top 10 Retrowave Tracks of 2020” as well. But the real reason they manage to keep cranking out the hits is their fantastic songwriting ability. Each track from recent albums just seems to be filled with endlessly catchy hooks (from synths and vocalists alike) that fans just can’t wait to get more of.

Soon after our own Interview Editor Robin Ono spoke with Wolf Club a couple weeks ago, they were also interviewed about their latest album by the radio program “BBC Music Introducing” (Skip to 1:29:25 for the interview) and the Daily Express, a national newspaper. (“Just Drive (Part 1)” ) is also the first album in which they’ve used the saxophone since their track “Sunset Drive”… coincidence? Probably.

In both of the interviews, Woflclub revealed some fantastic news for fans: They let it slip that the tentative release date for their 7th album, “Just Drive (Part 2),” is sometime in late summer of this year. According to those interviews, the album is already wrapped up apart from some mastering that might need to be done. Of course, this release date has not been officially confirmed by NRW, so it may be subject to change – but either way, we’re very excited to hear it’s coming relatively soon!

Chris Paul-Martin, half of Wolf Club, also expressed to the Daily Express they have yet another album in the works – although it won’t grace our ears nearly as soon: “…We’ve already got 15, 16 tracks that we’re really, really pleased with [and] are pretty strong…We’ll see how Part 1 goes, see how Part 2 goes. But hopefully maybe summer 2022 we’ll have something ready to go.”

Steve Wilcoxson, the other half of Wolf Club, also related that they tinkered with the idea of making “Just Drive” a trilogy, but now “… I don’t know if that would work, because I think – given the sort of direction of the latest few demos after Part 2 – I’m not entirely sure if it would fit.” They also related that they really tried to turn it up to 11, saying “Most of our songs are usually about escape – which everyone needs at the moment – driving away, great nights, skies, stars. All of that imagery that gets pushed a little further.”

But more on that in a second, let’s talk really quick about this radical EP.

“High Tides” is fantastic enough to stand on it’s own, with some insanely heavy hitting talent behind it. WOLF CLUB, Tonebox, Orax, Robert Parker and a Michael Oakley & Ollie Wride collab!

These sunsoaked synth tracks are funky, upbeat, cinematic, and all-around just GREAT. This is a short release perfect for summer – and one that you can’t miss! Grab a listen here now.

The “Wave Break” retro shooter game from Funktronic Labs looks plays great – a mix of a 3^rd person shooter and Tony Hawks Pro Skater. It’s beautiful too – and filled with enough 80s references for you to shake your arcade sticks at! Check out the trailer below – and download it now from their official page here! 

Slamming into the #6 spot on the iTunes Dance music charts, “Runaways” is a truly beautiful album. Wolf Club has really crafted something fantastic here, expertly blending elements of pop, dreamwave, synthpop, and even indie rock. The end result is their best work since “Infinity” – which hit #2 on our top 10 albums of the year back in 2018.

Filled with an endless string of catchy hooks, huge synths, and beautiful vocals, “Runaways” that will tear at the heartstrings of your childhood. So pop this album on, and go for a cruise down a nostalgic neon cityscape!

Grab a listen here now!

Wolf Club’s perfect combination of retrosynth and vocals makes for a delicious listen, and we can’t wait to devour another track! Good news for us, then, that with the release of both of these singles come the announcement that their next album, “Runaways” is coming up next Friday on May 1st! 

Grab a listen to “All We Live For” Here!

Grab a listen to “Rebels” Here!

“Electify” is particularly interesting, taking a nod from late 2000’s indie rock, with it’s melancholic guitar intro that fades into synth and vocals. The result is a different blend of nostalgia – not for the 80’s but for a more recent time that has only just passed. Many of the vocal cadences are also reminiscent of mid to late 2000’s indie explosion, creating a truly unique and interesting sound that instantly sets themselves apart from other vocal synth acts.

This record is definitely one that needs to be heard – check it out HERE!

10. Robert Parker – End of The Night

Robert Parker never ceases to amaze. This expert blend of nudisco and synthpop hits all the right spots, creating a memorable and cinematic experience that we are sure not to forget anytime soon!

9. Dance with the Dead – Loved to Death

 Dance With The Dead’s most driven, intense album yet – “Loved to Death” is an instant classic. Pealing iconic synths and chugging baselines underscore this album’s immense feat of production.

8. Timecop 1983 Night Drive

This melancholic masterpiece perfectly embodies the aesthetic of driving long, twisting roads at night. A return to form, “Night Drive” is yet another expertly produced album from the one and only Timecop1983.

7. Waveshaper – Lost Shapes

“Lost Shapes” is a collection of B-Sides from Waveshaper. Chock full of early music, ideas for video games, film scores, demos, and more – this fantastic album acts like a time capsule of waveshaper’s unique sound, and it’s fascinating to hear it evolve in real time.

6. ORAX – Tearwave

ORAX tears into the darkwave scene, elevating the dreary genre with his powerful “Tearwave.” Delivering forward thinking melodies, intense sonic textures, and upgraded vocals – this album is truly a moment of progress and expansion.

5. DJ Ten – Trinity

Filling a niche desperately lacking in the synthwave scene, DJ Ten has returned with an intense blend of retro and hip-hop, resulting in some of the most interesting beats we’ve heard all year. This synthesized trip hop breakbeat vaportrap is innovative and perfectly produced.

4. Sung – Fahrenheit

The first full length album from Sung, “Fahrenheit” is simply a modern achievement in synthwave. A true tour de force. Bravo!

3. GUNSHIP – Dark All Day

This much awaited second album from GUNSHIP, “Dark All Day” is a beautiful synthpop experience of from start to finish. Incorporating darksynth aesthetics, GUNSHIP continues to grow.

2. W O L F C L U B – Infinity

W O L F C L U B’s “Infinity” signals a true return to form – really, we have not been able to stop listening to “Tears” all year! A standout example of the New Retro Wave sound.

1. The Midnight – Kids

“Kids” stands above the rest this year – not simply as a musical work, but more importantly as a much needed social commentary. Cutting directly to the heart of what makes nostalgia such a powerful emotion, this album is a lyrical masterpiece.

Honorable Mention –  Sferro – Sferrare (2008​-​2018)

Whether you know it or not – Sferro is likely one of the reasons you listen to synthwave right now. An early adopter of the sound, Sferro was a pioneer, a beautiful producer, and founder of Girlfriend Records. This year he ceased making his wonderful music.

To commemorate his career, Sferrare (2008​-​2018) has been released, featuring rare and unreleased tracks from throughout his career.