Synthwave Music Review
Synthwave Music Review
Fury
by Acid Arcade
Effective use of simple timbres. A nice, catchy lead synth hook. The production quality is superb… Very punchy, yet bass-heavy mix. Arpeggios are soothing, if a little understated. Guitar is a nuanced performance, and excellent touch- very disco/French house sounding rhythm work. Nice guitar solo as well. Really catchy chord progression and expert arrangement. Coming in at 3:03, this is a perfect track for any party, set list, or play list. Apprx. 124 BPM.
Charging the Chopper Ray
by Humm Bugg
Apprx BPM 96. At first very minimal, this song evolves into a rhythmic garden of delights. sort of verging on dub or experimental, but it wears it well. This song comes off a bit simplistic at first, but by the end becomes more than a worthwhile listen. This may be due to the production, in part; While the mix and mastering certainly aren’t bad, the synthesizer tones could have been spiced up with a bit of delay or ambiance. At least a little. Also, a few of the timbres are a bit similar to each other, and more variety would probably benefit the mix.
https://hummbugg.bandcamp.com/album/charging-the-chopper-ray
Deadline
by Mindinght Hi-Fi
Strong track. Apprx tempo 136 BPM
Nice, simple tones and timbres. Very strong 16th note bass line. Punchy, yet mostly balanced mastering, with a good mix behind it. Nice stereo separation with the leads and transitional elements. Good hook as well. Musically, the arrangement and melodies are well balanced and are paced out nicely. Great rhythm guitar, though it seems somewhat sampled/quantized. Not necessarily a bad thing. The lead is more organic sounding. Cool guitar harmonies towards the end.
https://open.spotify.com/album/6aqZ7yCm8RpJm40nuAAo64
Something In The Way (Nirvana cover)
by Pneumatic Bomb Rack
Interesting. Mix and production aside, this is actually a very cool take on the classic Nirvana song “something in the way”, which originally appeared on their classic album “Nevermind” in 1991. The arrangement isn’t terrible, but could probably use some more dynamics. Definitely a harsh darkwave vibe. Instrumentally, think “distorted Depeche Mode”. The vocals, very much reminiscent of the best of 80s/90s female “goth” singers, does the perfect job of carrying this tune all the way. The mix needs some help. The vocals need to come up quite a bit. And this is pretty tragic, because the vocals sound awesome (from what I can hear). The mix is quite bass heavy as well. I wonder if maybe there was a monitoring issue. More focus on production, and attention to the vocals (as in harmonies, backing vocals, better mixing, etc.), and this track could be a serious force in the world.
https://pneumaticbombrack.bandcamp.com/track/something-in-the-way
Ascend
by Elevate The Sky
Cool vocal track. Definitely waving the synthwave/pop banner, this would be very much at home if released in 1988. Tempo apprx 140 (half time). The vocals are performed with excellent tone and precision. No issues at all with the voice on display here. I would prefer a bit more melody or “pitch dynamics” in the chorus line, as the melodic hook seems a little static for my tastes, but not to say it’s bad. It’s actually quite attractive. The guitar solo is another story… this has a bit more sauce on it that your typical home-recorded solo, and gets some due praise. Very nice production and mix. I’ll have to revisit this group musical and listen to some more of their material. So far I’m liking what I’m hearing!
https://elevatethesky.bandcamp.com/album/ascend
Immigrant Song (Led Zeppelin cover)
by Romero Synth
I’m honestly setting my standards a bit lower when I see cover songs pop up. Then, something like this pops up… damn, son! Romero Synth pulls off an undeniably bad-ass cover version of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song”. Only 2:36? That seems… well I guess the original is about the same length. The intro to this cover does seem a little pedestrian at first, but when the rhythm drops, it’s as heavy as a lead balloon. Outstanding job.
Last Call
by The Last Concorde
Very strong retro vibes here. Great work on making the mix/master sound authentically vintage, while still keeping it tasteful, pleasant, and well balanced. Nice use of spoken word samples as well. Sometimes, simple stuff is all it takes to build a narrative. Musically, this couldn’t be more simple, but it works. Nice chord progression, and everything else after that falls where it should. Apprx 128 BPM
https://open.spotify.com/album/0ZHuTlY3bg4hAS4KmC2dZb
Lazer Fields
by Black Neon Cult
Very nice mix/mastering job… punch as hell, but still very loud and balanced. Dark, yet smooth vibe on this track. The melody could have a bit more “wow” factor, but it is infectious and definitely grows on you. the arrangement develops into a sort of mid-east, ghostly vibe. The theremin-type sounds kind of throw it off (in my opinion), as they evoke a sci-fi feel on top of the exotic paranormal vibe, but maybe that’s what was intended. It actually kind of works in a mash-up kind of way. While the melody and progression aren’t the most memorable, they do flow nicely with a fantastic mix. Definitely worth a listen, and great variety for any playlist. Apprx 116 BPM
https://open.spotify.com/album/1vwUzhLS0itjrh91HCgNR5
Bloodsport
by Tamanaco
Great! I have a song called “Kumite”, and this guy has one called “Bloodsport”, with a huge graphic of Van Damme as the YouTube graphic. I am instantly excited. Strong bass line. Cool guitar power chords. I do have to say, the production is a bit lacking… but not terribly. I do hear how this would only benefit form some help and more intense engineering on the timbres, and mixing. While the drum sounds and synth patches are well thought out, they need to be processed and leveled a bit more for a perfect mix. With that said, the composition itself is really very good, if not great. Very good attention to arrangement, melody, and overall feel. Very strong retro gaming vibes. This guy even put in some work on the video (nice job!). Check it out. Apprx 88 BPM (double time)
Drive Like Hell
by fever dream
Crisp, punchy mastering. Well balanced mix. The tune itself is also well balanced as far as the arrangement and timbres. Speaking of timbres, synth tones used are typical, yet well done synthwave classics. In addition to perfectly reverberated snares, the delayed JP-8ish tones are retrowave supreme. The hook is not entirely apparent, but the melodic content is well placed. Very dark, goth-club type of vibe here. Would be a great addition to most club nights and party sets. Apprx. 114 BPM
justice son
by son becomes
Very compelling industrial rock. Brings to mind lots of similar music I’d listen to form the early 90’s, but is actually more accessible. More of a modern sound as well, but still hauntingly reminiscent of some great bands like Prick, NIN, and Utah Saints. Mix is good, as is the arrangement and song composition. The vocals are the star here, as the performance gives all the power, range, and nuance you need to really excel at vocals in this genre. Well done, I must say. If I’m being honest, this guy has a better voice than 90% of the singers in the genre (and I REALLY like industrial!). The instrumentation could perhaps evolve a bit more throughout the song, but there’s a whole lot of potential here. Definitely someone I’ll be following.
Apprx 120 BPM
https://soundcloud.com/user-468070631-599019888/son-becomes
Concrete Jungle
by Blake
Apprx 124 BPM. Very well balanced mix and mastering. I might say that a lot, but this is EXPECIALLY well done. The various elements all have a very distinct space in the mix, and the overall sound is huge, crisp, punchy, and cohesive. Now for the actual song! Very good composition, as well. The arrangement, along with the choice of timbre, shows a lot of experience and musical expertise hiding under the hood of this cruiser. The vocals are a welcome addition, but energetically speaking, perhaps take a back seat to the instrumentation. That could just be this track, I’ll have to hear more. Still, the melodies are well delivered and the vocals are more than fitting to the mood. The vibe is dark and brooding. Cool lyrics as well. This is actually a very well done, and professional sounding track. Would make a nice addition to any playlist, club set, or mixtape.
https://purpleblake.bandcamp.com/track/concrete-jungle
S P I R E
by Josh Sonsie
Very tight mastering and mix. Very loud, balanced, and punchy. The song itself is a creative and interesting mix of new and old elements, but undeniably falls into the retro/synth family. Very well executed arrangement and build/drops employed. Some cool melodic and chord choices as well. The guitar is also a bit better than average, with an sincerely fun solo. Very strong rock/metal vibes on this track, at times. All in all, this is definitely worth checking out and/or adding to your personal playlist. Apprx. 68 BPM w/ tempo and double time changes.
https://soundcloud.com/josh-sonsie/spire
MANHUNT
by Cobra 82
This is a fun track. Almost straight away with a big, bulky, BEEFY bass line. This bass line will make you feel like Arnold Schwarzenegger on your way back. Nice melody. Not too subtle, but not too overstated either. Instrumentation and arrangement is also a win here. Not necessarily complex, but more than effective. The chord change towards the last third is a nice change. The mix is huge and bass heavy. Very strong cybernetic, industrial and retro-power vibes on this track. More than a worthy addition to any playlist. Apprx. 100 BPM
Electric Pazuzu
by Midnight Sequencer
Nice synthwave/darkwave type of beat. The timbres used are evocative but maybe a bit standard. The overall production is loud and punchy, though the kick could have been given a bit more space in the mix. The arrangement is good, but perhaps the structure goes a bit on the long side at 7:20. The instrumentation could also be more varied, especially at this length. It does get a bit repetitive, and could use a bit more melody. This track probably needs to be cut down a bit, or another section added. Apprx 124 BPM
https://midnightsequencer.bandcamp.com/track/electric-pazuzu
Focus on Ur Love
by Fitting Graves
This is a really cool and creative track. It manages to occupy that weird space between synth and vapor, and pop. But it does so quite well. The beat starts with an uplifting and infectious chord progression, which is juxtaposed against the haunting “outside” pop vocals. My only real complaint is that the vocals are a bit soft in the mix (for my taste). Strong retro + future vibes. The arrangement and instrumentation is also a win here. Definitely a worthy add to any playlist that values original and interesting “future” sounds. Apprx 100 BPM