Synthwave – Page 9 – 7th Level Music

Boy Harsher say “Give Me a Reason” with the new single from their upcoming horror film soundtrack.

Today, Boy Harsher, the Northampton-based duo of vocalist/lyricist Jae Matthews and producer Augustus Muller, share “Give Me a Reason” from their new album The Runner (Original Soundtrack)out January 21st, 2022 via Nude Club/City Slang. Following the heavy presence of lead single “Tower,” “Give Me a Reason” finds Boy Harsher leaning into their signature dark pop sound with snappy synths.

“With ‘Give Me a Reason,’ we wanted to write something that encapsulates that feeling of yearning — the way we feel when we catch eyes from across the room. Our music can be flirty and crushable, and it’s fun to play with that,” explains Matthews. Over a steely beat, she intones, “Speak of the devil // and she will appear // afraid of the runner // who draws herself near.” Boy Harsher continue teasing the cinematic universe of The Runner, the short horror film written, produced, and directed by the duo which will be released in January 2022.
Listen to Boy Harsher’s “Give Me a Reason”
Boy Harsher’s fifth release is not a traditional album ⁠— it’s a soundtrack that balances eerie instrumentals with pop songs that push the boundaries of the duo’s sound. In the midst of last year’s chaos and Matthews’ MS diagnosis, Muller started working on moody, cinematic sketches. In Matthews’ period of convalescence, it was uncertain what these pieces would become other than catharsis, but she kept thinking about a sinister character: a woman running through the woods. The duo developed this idea further into The Runner, a film that explores lust, compulsion, and the horrific tendencies of seduction. The movie is intercut with a meta-style “documentary” about Boy Harsher’s recording process. The project is a reconciliation of uncertain times made into sound and moving images. The Runner and its soundtrack are both a return to form and an evolution for the duo.

More information on screenings for The Runner is to come. Following the release of the album and film, Boy Harsher will embark on a North American and European tour — all dates are listed below and tickets are on sale now. The duo also recently collaborated with Møffenzeef Mødular to create a limited edition drone synthesizer called The Runner.
Watch the “Tower” Video

Watch The Runner Trailer

Pre-order The Runner (Original Soundtrack)

Boy Harsher Tour Dates
Thu. Dec. 30, 2021 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle *SOLD OUT*
Fri. Dec. 31, 2021 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle *SOLD OUT*
Sat. Jan. 1, 2022 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle *SOLD OUT*
Thu. Jan. 20, 2022 – Boston, MA @ Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre %
Fri. Jan. 21, 2022 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer %
Sat. Jan. 22, 2022 – Richmond, VA @ The Broadberry %
Sun. Jan. 23, 2022 – Durham, NC @ Motorco %
Mon. Jan. 24, 2022 – Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle %
Tue. Jan. 25, 2022 – Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West %
Wed. Jan. 26, 2022 – Nashville, TN @ High Watt %
Fri. Jan. 28, 2022 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat %
Sat. Jan. 29, 2022 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg % *SOLD OUT*
Sun. Jan. 30, 2022 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg %
Wed. Feb 2, 2022 – Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory %
Thu. Feb. 3, 2022 – Los Angeles, CA @ Belasco Theater (+ film screening) % *SOLD OUT*
Fri. Feb. 4, 2022 – Los Angeles, CA @ Belasco Theater (+ film screening) % *SOLD OUT*
Sat. Feb. 5, 2022 – San Francisco, CA @ Gray Area % *SOLD OUT*
Mon. Feb. 7, 2022 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom %
Tue. Feb. 8, 2022 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom %
Wed. Feb. 9, 2022 – Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre %
Thu. Feb. 10, 2022 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile %
Fri. Feb. 11, 2022 – Olympia, WA @ Capitol Theater %
Mon. Feb. 14, 2022 – Paris, FR @ Cabaret Sauvage (+ film screening @ La Peniche Cinema) ^^
Tue. Feb. 15, 2022 – Nijmegen, NL @ Doornroosje (+ film screening @ Lux Cinema) ^^
Wed. Feb. 16, 2022 – Leipzig, DE @ WERK2 (+ film screening @ UT Connewitz) ^^
Thu. Feb. 17, 2022 – Berlin, DE @ Astra (+ film screening @ Intimes Kino ) ^^
Fri. Feb. 18, 2022 – Frankfurt, DE @ Zoom ^^
Sat. Feb. 19, 2022 – Hasselt, BE @ Muziekodroom (+ film screening @ Zed Cinema) ^^
Sun. Feb. 20, 2022 – London, UK @ Earth (+ film screening @ Rio Cinema) !
Sat. June 4, 2022 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound

% = w/ Hiro Kone
^^ = w/ Kris Baha
! = w/ Helm

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[Thanks to Ahmad at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Review: Brett Naucke – Mirror Ensemble

Chicago’s Brett Naucke teamed up with two other well-respected Chicago musicians, Natalie Chami and Whitney Johnson, to create Mirror Ensemble – an album that combines synthwave, ambient, and even a bit of indie rock to make a meditative gem.

“Vanity Well” gets things off to a mood-altering start, and then “The Glass Shifting” comes in sounding like something from the new Dune film score. The longest track on the album, “A Look That Tells Time,” takes its time to stretch out and let you relax into it with its temple-like bell sounds and lotus flower-drifting-on-a-lazy-river.

“Catch Your Breath,” at a quarter of the previous track’s length, is a short meditation, while “Parallax” is the sound of sunlight shining through a prism. Trust me, you’ll feel this when you hear it. “Rose Water” is equally delightful, while “Sleep with Your Windows Open” is going to become your new favorite song to put on your bedroom speakers this summer. The closer, “Late Century Reflection,” ends the album with slightly up-tempo beats and synths that rise like a flock of birds from the edge of a still lake.

It’s a lovely record, suitable for meditation, making out, or even just walking around the neighborhood.

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[Thanks to Cody at Clandestine PR.]

Review: Cold Beat – War Garden

Named after the gardens people were encouraged to start and tend during World War Two, Cold Beat‘s new album, War Garden, is a lovely collection of synthwave, 1980s pop, and optimism created during the pandemic and written, in part at least, via Zoom.

Opening track, “Mandelbrot Fall,” begins with thick 16-bit video game bass and peppy blips while lead singer Hannah Lew sings “There’s nothing to explain, I’m trying anyway.” That’s basically been my motto for the last month. “SOS” starts off like a sad scene in an episode of Stranger Things, but soon blossoms into a happy skate around the roller rink. “Tumescent Decoy” has bright synths bouncing around lyrics about finding paradise within and within lonely times.

“Weeds” brings in shoegaze guitars that are as dreamy as the lyrics. “See You Again” sums up the band’s (and everyone else’s) feeling during the onset of the pandemic. It has a twinge of sadness to it, but an underlying hopeful vibe as Cold Beat knew they’d eventually reunite in person – or even beyond the void if (when) it came to it. “Arms Reach” is a soft caress while “Year Without a Shadow” is almost an industrial dance club floor-filler.

The synths on “Rubble Ren” are as soothing as a Jacuzzi. Lew’s vocals on “Part the Sea” flow like waves while the synths rise like crests and then splash onto the shore. “Leaves and Branches” is just as uplifting. The album ends with the optimistic “New World” – a track to give us hope as we emerge from our self-imposed exiles.

War Garden is one of the more hopeful albums of 2021. Give it a spin if you need a boost.

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[Thanks to Jacob at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Review: John Carpenter – Lost Themes III: Alive After Death

Recorded and composed with his son, Cody Carpenter, and his godson, Daniel Davies, after releasing the first two Lost Themes albums, touring the country, and re-recording many of his classic movie themes, John Carpenter‘s Lost Themes III: Alive After Death sees the trio exploring more dark themes as well as futuristic ones as they run with full, confident strides.

The title track opens the album with trademark Carpenter synth beats and adds a sharp guitar solo as well. “Weeping Ghost,” the album’s first single, is as creepy as you hope it will be. The bass in it hits like a racing pulse you feel in your neck. “Dripping Blood,” meanwhile, isn’t as creepy as you initially imagine and is quite lovely. “Dead Eyes” is another slow, brooding track, and “Vampire’s Eyes” is appropriately hypnotizing. It starts with brooding synths and then opens its red satin-lined cape to throw out a sinister guitar solo from Davies.

“Cemetery” and “Skeleton” are sharp dark wave cuts blended with krautrock rhythms. “Turning the Bones” is perfect for exploring either a dark catacombs or a dimly lit science laboratory. I’m sure film makers everywhere are clamoring to be the first to buy the rights to use “The Dead Walk” in their upcoming zombie movie. It would also work in a science fiction film, a post-apocalyptic action movie, or the next anime craze. The closing track is “Carpathian Darkness,” which could be the name of a death metal band (and probably is somewhere), and it blends sad piano with even sadder synths and growling guitars that sound like a horrible beast awakening in that darkness.

I love how John Carpenter’s career path has led him to create these albums. Fans of his film work and of dark wave will find much to love here.

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Robin Hatch releases “Mockingbird” from her upcoming album made with a legendary synthesizer.

Toronto-based composer and multi-instrumentalist Robin Hatch has released the new single “Mockingbird” today, a sublime peace floating on spacious synths featuring Nick Thorburn of indie rock staple Islands and The Unicorn on synth and drum machines. The track comes from the upcoming album T.O.N.T.O., out October 29th on Robin Records, which was written and recorded during a 4-day residency on the behemoth synth that the album takes its title from.

Robin describes the equipment used to make the recording, working with Thorburn, and where the track’s title comes from.

“Mockingbird features the Maestro drum machine built into the TONTO synthesizer. I improvised this song on the second day of my residency. The bass line is a study in triggering the envelope filter of its Moog Modular 3 system as the arpeggiator runs to create a wah-pedal type sound reminiscent of Jan Hammer Group or Penguin Cafe Orchestra. The outro has the Yamaha CS80 and features Randy Bachman’s Space Echo pedal. I threw in a VST of a CMI Fairlight to give it an Enya touch in the chorus.”

Besides his prodigal output as an indie frontman, Nick is also a real deal composer and he helped me flesh out this song with an Atari chiptune synth, Roland Jupiter 4, Korg M1, and Compurhythm drum machine.

The title is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the duet by James Taylor and Carly Simon.”

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[Thanks to Jake at Ramp Global.]

E.VAX releases “Karst” ahead of new album due tomorrow.

E.VAX – the project of Ratatat’s Evan Mast – announces his new, self-titled album, out September 17th via Because Music, and today presents a new single/video, “Karst.” Performing as half of Ratatat for more than the last decade, Mast’s music has reached an enormous audience with its bombastic merge of rock and electronic music, as well as through his parallel work as a hip-hop producer for artists such as Kanye West, Kid Cudi, and Jay-Z . His new solo album, E.VAX, is a collection of instrumental songs, dolloped with moments of exploratory dialogue, disembodied moments that are equally disorienting and moving. The throughline between the songs on his new album is not a certain signature sound, but Mast’s feel as a producer. Though one song may lean heavier on snappy drums and another on the coo of an organ, they all share a similar sensibility. The songs are sincere, playful, inviting, curious, and contemplative—all characteristics of Mast himself.

For this album, Mast loosened his attitude towards production, looking to capture some of the excitement of creation. He recorded at home, and then midway through the pandemic he spent time in Montana, recording in a friend’s art gallery. The blank space and isolation after so much studio time in close quarters allowed for a new looseness. He’d play songs at the wrong speed to see how it changed what he heard, or deliberately leave a melody untouched for months and then improvise over it after playing it anew for the first time. Unable to get lost in real life, he got lost in music. “I used to be way more precious,” Mast says about his songwriting. “A lot of this stuff on the record is about trying to skip the brain processes that can get in the way of making something that really feels sincere.”

Following his first offering, “Rabindra,” “Karst” features harp and a vintage drum machine. The accompanying video is made of footage that Mast took in China. “One of my favorite moments over the past few years was riding on a scooter with my brother through a landscape of karst mountains in southern China,” says Mast. “I wanted this track to sound the way that felt. I started recording it in Brooklyn during the most intense part of lockdown last spring, and finished it a few months later in a barn at a friend’s place in Montana.”

The “Karst” video is the second installment in a series of music videos he made for all 12 tracks on the album, shot all around the globe. Made up largely of videos Mast shot while walking around and sewn together so they pan slowly, there is simultaneously a feeling of stillness and motion, which is amplified when you encounter strangers looking at the camera.
Watch E.VAX’s Video for “Karst”

Watch the “Rabindra” Video

Pre-order E.VAX

E.VAX Tracklist
1. Rabindra
2. Karst
3. Always
4. What About You
5. Manila
6. Anything At All
7. Kolkata
8. Pretty Good
9. New Words
10. Little Lung
11. Koko
12. Actual Air

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[Thanks to Jacob at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Mandy, Indiana release Daniel Avery remix of their single “Alien 3.”

Mandy, Indiana (FKA Gary, Indiana) is a Manchester, UK-based trio who combine elements of post-punk, noise, and electronics, emphasizing raw energy and emotion over meticulous composition to create a singular cathartic experience. Earlier this year, they released “Alien 3” via Fire Talk Records. “It begins with a marching band-style beat that intensifies as it progresses, providing an ominous backdrop for frontperson Valentine Caulfield‘s dissociated vocals. Delivered in her native French, Caulfield adds an extra layer of texture to the band’s gnarly sound” (FADER). Today, they present Daniel Avery’s club-ready “Alien 3” remix. “We were overwhelmed to learn that Daniel was a fan of ‘Alien 3’,” says the band. “His music is so unique and inspiring so to have him reinterpret this track was such a joy!“

“A friend told me I should check out Mandy, Indiana – said they were one of the most exciting new bands around and that they would tick all my boxes. Turns out he was right,” adds Daniel Avery. “The band asked if I wanted to try reworking something for the club and I immediately had a feeling something big would come out of it. Turns out I was right.”

Listen to Mandy, Indiana’s “Alien 3” (Daniel Avery Remix)

Mandy, Indiana’s founding members Scott Fair (guitar / production) and Valentine Caulfield (vocals) met through Manchester’s thriving DIY music scene before recently enlisting drummer and percussionist Liam Stewart (percussion). The band create pop music with brutality anchored by the punk poetry style of Caulfield’s vocal delivery. Their music ranges from the warping techno of “Alien 3” to the industrial noise of “Nike of Samothrace ,” songs disparate in nature, but connected by an explosiveness.

More will follow from Mandy, Indiana later this year and all upcoming tour dates are below.

Mandy, Indiana Tour Dates

Fri. Sept. 24 – Bristol, UK @ Klub Loco
Wed. Oct. 20 – Manchester, UK @ YES Basement
Sat. Nov. 20 – Manchester, UK @ White Hotel
Fri. Dec. 3 – Manchester, UK @ YES

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Levitation France announces full 2021 lineup, and it’s a doozy.

The 2021 Levitation France full lineup has been announced, and it’s a great one.

The show will be at an outdoor venue this year to be a bit safer during the tail end of the pandemic. The Friday night shows include sets by The Limiñanas and Mars Red Sky, while Saturday night has sets by Shame, SLIFT, Zombie Zombie, Anika, and Wild Fox.

I’d be at this festival were it not for a nephew’s wedding that same weekend, but you should go in my stead.

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Review: SUUNS – The Witness

Canadian psych-electro rockers SUUNS were tired in 2019. They had been touring almost non-stop since 2010. They needed to slow down, recharge, and refocus, but they didn’t want to stop making music. So, they stopped, or perhaps were forced to stop due to the pandemic, took a breath, and created The Witness.

Opening track “Third Stream” begins the album with a slow, brooding pace, almost like some of Pink Floyd‘s synth-driven psychedelic cuts. The lyrics tell of checking out from the systemic grind and seeking greater things like peace and love. The drop of the echoing guitar and drum beats on it will grab your attention. The title track, with its bumping electro bass and beats, is a song about watching things fall apart around you and avoiding the temptation to fall into the miasma.

The slow, somewhat creepy beat of “C-Thru” is perfect for late night drinks, meditations, or slow dancing with multiple lovers. “Timebender” mixes birdsong with distant guitar riffs and soft beats for an intriguing track about looking beyond the self.

“Release yourself, remove this shroud. What you see when you look around. Clarity so real, don’t change your mind.” Profound lyrics about in “Clarity,” a nice standout in the middle of the record. According to SUUNS, they’ve been working on “The Fix” for about four years and it finally found a home on The Witness. It’s a strange, quirky track with a beat that seems to shift in about five different directions. In other words, it’s kind of cool. “Go to My Head” combines Bossa nova guitar, subdued electronic beats, and simple lyrics about moving on from a finished romance into a nearly six-minute hypnotic therapy session. The album ends with “The Trilogy” – a song that, the band admits, they just sort of let happen once they got into a groove they all enjoyed. How cool is that?

SUUNS have also admitted that The Witness is a stepping stone of them toward different types of material they want to record and different themes they wish to explore. It’s a good start, and it makes you interested in what they’re planning next – as any good album should.

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[Thanks to Patrick from Pitch Perfect PR.]

Review: Mano Le Tough – At the Moment

Recorded in Zurich during the pandemic, Mano Le Tough‘s new album, At the Moment, is a chronicle of him dealing with lockdown while raising a family and adjusting to the reality of not touring, not seeing fans, and having to just be in the moment.

The first words on the album are “On stormy nights, if you start to pray…” The sample is from from a documentary on the remote Irish island of Aran – a place that knows and embraces isolation. “Man of Aran” swells with blips and bloops and has a peaceful quality to it, as does “Empty Room” with its lyrics about listening to bees and learning to be present instead of dwelling on how much we missed everyone in 2020.

The sparse “Snow on Bamboo” leads into the thumping, danceable “Aye Aye Mi Mi.” The smooth lyrics of of “Moment to Change” drift into the dance-synths and bright pop of “Fadó Fadó.” “Pompeii” bumps and thumps with dance floor bass and heavenly synths while the gospel handclaps elevate you higher.

I will never turn down good dub music, and “No Road without a Turn” certainly qualifies. The echoing beats, tinny synths, and heady, thick bass are a great combination. “New / Cycles” has goth touches (creepy synths and slightly industrialized beats) and lyrics like “You hollow me out and fill me in.”

“So Many So Silent” reminds me of Art of Noise tracks with its mixture of synths, warped vocals, bells and xylophones, and echoing dance beats. The acoustic guitar “Short Cuts” eventually dissolves into a dial tone, or perhaps the sound of an old modem…which nicely bridges into the futuristic dance track “Together” to close the album.

At the Moment is an interesting record. It’s difficult to categorize, but I think that’s the point. It’s something Mano Le Tough made in the moment and without much thought to fitting everything into one box. It’s an album made in the present for the present.

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