Dana Jean Phoenix - Komplicated (Silent Gloves Remix)

Dana Jean Phoenix and Silent Gloves are a match made in heaven. They both are so rooted in the New, New Wave movement that this is nothing but spectacular from them. Dana Jean's vocals are beautifully nostalgic and you could easily expect to hear her sharing a stage with Martika or so many other talented artists from the 80s.  Silent Gloves has been killing it mixing and remixing so many amazing tracks in this genre and this mix is no different than the quality you've come to expect to hear from him.  Amazing remix. Amazing track.  Want to hear so much music from them.

Lectrolips - Daddy Issues

The synth is brilliant, the lyrical content is brilliant. It's a song that challenges you to begin with but then you sink in and listen to how it all comes together and it's pretty spectacular. UK based group, Lectrolips has never shied away from pushing boundaries with their lyrical content and I think they are amazing for making you step away from the headphones and say, "Wow. I'm honestly glad I heard someone say that in a song".  This is a song about relationships and the pain that can be brought on through the course of one. It's about taking a stand and realizing that you don't have to be taken advantage of and made to fee less than. It's about taking your power back and being your own man in spite of your own self. It's walking away from someone that knows exactly what they can do to hurt you and that's an amazing realization on your own. It takes quite a bit to get to that point sometimes when things are done under the guise of love. I am quite glad that this song exists and I honestly hope that people get to hear it because this one track could give someone the courage to end something that needed to have ended a while ago.

Lectrolips on the Web

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lectrolips/
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/lectrolips/
Twitter: @lectrolips
BandCamp: http://lectrolips.bandcamp.com

Silent Gloves - One for the Money

Silent Gloves is one of the most talented synthwave producers that you've never heard of. He and a handful of other artists are pioneering this genre and creating music that harkens back to a much simpler time. Well a time full of beautiful synth textures and layers.  Synth pop is generally my go to genre because I love everything New Wave. I love the sounds, the ambiance, the overall feeling that music that has been artfully crafted like this gives you. Some people may look at synth pop not as "real music" but I've always considered it much deeper in some aspects because everything has to be created from the ground up. The programming of the track and the placement of the loops borders on an enigmatic puzzle as the producer is putting everything in place to make music.

"One for the Money" is the latest track from Dayton, Ohio based Silent Gloves and it is just an amazingly cool song that you just get lost in. It's funky and cool and fills you with an amazing nostalgia that feels right. Throw the talented Dana Jean Phoenix on vocals into this mix and you've got a delicious gem of a track that makes you feel like you're racing down the pixelated streets of a 16 bit animated action adventure. There aren't many vocalists like Dana Jean encapsulating the retro feel these songs require and she's quickly become the go-to when you need someone to do justice to the lyrics and take the song to a whole new level.

Keep up with Silent Gloves on his Soundcloud for more amazing tracks and remixes.

Midnight Boy - Don't Say No

Sweden is a magical place.  I've talked about it for years as they have a seemingly endless supply of amazing pop stars in the wings.  I don't know if it's the water or the climate but something continues producing these brilliant singers and performers.  In this years Melodifestivalen, which is Sweden's annual competition to determine who goes on to represent the country in Eurovision, Midnight Boy's entry titled, "Don't Say No" unfortunately failed to make it through his semi-final but the song rocketed to the top of the iTunes chart showing the fans really loved what he did.

"Don't Say No" is one part magic, one part excess, and an all out amazing representation of what an homage to the 80's club scene is all about.  At first listen, there's a bit of Dead or Alive but that's not now, nor ever has been a bad thing and I think there's definitely some Pete Burns influence to not only his aesthetic but this song as well.  There's absolutely nothing wrong with paying tribute to a specific artist of a time period and I think that as long as you're honest to the source material, then it stays an homage and doesn't filter over into the realm of parody.  This song has the glitz, the glamour, and the cheekiness level is over-the-top to make sure that it's a proper representation of all things 1980s.

Midnight Boy has an impressive back catalog of tracks as well that prove that he's not simply a flash in the pan.  I feel that his appeal has the ability to move beyond the boundaries of the Retro Future genre because the performance is solid and the production is solid.  The song is built exceptionally well.  It's catchy and gets into you before you know what's hit you.  It's definitely a song that you want to hear in a club being pushed through a massive sound system and I think to hear him perform it live would certainly be a pleasure.  I am going to stick close to him as I think he's going to be a fan favorite across the genre.

Kit - No Mercy (Acoustic)

What blows me away is this man's vocal range and control.  When you have what appears to be 2 distinct vocals coming from the same human being, it's difficult to grasp the complexity without seeing it happen in person. That's exactly what Kit Walters has done in their latest video, he's stripped this song down to it's bare essentials and somehow has taken a song that's full of angst and rage and traded all that in for a sultry, swagger that reeks of sex appeal.  The acoustic version of "No Mercy" hits all the places in your brain that are stimulated by the idea of power and control but it hits them in a much more careful manner.  This time, it's not hardcore violence that's being triggered in the brain, it's something more dark and vivid.  Something primal that we all have hidden deep inside that we only let out when the lights are out and we're all alone but secretly we want to share it with the world.  It's that primal area of the brain the controls the same flight or flight instinct that both versions of this song trigger.  In the original song, you get the aggression that makes you want to rage and take the power back whereas this version of the song, you want the same thing but the manner in which you do it is much more subversive.  You're more controlling and full of dark directives with this version than you would be with the full out version of the song.

Kit Walters knows exactly how to handle his instrument and his fans.  He is giving you all the gateway you need to get hooked on his brand and then he reels you in tighter and tighter.  This quality of pop music doesn't come along very often and when it does it generally flys under the radar for a bit until someone stumbles across it, realizes how it makes them feel and then does something with it.  I guarantee within the next 2 seasons of Teen Wolf or The Vampire Diaries, you will hear Kit on the soundtrack and it'll catch the world off guard but those of us in the know will be standing there waiting to tell the world, "I told you so".

Crozet - I'm On Fire (Bruce Springsteen Cover)

I really feel like someone out there is doing great things specifically for me because "I'm on Fire" is my absolute favorite Bruce Springsteen single and now there have been 2 bands in the past 2 months that have covered it and put their own stamp on it.  This track is by the New Jersey, synth group Crozet which I am not exceptionally familiar with but am going to be doing a lot of research into in the next few days.



What they've done on this track is take something that had an initial melancholia to it and punch it up with their use of upbeat synth and that saxophone.  If you want my attention, throw a sax into a song and you've won me heart and soul.  The vocal isn't as potentially creepy as The Boss' version because his could come across as a bit aggressive.  Crozet's version is much easier as a whole and has less of an unchecked longing that could lead to a restraining order in it.  There's still an ache of loneliness that is built into the track but that comes with the territory.

I mean how many times in your life have you been left with just an overwhelming sense of need because you care about someone that much?  I think it's a normal feeling when you want to be with someone to need them in your life.  This track fully encapsulates that in a pretty incredible way.

Crozet on the Web

http://www.synthrecords.com/crozet/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wearecrozet
Twiter: @WeAreCrozet
Tumblr: http://wearecrozet.tumblr.com/
BandCamp: https://crozet.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/crozetmusic
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/WeAreCrozet

Graingerboy - Silent Universe (Track-by-Track)

Simon Grainger, aka Graingerboy, is by far one of my favorite independent artists that you don't know.  He's released an EP titled, "Silent Universe" and it's one of the best indie releases I've heard in a long time.  There's a sense of ease that a lot of music is missing these days.  Even though this album would be considered electronica or EDM, the production of each track is very organic and nothing is overproduced.  It all falls together effortlessly as one beautiful collection.

It's almost like this EP serves as a sampler of what Simon can do.  Each track stands on their own within their own carved out niche in the genre and could easily be released as a mainstream radio play ready single but when you put them all together, they make this incredible product that shows off all the best that Simon has to give.

The EP kicks off with "Cheaper Than a Taxi Home", a banger of a track with a this really cool static bass line that just drives the track forward with this clear purpose and reasoning.  The vocals ride on top of it without ever being over taken or trampled on.  It's a fantastic opener to the album and sets the mood for what's to come.

"Trainsurfing" is a bit dark and melancholic that draws you into the images that he's painting.  His voice is just so subtle and the track is a bit thick like syrup and it just pulls you along like a lazy river.  You never feel rushed or hurried; you'll get to where you need to go on your own time and he's just walking beside you the entire time.

Sticking with a dreamy, easy sound "Summersend", makes you want to put the top down on your classic Mustang and drive on a Sunday afternoon with the breeze blowing in your hair.  The ambiance and touch of ambivalence on this track come together to build into this kind of mournful song that makes you think of the hurried romances that have to end when the summer ends and you have to go back to your life.  There wasn't anything before and there won't be anything after so you're pleased with the experience but you are left with a bit of a sting as things have fallen apart.

My favorite track on the album is "Flying Solo" because of how beautifully he's channeled all the greatness of the New Romantics into three minutes and eight seconds of pure synth pop heaven.  I cannot get enough of this song.  The beginning of the second verse:

"We were sitting down / at some bar in town / talking baby talk talk / with your head held against my chest"

makes me swoon so hard.  This simple progression of lyrics, the way he's written them and how he delivers them makes me so hopeful for romance and love but I can hear how guarded they are at the same time.  You have an idea of how this relationship was the absolute best and worst of it all at once.

"Be Forever" continues with this idea of taking the synth of  the past and making it into something new.  It's still got this fantastic retro feel but it's also very forward thinking so that it takes on this whole new idea of thoughts and feelings being presented in a very fresh way.  It's not a pushy track and makes no demands on you that you aren't willing to oblige.  You just dance along with it in your seat.

And the last track, "Vintage" closes the EP out in the best possible ways.  It's a stand up track that fully melds this idea of Retro New Wave in a way that you are very familiar with the building blocks and how it's built but there are still surprises to be had.  It makes me think of what David Gahan would sound like if he was happier every now and then.  It fits beautifully somewhere between Erasure and Depeche Mode but it's new and inventive.

Simon Grainger has a way of crafting music that challenges your ideas of what is synth pop and how retro is new again and never once does it come across as trite or tired.  It's exciting and fresh and could easily be played on the radio now.  Give him some social media love or buy this EP because it's that good.

Graingerboy on the Web

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/graingerboy
Twitter: @graingerboy
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/graingerboy
Amazon: Graingerboy's Store

Magic Man - Out of Mind

Not going to do a whole lot of talking about this other than to say that Magic Man is simply one of the best Indie Pop bands around. They are constantly evolving and adding new influences to their sound to show how incredibly mature they're overall understanding of their music and their art is.  This is the lead single off their new album, "Before The Waves", that will be out in July.  It's an amazingly summery song with a strong bass line and superb synths that just make it soar.  Being around artists like Walk the Moon and Young The Giant has certainly rubbed off on their music and it's for the better. 

FemmePop - Not That Kind

On the frontlines of the New Wave revolution is Irish songstress, Femmepop aka Margaret O'Sullivan.  She is already making a name for herself in the synthpop community and when the songs are as good as this one, there's no doubt this is right where she should be.  If you were to compare her to other vocalists in the genre, she is going to stand out heads above the rest because of the sheer volume of emotion she is able to pour into her music.  So much of the music in this movement sounds soulless and just mass produced.  This song is not one of them.  There is a soulful resonance that takes this song and elevates it to new heights.  Robert Parker built a track that just floats right beside her, never taking over - never overpowering her performance.  It's a beautifully done song and I think it's easily one of my favorites this month, probably this year so far.

After you get through being astounded to how the track sounds, you sit back and pay attention to the lyrics and what she's actually saying.  It's a break up song.  It's honestly one of the most heartfelt break up songs I've heard.  You can tell that there was something to lose but she just couldn't stand there and take it anymore so she made the difficult choice to walk away from the life they'd built together.  You have to do what's right for you even when it's the hardest choice to make.

Femmepop on the Web

http://femmepop.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Femmepop
Twitter: @femmepop
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/femmepop
ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/femmepop

Highway Superstar - Take My Time

The New Wave Revival is in full swing and there are droves of artists creating amazing music every day.  What's mind boggling is most of the producers and artists that are making this 80s inspired music were either not alive in the 1980s or they were small children.  So to think they have fully tapped into the overall feeling and vibe of what made music in the 80s so brilliant is genius.  They have created a place where nostalgia meets a whole new generation of consumers.  The influences are pulled from all over the map to meld into this new melting pot of music.  Whether it's pulling from the British New Wave invasion or the Miami Freestyle scene, there are artists for everyone and tracks that run the gamut from sheer fun and enjoyment to tracks that simply tap into every bit of emotion you have to give.   As trends cycle back through, this movement hit at the right time to be fully receptive to a whole new audience while bringing back old listeners too.

At the end of December, Alex Karlinsky better known as Highway Superstar released "Take My Time", his first album on Rosso Corsa Records and it's one hell of an album.  10 tracks of pure New Wave realness.  There's a mix of instrumental tracks and tracks with vocals and each song is an incredible piece of the whole.  Guest vocals provided by Dana Jean Phoenix, Chris Page and Who Ha give this album so much more volume and depth.  Alex knew exactly what he was doing when he tapped these three super talented vocalists.



What makes the instrumental tracks genius is the fact that each one of the songs tells it's own story.  They all have a beginning, a middle and an end.  They are brilliant on their own and when you pull them together as an album, what Alex has pulled together is nothing short of magic.  The instrumentation sounds like it was created in the 80s and then brought forward in time to create this album.  The way that each track was painstakingly put together is nothing more than a labor of love and you can hear it with each synth or drum machine hit.  "Dialtones" is a very special song and it has it's own movie playing in my head.  That's what each of these songs have done.  I can hear them in something from the time period or I have written something around them that puts them in the 80s.  I think music that can do that, cause you to think and to reach inside yourself and become something with it.

The tracks with vocals are nothing short of amazing.  As I said, the choice of singers was spot on as their styles and their voices are perfectly suited for this type of music.  What Alex has done that defies logic are his choruses.  They are so good.  I mean, like some of the best I've ever heard.  It's like he created these amazing choruses then wrapped the songs around them and they became these tracks that were bigger than themselves.  When you have Dana Jean Phoenix and Chris Page come together on "Take My Time" , it's magic.  They were born to sing together.  If this is his first real foray into this genre, I cannot wait to see what he has in store with future releases.  It's every aspect of amazing 80s nostalgia poured into one amazing piece of media.  I cannot speak highly enough about this producer. 

I'll preach this until I'm blue in the face.  Go buy the album.  On BandCamp, on Amazon or iTunes.  Support the independent artists because they are the ones that are making the music that we need to hear and we aren't getting to hear it because they are being drowned out by machined pop.  Don't be a dick and steal it.  Support indie artists.

Highway Superstar on the Web
http://www.highwaysuperstar.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HighwaySuperstar
Twitter: @highwaysuperstr
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/highwaysuperstar
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/highwaysuperstartv
BandCamp: http://highwaysuperstar.bandcamp.com/

Meet Father Tiger

Every so often, the stars are aligned and you are at the right place and time for something incredible.  In this case, I was ready to bring one of the most amazing bands into my life.  Now I know how corny that sounds but I when music is as big of a part of your life as it is mine, milestones can absolutely be measured in albums and artists.  There is an amazing New Wave revival happening right now and there are so many bands that are making incredible synth pop that will have a place in the music pantheon for years and years to come.  A band that has carved out a place in history is Father Tiger, an LA based band made up of Greg Delson and John Russell.  Not only do they create amazing synths and beats and melodies but the lyrics that are written are absolutely amazingly heartfelt and earnest.  Not one lyric sounds forced or out of place and when you listen to the songs you can tell that every song is painstakingly crafted and worked until perfect.  They've released 4 albums, one of which are some of the most amazing covers I've ever heard.  Greg's voice has the ability to take the simplest turn of phrase and inject so much emotion that you have to stop for a minute and just let everything process.  I am in awe at the level of talent these two men have and how effortless everything sounds.  People have drawn references to so many other artists, Pet Shop Boys, Erasure, Information Society and more but when it comes down to it; Greg and Russell are their own men and have created their own sound.  You can hear beat that makes you say, oh...that sounds like... but it's nothing more than paying reverence to those artists that came before.  I don't think they sound like any of those artists directly.

Their subject matter runs that gamut from first love to saying goodbye and everything in between.  The tracks range from upbeat that will have you dancing at first listen but when you go back and listen to them again, it's the intelligence and thoughtfulness that they've written into the tracks that give them staying power.  But then there are amazingly beautiful ballads and songs that speak to the human condition and the heart.  They've got two albums that are as different as Summer and Winter cleverly, the tracks mirror those seasons.

Vernal Equinox is fun and happy like the spring.  It's new and it's fresh like the world walking up again for another year.  But don't be deceived because the songwriting shines through the amazing brass and percussion.   These tracks just make you feel good all over and the come to a head with "First Love", a gorgeous song about that first time you know. No doubt in your mind, you just know.  But like all first loves, it comes to an end.  You look back at it realize how much work you put into it and see where you are at today and it kind of leads right into Winter Solstice.



Winter Solstice is a little bit heavier, a little darker.  The songs blow in like fresh snow and tend to be a little more on the melancholy side of the heart.  It's the necessary dichotomy that makes these albums coalesce in a perfect balance.  I have to say, this is my favorite of the albums right now because I am more able to relate to the feelings these songs bring up.  But don't think this album can't bring the heat.  It opens up with the gospel.  "Head Hung Low" will take you straight to church and make you testify.  I have to say that my favorite of all the tracks that have been released is "Still With Me".  It hits very close to home and I know exactly how the character in the song feels.  I identify with the song more than I have any song in a long time.  The way the chorus just comes out of nowhere and is just aggressive gives it so much of an edge.  "Done" is another gorgeous track.  The lyrics are just stunning.  The song is amazing.

E.P 1 and Summer Solstice are also beautiful albums and stand on their own merits and have tracks like "Right Now", "Shell", one of the most amazing covers of  "Set Fire to the Rain" I have ever heard.  I bought these albums last week and I've not stopped listening to them since.  It's very easy to see how they are going to stay in heavy rotation for a long time.  The only thing I'm sad about is that "High Road" isn't available for purchase.  Listen to that track, it's incredible - the demo and the acoustic version.  They've also generously donated proceeds from the purchase of their tracks, "First Love" and "Right Now" to Marriage Equality so that one day, we all can have the same protections under the law.

Go listen to their music. Go to their shows.  Buy their merch.  Go buy their music.  Support independent artists so they can keep making music.

Father Tiger on the Web
http://www.fathertiger.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fathertiger
Twitter: @FatherTigerSays
Youtube: http://youtube.com/fathertiger
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/fathertiger

Tumblr: http://fathertiger.tumblr.com

Kim Smith - Nova

It's not often that I am taken completely off guard by an album.  For that matter, it's even less frequent that I am at a loss for words over an artist, but Australian superstar Kim Smith has left me gobsmacked.  Kim is best known as a cabaret singer and with the release of Nova, he has stepped into the world of pop music and done so in a massive way.  He has this demeanor about his performance, a certain way his vocal expression is done that elevates this album to so much more than a simple pop album.  Staying true to his cabaret roots, he has easily injected a flair for the dramatic into every carefully placed lyric.  His delivery is classier than your standard recording artist and that sets him apart from so many other vocalists.  Between the production and his stylings, it's easy to see how this pop album could create a genre all it's own. One that I will call "Cabaret-Synth".

International producer, Måns Ek has taken special care to create an incredibly tight sound for Kim to work with and both parts of this equation work in tandem to accentuate each other.  Måns has an ability to take the very best sound and use it to enhance every subtle nuance of Kim's performance and vice versa.  The vocal track works wonders as an instrument in it's own right bringing out the best in the track.  Each of the eleven songs on the album are all unique in their execution but the common thread that brings them all together cohesively is an overall sense of change and how that effects us.  From losing someone important to growing and learning about ourselves, the themes of the tracks allow the listener to actively take part in journey.

The uptempo tracks will have you moving in a matter of minutes while the ballads and torch songs are a perfect counterbalance to help flesh out the album. "Never Ever" and "Jealous" don't really come through on the first time because you have to bounce along through them the first time, but it's the second, third and sixth time through that you listen to the lyrics and say, "Damn."  It's an incredibly easy album to just get swept up into and before you know it, it's cycled back to the beginning and you're listening to it again.  It has no pretense and doesn't demand anything from the listener aside from a little bit of time.  You don't have to skip tracks because there aren't any low points in the album.  The track order helps with the flow by giving the album an organic feel.  Natural peaks and valleys allow you to just sit back and let the music take you where you need to go.

I enjoy every track but for some reason, "Cheap" strikes a chord with me and just sits heavy in my belly.  It's a song that you don't want to let go of.  I think we have echoed the same sentiment at one point in life and maybe that's why it rings so true.  "With Me All Along" and "These Tiny Little Things" are also very meaty in their execution and I can just close my eyes and see the stories play out in my mind.  I see a lot of emoting and big arm movements.  Songs that Mia Michaels could choreograph an Emmy winning contemporary dance number to.

Kim on the Web

www.kimdavidsmith.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialkimsmith
Twitter:  @KimDavidSmith

Amelia's Fault (feat Color Theory) - Colder

All things synth is the best way to go in my book.  Because the genre is so varied, it's nearly impossible to not find something that will immediately key into your current state of being.  Some artists  put out super poppy songs that you want to listen to when your saccharine levels aren't high enough and there are artists that need to hit you in that dark and moody spot.  That's where Amelia's Fault is going to get you.  In that spot when you've been overtaken by melancholy and you just want to sit in the corner and eat/drink/sleep your feelings.

Amelia's Fault is producer Matt Eriksson, songwriter Richard Hymas, and lyricist Charlie Mason.  This is their debut single featuring vocals by Color Theory.  What they have created is a beautifully melodic track that is haunting and atmospheric.  The manner in which Matt layers the synth, it gives the track a feeling of danger with something sinister lurking just underneath the surface.  Color Theory's vocals give this track the perfect amount of attitude while sliding over you like a menacing fog rolling in off the moors.  The chorus will bury itself in your brain and you'll have a difficult time getting it out of your head.

The brains behind the outfit have a plan in the books to have different vocalists on each track with this project.  I love this idea because it leaves room for interpretation from the vocalists as well as showcasing new talent for each track.  You're not locked into one sound and if you look at the success Slow Knights has had with their debut album, Cosmos it's easy to see how this is a winning formula.

Colder is a free download for a limited time on Amazon.  You can get it here

Amelia's Fault on the Web

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmeliasFault
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/amelias-fault-1
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/AmeliasFault

Bright Light Bright Light - This Is Me Without You

It simply doesn't matter what he does.  Anything Rod Thomas touches is sure to be evocative.  It's going to make you feel something, whether it's hope or sadness and despair or so many emotions along the spectrum.  His ability to express the exact feeling that we all have done at some point is only overshadowed by the way he is able to put it to music and give it universal appeal.  "This Is Me Without You" is the B-side to "Moves" off his latest EP and it's just dripping with brilliance.

It's a song about growth and change and perseverance.  It's something that we all have experienced in one way or another and whether it be amiable or bittersweet or even downright hurtful, underneath it all we want to be able to walk away and dust ourselves off and keep going.  We want to be able to examine our scars and experiences and make the best out of it that we can.

I feel like I can never speak highly enough about Rod because he is quickly becoming what I consider to be one of the voices of my generation.  He speaks more truths in his music that most people do on a daily basis.

Slow Knights - Criminal Mind (Demo)

This is how I envision all recording sessions to be.  If it's an up track and the producer isn't bugging out to it, then there's something wrong.  Watching Del just have a great time listening to this song is amazing.  It boggles my mind that this track didn't make the album because it is just as funky as the rest.  Maybe it will be released as a B Side or be saved for the next project.  I think it's Mykal on vocals and they are pretty amazing.  Not much else to say aside from if the hiatus the Sisters is taking is indefinite, then I am glad that my life is filled with amazing music by the members.

Ice Choir - Everything Is Spoilt By Use

I keep coming back to this band over and over and I have not been let down yet.  I've described them as a New Romantic act and I think that's a pretty decent start to their sound and feel.  They are more than that though.  They aren't just a carbon copy of Spandau Ballet or Scritti Politti.  The ideas and the thoughts behind the tracks are current and new which makes them more than just an 80s synth band.  They have all the best parts of what was great about music back then.  It's dreamy and it's ethereal and it just floats.  There's nothing heavy about this song or the work the Brooklyn based band has created.

With the help of Caroline Polachek from Chairlift on vocals, Kurt Feldman has a proper balance to his voice that elevates this track to a new level.  Her voice is so easy.  It's as if you've heard it for years and years so it simply washes over you and is very comfortable.  The visuals in the video of everything wrapped up to keep it preserved is evocative of the themes the song presents. I think this is one of my favorite songs off their album, Afar and I'm glad it got a video.

Ultravillain - Lost in You EP

If you're into music that challenges you, not only intellectually but emotionally as well, Ultravillain will satiate your desires.  They have released their debut EP on their website as a free download and it's an album that I actually wish I would have been able to buy because I would love to support them in a financial manner.  The album is far more mature than a debut and has a quality that most artists take years to develop.  The lyrics are well crafted and never compete with the synth and vice versa.  Both Chris and Tobias work in tandem to create something special.  If these four songs are a representation of what they are capable of doing on their first shot out of the gate, I can't wait to hear what they have in store for us.

Much like their first single, "Break Out", this EP is full of dark sex appeal that never crosses the boundary into smutty or too much.  I think that's a helluva thing to do because it is very easy to quickly become a parody of yourself without trying but they have straddled the line and do so without trying, it would appear.  I think the driving bass lines and the slow tempo of the backing tracks against Chris' voice just build this perfect scenario that just create steam.  I am amazed at the range that Chris has.  He has one of the most interesting voices I think I've heard in a long time.  I would totally be ok with him singing the phone book to me.  The themes of the songs aren't as overtly sexual as "Break Out" but maybe there's some residual sexiness carrying over from that song that just amps up the appeal of these tracks.

Each of the four tracks has it's on personality and it's own ability to stand on it's own.  I've listened to several full length albums of late from artists that have been in the game a long time and I have been sorely disappointed because all 10 or 12 songs are just one note.  They're flat and there's not enough variation to distinguish one from another.  I would throw one of those albums on as background noise at a party just to fill up the silence.  I can't say that for this EP.  People would stop to listen to every track and hang on every lyric because there's interest there.  It's made up of four individual parts that make this incredibly fascinating machine and it commands your attention and deserves to be heard.  These guys have an intention and they have a destination in mind where they want to you get to and when you get there, the headspace is filled with this melancholic bliss that leaves you wanting more.

The track order on an album always amazes me because it can either fuck up the vibe or it can keep you spinning.  The way the tracks are laid out on this EP are genius.  Putting "Death Rattle" third is like the greatest car chase in the best action movie ever.  It's the beginning of the third act and it just takes you and sends you to the stratosphere.  It's deliberate in it's execution and it wouldn't have the impact it does if it was anywhere else in the line up.  Then to follow it with "Sensitive Mind" helps you come down.  It's the breather you need after your mind has been blown, the cigarette after, as it were.  Starting with "Lost In You" sets the tone of where this trip is taking us.  It's the foreplay of the album.  It's easy and slow but the lyrics are seductive and you don't realize how wrapped up you get until you are hooked.  You then take "Crosses" and it creates this bridge between the songs that begins the uphill ascent needed to get you into position for lift off.  It's sleek and mercurial and just slides between your fingers.  It also is a bit of a deceiver.  When you first listen to it, you just want a slow groove to sink into but when you pay attention to the lyrics, it's got this power to it that just makes you say, "Damn".

It's an amazing EP and I think it helps to set the stage for Ultravillain to become one of the premier ElectroRock groups.  They have been gaining momentum with the release of the video for "Break Out" and this EP is only going to propel them to new heights.  You can download both this EP and "Break Out" for free on their website

UltraVillain on the Web

http://www.ultravillain.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UltraVillainMusic
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/UltraVillainMusic
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ultra-villain

Lectrolips - Vanilla

This song is so funky.  It makes you give it some deep shoulder action as you just settle down into the groove.  It also borders on and leans so heavily into the sexy sexy time that it's swoon worthy.  The beat is crazy and the lyrics bring to the forefront all the ideas you're having while being invaded by the groove.  Leo and Anthony have a mastery of their craft that this music is just an extension of who they are.  It's some of the funkiest synth you've heard to date.

Lectrolips is one of the most interesting groups you've never heard of but that's okay because they are steadily producing music and one day you will stop to listen to me telling you about them or you will hear the group and be all like, "Damn, that's funky!" and I'll have to say, "I told you so".  So do us both a favor and get on the bandwagon right now with these guys.

James Leon - Plastic

I feel like I'm at a point in my life right now where the music I seem to seek out is full of loneliness, remorse and a twinge of bittersweet.  The newest song to be added to that list is "Plastic" by James Leon.  I have the honor of being friends with James and this single almost seems to be hand written and delivered to me in a time when I too feel as if I am surrounded by a sea of plastic people.  I need more to life than my Ken & Barbie like existence.  And somehow, James knows exactly what I'm feeling and manages to make a right catchy synthpop song to echo all the sentiments I'm feeling.

Much like the cover art for the single. this song doesn't have more than what it needs.  That's something that James has an amazing ear for, he edits himself so that you aren't left with a song that is overworked and produced to death.  That's a skill that some of the biggest producers in the business need to learn from him.  The song has all the right pieces that have the power to make it great.  It's got an air of sadness to it that makes it more than just some synthed-out club banger, it has grit and emotion.  And if you want to take it to the next level, how about we strip away some of those layers to make it something even more haunting.  And apparently James had the same idea because the ‘Diskodiktator’ mix by Johan Billing, a fab producer from Sweden (and we know how much I love Swedish music) does just that.  I makes the song even more melancholic by singling out James' voice and leaving it bare against the coldness of the "plastic people". 

Independent artists like James are more important than any 5 star diva any day because they are part of us.  They haven't risen to the level where they have to "remember what it was like" because they are still close to it all.  It gives the music more honesty and integrity than something you would hear out of every shop window.  I think those are probably the most accurate words I can use to describe James.  'Honesty and Integrity'.  Because he gets it.  He writes from a place of understanding with a universally based idea that we all have been through it at one time or another.  And when you are able to be there with him in the moment and you can look around at all the plastic, it's then you can start to make a change.

Plastic is available to download in two versions – the Diskodiktator remix and the original mix from Monday 18 March on all major digital outlets, including iTunes and Amazon. A CD will also be available to order from Amazon.

More Links:

Listen to the album ‘Never been cool’ on Spotify: http://spoti.fi/JguuHV

The album 'Never been cool' available to download from iTunes: http://bit.ly/ock88k

and for download/order on CD from Amazon: http://amzn.to/reUINM

Listen to more music from James Leon: https://soundcloud.com/#jamesleon

Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamesLeon1

Website: http://jamesleon.net

  

Instamatic - Fifty Yards

I received a notification this morning that someone had started following me on SoundCloud.  Logging into the app, I see it's a band called Instamatic.  I pick on of their tracks, "Fifty Yards" and start listening.  "This synth is pretty cool", I think.  The intro is in full swing and it keeps building and building.  I really dig what I hear.  It would be so cool if there were vocal....wait, what is this?!?! Super moody, ephemeral vocals that are the epitome of amazingly cool?  Why yes they are.  I need more.  Shut up and listen.  There are so many influences I can hear in the track but none of it is imitation or stolen.  It's all subtle and nuanced and it's new and exciting and some of the best synth pop I've heard in a LONG time.

Let me look at their tracks.  They have one called "Jiggawatts"?  That has to be incredible just because of the title.  This is so freaking cool.  I am loving this.  The combination of the crazy synth and the vocals are winning me over.  Ok, let's check them out on Facebook.  They're from Philly, that's awesome.  I wonder...HOLY Crap...they've done shows with City Rain.  How did I not know this.  They are the coolest group ever.  They play their own instruments on stage as well?!? I'm running out of interrobangs at this point.

Instamatic is a Philadelphia based synth pop group that have released an amazing 3 track EP on BandCamp called, Wrapped in Wires.  It is simply inspired.  If you are a fan of Depeche Mode, New Order, Nizer Ebb, Bauhaus, Duran Duran, Apollo 440, a little Carl Cox and so many other incredible artists, you are going to go head over heels for these guys.  It's brilliant production and it will just make you say, Damn!!

So go follow them on all the medias.  Go buy their EPs on BandCamp.  Yes you can put in zero dollars but don't be a dick  They make amazing art that deserves to be be bought.  Buy it.  Make them huge because that's where they deserve to be.

Instamatic on the Web

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/instamaticband
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/instamatic
Twitter: @instamaticband
BandCamp: http://instamatic.bandcamp.com/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/instamaticband