Synthwave Music Review 2
Synthwave Music Review 2
Lavallette – Wasted Love (feat. Sophia Sorrentino)
Production: Nice, present hi-end and thick bass. More on the crisp end, but very good.
Song: Great arrangement, the hook could perhaps be developed a bit more, but the melodies work. The lyrics are good, and seem to be the out-loud thoughts of a love struck and abandoned woman. While the lyrics are certainly crafted well, I’d like to hear a bit more metaphor and/or specifics… Think Paula Abdul’s “cold hearted snake”. Instrumentation is solid, and the vocal performance is top notch. Do I hear a tinge of an accent there? It’s lovely. Reminds me of Nu Shooz, or similar 80’s artists.
Sam Haynes – Vengeance (witch house vocal) [feat. Jenna Learoyd]
Production: Very well balanced and full-spectrum. I might have tweaked a guitar tone or two differently, but still nice and overall really nice.
Song: Cool track. It’s one of those melancholy yet upbeat tunes. Would be at home in a live band setting and/or on a dancefloor. The vocal is really well done, and serves as a good hook and melody. I might have put a but more into the drop at 1:25, but it still works well within the song. Overall really well done track. The vocal carries a 90’s goth vibe with love and care.
Agent Murphy – Last Transmission
Production: Well balanced and loud. On the heavy side, but still very well done. Thick drums and bass have been achieved.
Song: This instrumental track is pretty easy going and chill, but still carries enough beef for the tough guy/gal. Good bass line and top melodies. The instrumentation and arrangement isn’t the most complex or original, but IMO that’s probably not really necessary here. Good cruising tune, and one that probably exemplifies modern synthwave more than retro artists. Like it a lot!
Death Therapy Cure – (Maybe) Next Year
Production: Good. Not badly mixed, but the mastering is a bit heavy on the top end. Meaning that the high frequencies get harsh if you begin to turn it up too loud. Not terrible by any means, though.
Song: The tune is actually really good. It’s for sure a synth-driven rock track, and has a very modern feel to it. It actually covers a lot of genre space in a coherent, linear way without going overboard in any one direction. Coming in at five minutes, it might need a shorter edit for the radio, but it seems like it would be at home there, or in a live set.
Zak Vortex – Neon Rain (Heart Dies)
Production: Loud and proud. Well balanced and mixed. The timbres used are overall good, and fit well, but could maybe be a bit more “crafted” sounding. The guitar tone in particular could be helped slightly. Overall, good job though.
Song: This instrumental synthwave track is cool, and features a pretty cool part change around 1:40. The samples are also a nice touch, and are well placed. Overall the arrangement is well done. The melodies are pretty simple, but very effective. Kind of weird that musically, this feels like a “feel good” song, but lyrically it’s probably the opposite. That’s actually a win, in my book. Cool track.
Jetfire Prine – They Live to Feed
Production: Loud and well balanced. The mastering is slightly on the crispy side, but is actually pretty even overall. Nice.
Song: This is an instrumental track. Pretty dark and brooding. “Is this darksynth?” I ask as I stand outside and watch a butterfly land on my hand. But instead of a butterfly, I’m given this driving synth track that (honestly) would be a better for 90% of the movies that I’ve seen recently with “synthwave” intro songs. So consider that a win for this artist, who says this is basically a soundtrack for a film that doesn’t exist. Well then, bravo. The main melody here is great, and for sure memorable. I dig it.
Manhatten, The Last Years – Wired to Each Other
Production: Very well done, and nicely balanced and mastered. Heavy bass, yet still retains that clear vocal fidelity and overall top end. Fantastic! Except for the lead guitar tone. It’s kind of harsh… seems like the upper mids got pushed to hard on that one track.
Song: This track features a very well performed male vocal, and is 100% enjoyable. Even if you wanted to nitpick, you kind of can’t on this one. The arrangement and instrumentation is also good, but could maybe be a bit more original. The lyrical hook is definitely cool, but I’d like to hear a bit more variety with the verses. More info about the relationship and “lyrical story” portrayed here might take this song even further.
Lombardo – Slow
Production: Very well balanced and mastered. Thick bass, but the high end and clarity of the vocals and synths is still there. Really nice job!
Song: This is a certified banger. Great work here all around. The female vocal has a hint of an alluring accent, and the harmonies are REALLY well performed. The melodies remind me of the best of the 90’s MTV era. Cool arrangement and synth timbres as well, especially with the arpeggio. The guitar sounds are good too. I might have dialed back the upper mids on the lead guitar tone slightly, but it sits well enough in the mix and isn’t distracting. The drums really hit throughout. The vocals definitely carry this track, and make it A++ tune. I could see this as the main promotional song for just about any big budget movie.
Zajah – Members of Allihoopa
Production: Loud, and decently mixed. The mastering is definitely heavy on the upper frequencies. Nothing terrible, but a bit more crisp sounding.
Song: This track is for sure 80’s influenced, and features a lovely male vocal that reminds the listener of Michael Jackson, Haddaway, or El DeBarge. Really good stuff that you don’t hear a lot of these days. The lead guitar is a nice addition. Overall, the arrangement (IMO) needs a bit of work. There are definitely arrangement choices that are working here, but there are others that do not. Some of the sections could be shortened slightly, and sometimes the instrumentation seems to fight with itself. Hard to say since there are definitely a lot of interesting, original ideas here worth listening to. The arrangement may not be for everyone, but I’d say the melodies and performances stand out and make this a pretty cool track. I’d definitely like to hear more from this artist in the future.
Production: The track is well balanced and mastered. No complaints actually.
Song: Billed as “80’s inspired cinematic Retrowave”, this track certainly delivers. The slow intro and arrangement are crated well and serve the emotions being conveyed. Very dreamy and indeed cinematic. Reminds me of nostalgia, fond memories, and the beach. This will make a great summer jam. Amazing album art as well.
Breadbin – All Those Years Ago
Production: Good mix. The mastering is a bit boomy, but the drums do sound thick and heavy. Not really an issue, and overall sounding fine.
Song: Cool multi-genre instrumental that would fit nicely in any non-vocal synthwave playlist. Lots of cool guitar melodies that indeed invoke the 80’s and “prog” rock bands like Toto, Asia, and Genesis. Very awesome melodic and harmonic ideas that stay true to the retro vibe. Definitely worth checking out. The arrangement here is fine, but overall could stand to use a bit more “wow factor”. Again, nothing deal breaking, but this track might benefit from slightly more nuanced overall “production”. For instance, a slightly more powerful breakdown/bridge section or even a proper guitar solo would go a long way here.
deBLAZQUEZ – Tears in the Rain
Production: Loud and well balanced. More on the “thick” side, but still well mastered.
Song: This is an instrumental synthwave track, that I feel is more modern than retro. Very nice instrumentation choices and arrangement. There is a drop around the 1:04 mark that works well and sets up the rest of the track. There is also a sample in the middle (Alan Watts?) that works well, but probably isn’t even necessary TBH. The mood of the track is industrious (not necessarily industrial), and gives off the vibe that you’re a smart person doing important work. Not even kidding, that’s what this track feels like. But I guess there’s an element of “industrial” here too, lol. It would be a pretty dope club track. Actually, this is amazing.
80tribe – Loud
Production: Not too bad. Starts of okay, but there seems to be some digital distortion on the first arpeggio that comes in. Also, the panning and overall balances could perhaps be worked on a bit more. Seriously though, it’s not terrible, and most of the issues seem to work themselves out when the main beat hits. A better mix would represent this song better, though.
Song: For as much as I am critical of the production, I have to say it’s because this is a pretty kickass song. The rhythm and vocal part is honestly pretty groovy and infectious. The chorus is cool, and has a bit of a “Justice” feel to it. There is a French house thing going on here for sure, but that’s a good thing. There is an unmistakable 80’s influence, but I’d but this more in the camp of “modern” sounding music.
Indigo Night – We’re a Long Way From Home
Production: Loud. Too loud? Bass heavy and slightly harsh, but overall not bad and pretty well balanced.
Song: Instrumental track that seems to venture into EDM territory? Not that I care, genres mean little or nothing to me. Pretty groovy bass line and saw lead. The arrangement is a bit more minimal than other tracks, but that’s not a bad thing here at all. The arrangement, instrumentation, and and timbres seem very crafted, but not overly done. Good tune for intense people to chill out to, in their intense way. Melodically, it sneaks up on you. Very nice.
C-rill – Far Away – GitKlar Remix
Production: Loud, well balanced. A bit heavy on the bass.
Song: This song features a male vocal during the intro. Very well sung. The intro/build is a bit long, but is decently crafted. I would like to head a bit more from the main rhythm “riff”, since the synths seem to just repeat/build on the intro, and there isn’t a big enough shift in melodic content when the beat drops. It’d not bad, it’s just not really as catchy as it could be. Lots of atmospheric samples and disembodied vocalizations. The vocals don’t really return until 4:30 into the song. Not really sure about the arrangement choices on this one, as it clocks in at over eight minutes.