Synthwave 2020
A list of notable synthwave albums in 2020
Foreword
This is obviously my opinion. This is only a list of albums I listened to. There's no way in hell this is exhaustive. You're favorite album is probably not on here. Albums that you despise probably made it to this list. Hell, their presence on this list doesn't necessarily mean I thought it was perfect. This is a list of electronic music albums that I enjoyed listening to released in the year 2020. Have fun and enjoy.
The List
Midnight Danger - Chapter 2: Endless Nightmare
Midnight Danger album covers are always goofy. The music, however, is dead serious. It's less metallic than Dance With the Dead, but it rocks just as hard. Just like Dance with the Dead, Midnight Danger locks into a tight groove that brings out the dancer within metalheads. They vary between high energy rockers and low-tempo sinister grooves laced with dark yet catchy melodies in order to maintain interest throughout the album.
Isidor - Red Gem
Isidor never dissapoints. Literally every single one of his albums is a masterpiece. One of my absolute favorite artists. I find "Red Gem" to be comparable to "3218". That's really the only weakness: it feels like Isidor is treading common ground already explored. Of course, there's nothing wrong with finding more to appreciate on known grounds. And "Red Gem" delivers all the jet engine powered rythms and star eyed melodies that where abundant on "3218". This time around, they are a bit on the darker side. Maybe that's just me.
Mega Drive - Sequencer
Probably my favorite on this list and undoubtedly among the very top of synthwave artists I listen to. This album may very well be my favorite of Mega Drive now. The signature labyrinthine melodies that emerge and layer over themselves one-by-one as the song evolves is ever present on this album. Except this time around, they are even darker, more sinister, and morbid as fuck. The vocal sample melodies are particularly creepy. There is no sunlight here. The album ends with what I consider sound collages. I normally don't like that stuff, but Mega Drive pieces it all together to sound like soundtrack to a movie about a guy that traps himself in a digital horror video game. Mega Drive never ceases to amaze me.
Waveshaper - The Disk Collecter
Another artist that never dissappoints. It's just five songs and they are as hip and groovy as anything else he's done. The success of Waveshaper's music lies in playing multiple catchy melodies over funky rythms that anyone can groove to. The space exploration vibes are the cherry on top. "The Disk Collector" adds to this unfailing trend.
Lyde - Rise of the Mega, Titanheart, ShieldMaiden
Lyde is yet another one of my absolute favorites. Every piece of music Lyde touches is composed with a certain passion and desire that's not found anywhere else. Songs like "Rise of the Mega", "Serene", "Underdog", "Gradual Shift", and "Shieldmaiden" are infused with so much determination to express themselves on their own terms and reveal their true power and emotion. Truly incredible stuff.
Orax - Film
Orax has been consistently good. His new album continues that trend. This time around, the music is more laid back and relaxed. It's more chill, if you will. There's a certain gothic undertone throughout each of the songs, though. Whether it's the slower, more deliberate tracks like "Regrets", "Coma", and " Fatal", or the more uptemp ones like "The Hunger", "Protect Me", and "Miriam's Night", there seems to be an air of meloncholy throughout. It's beautifly understated. Of course, not everything is gloomy. "Land of Crosses" and "Ectoplasmic" are groovy rockers. That's why "Film" is worth repeated listens.
Zombie Hyperdrive - Imperium
It's been four years since Zombie Hyperdrive released anything and , my goodness, Imperium is just simply spectacular. Various melodies played through different synth tones and instruments will carry you on a journey through space and time. They are constantly weaving in and out; transporting you to different locations, vistas, and sensations with ease. This manipulation of tones and melodies is what sets them above many artists. Definitely one of my favorites. Also, if I counted correctly, Zombie Hyperdrive wrote a 7/4 time signature for "Nemesis". Impressive.
Fantom 87 - Wilds
This is a different approach for Fantom 87. Usually, there's sort of a space action movie vibe going on about the music. There's no space action here. What we get is a more pleasant and playful set of sounds. Judging from the song and album titles, I get the impressions that this revolves around the exploration of wild nature with a childish wonder. In that respect, the jolly melodies and bouncy rythms succeed. I just wish the album had a few more songs and wasn't frequently interrupted by interludes.
Dance With the Dead - Blackout
It's a three song EP. Every single song on here is spectacular. A perfect blend of heavy metal guitars intertwined with synth melodies atop groovy beats that will make even the most elitist metalhead hit the dance floor. The group knows how long to hold a riff and melody and when to change things up. It never gets boring.
Dan Terminus - Last Call for All Passengers
A different strain of music from Dan Terminus. This sounds less 80's inspired and more 90's action movie soundtrack inspired. I can totally imagine Mortal Kombat fight scenes with this as the background music. It's a lot less melody driven and more texture and rythm driven. Being a melody guy, I don't think I can fully appreciate "Last Call for All Passengers" over "The Wrath of Code". Still, I enjoyed the Mortal Kombat theme song and this is much better than that.
TurboSlash - Speed
The title of this album hints directly at what this is about: fights, gunfire, chase scenes, and babes. Every smooth melody and drum beat is dedicated to action and romance. There's a certain tendency to create these rosy melodies that sort generate a warm sensation of being in a classic action movie. Hero beats the bad guys, saves the day, and gets the girl. Go listen to this.
Fixions - Dark Days
Fixions is very difficult to get into. A first impression might leave the listener to conclude that it's just a barrage of electronic noises with no real direction or purpose. It only starts making sense after repeated listens. One can then tease out the melodies and ryhtmic fluxions amidst the infernal cyberpunk noises. It's not for everybody because it's really aggressive. But those with a patient ear will uncover an album that's rewards you with complex, multilayered, fiery melodies coupled with frequent tempo, rythmic, and timing changes. It produces an infernal world consumed by malevolent technology and societal decay. Constantly churning back and forth between purgatory and damnation.
Ace Buchannon - Eye of the Storm
A toxic cocktail of 80's nostalgia. If you drink this cocktail, you will be infused with optimisim, calmness, confidence, determination, and sexiness. This album is probably closest to the earliest synthwave albums on this list. As synthwave evolves, it slowly detaches itself from the original sound as it introduces new elements from other genres. This is probably best exemplefied by darksynth artists. Fixions, for instance, hardly sounds 80s at all. Ace Buchannon still delivers those nostalgic 80s vibes as introduced at the birth of the genre and manage to provide an enjoyable and fresh take on it.
French Geometry - Phillip, What's the Password?
Of all the albums on this list, this is by far the most obscure one. Not just because French Geometry is a newcomer and unknown artist, but because the music itself is really strange. Not even horror movie soundtracks are this bizarre, which is what must have inspired this. What's on display here are some truly unsettling melodies that strattle between atonal and minor key to give it that eerie sound as if trapped in a creepy dungeon in a space horror movie. What's remarkable is how French Geometry manages to compile much in less than three minutes, complete with melodies, tension build-up and release, and a climax. It's easy to miss. So pay attention.
Deadlife - City of Eternal Rain, Dark Nation
I am actually not a big fan of Deadlife. I will say, however, that I thought "Variations on the Resolve" was excellent and by far my favorite of Deadlife. My beef with his brand of Darksynth is that once a good riff or rythm gets going, it gets interrupted by these warbly, disorienting breakdowns. They kind of remind me of metalcore breakdowns. I generally don't like metalcore and I guess I don't like darksynth breakdowns, either. Unfortunately, the new albums are a return to that style of darksynth. Fortunately, it limits those wacky breakdowns to only a handful. And when they do occur, they're not so disorienting. There's even traces of the style of melody found on "Variations..." found here. Pretty good, overall.
Chaos Vector - Eskhaton
Conclusion
I don't think I can put this list into any sort of ranking. If I had to choose, the top three would be Mega Drive, Lyde, and Zomber Hyperdrive. I don't think I can choose an order beyond that. Every album on this list is worth obtaining and listening to.
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