synthpop
Empress Of Enlists Amber Mark for New Song “You’ve Got to Feel”: Stream
With exactly one week left until the presidential election, experimental pop artist Empress Of has shared a new single featuring Amber Mark called “You’ve Got to Feel” that encourages listeners to make their voices heard. “You’ve Got To Feel” is an infectious dance-pop number that wields synths, airy guitar strums, and spacious reverb to pack a punch. Surprisingly, it doesn’t build towards the traditional pop peak, which makes the song all the more intriguing. With Empress Of manning the role of producer, Mark is free to spit out lines about breaking down capitalism, looking out for your fellow Americans, and choosing to rise above. Stream the single below. Editors’ Picks To coincide with this news, Empress Of has also announced the launch of her own record label, Major Arcana. Expec...
Hot Chip Recruit Jarvis Cocker for New Single “Straight to the Morning”: Stream
Friday night bar-hopping may not be a thing these days, but that doesn’t mean ya can’t have a festive evening indoors. Cue: Hot Chip and Jarvis Cocker, who’ve just joined forces on a new disco-inflected song called “Straight to the Morning”. As its name implies, the track is guaranteed to spark an all-night living room dance party. According to a statement, the collaborative single was originally written with disco-pop princess Dua Lipa in mind. However, after crossing paths while DJing at Paris club Les Bains-Douches, Hot Chip and the Pulp frontman decided to make it all their own. “‘Straight To The Morning’ is a disco anthem about going out, for a time when people really can’t, and it features our friend Jarvis Cocker urging us to go ‘straight through until the break of dawn,’” Hot...
Italians Do It Better Release New Compilation After Dark 3: Stream
Italians Do It Better, the cult-favorite record label by Johnny Jewel, has released a new installment in its After Dark compilation series called After Dark 3. Stream it below via Apple Music or Spotify. After Dark 3 spans 17 previously unreleased tracks in total that run the gamut of synth possibilities. Alongside music from Jewel’s various projects, including Chromatics, Glass Candy, and Desire, there’s selections from newcomers such as Orion, Joon, MOTHERMARY, Double Mixte, and more. Today’s release follows 2013’s After Dark 2 and the original After Dark compilation, which surfaced way back in 2007. Editors’ Picks Speaking of Chromatics, the group is still teasing their long-awaited new album Dear Tommy, which they initially announced back in 2014. To tide fans over, the band...
New Joy Division and New Order Podcast to Feature Surviving Band Members, Bono, Damon Albarn, Jonny Greenwood, More
Mark those calendars because a new podcast focused on the origins of Joy Division and New Order is set to debut later this month. Transmissions: The Definitive Story will trace the story of the two iconic and closely linked bands — from Joy Division’s formation up until New Order’s release of the 1983 hit single “Blue Monday”. Of course, the tragic death of Ian Curtis in 1980, and the subsequent split Joy Division, will receive substantial coverage. Fittingly, this history will be told by those who actually lived it — surviving band members such as Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, and Gillian Gilbert. The pod will also feature interviews with special guest musicians like Damon Albarn, Radiohead’s Jonny and Colin Greenwood, U2’s Bono, Liam Gallagher, Johnny Marr, and Karen O. Add...
Lykke Li Shares Heartbreaking New Song “BRON”: Stream
Swedish dream pop artist Lykke Li has released a new single in her native language. “BRON”, which translates to “BRIDGE” in English, marks Li’s first original offering since her 2018 album so sad so sexy. Li wrote the track in collaboration with Ludwig Göransson, a Swedish producer and music composer known for his Oscar-winning work on Black Panther and Emmy-worthy score for The Mandalorian. As to be expected from such a pairing of talents, “BRON” has a heartbreaking and cinematic ambiance to it. “On a bridge/ With heart in hand again/ It is now or never/ I died/ With heart in hand again/ Let me go/ But never let me go,” a torn and conflicted Li sings in the opening verse. The chorus finds her a bit more resolute about her feelings, though: “Because I’m crushed/ But I will not cry mor...
Future Islands Share Track by Track Breakdown of New Album As Long as You Are: Stream
Musicians take their fans through the story of their latest album with our Track by Track feature. Today, Future Islands discuss their sixth full-length, As Long as You Are. Future Islands return today with their new studio album, As Long as You Are. Stream it below via Spotify and Apple Music. The sixth album from the Baltimore synthpop band, As Long as You Are follows 2017’s The Far Field. It marks their first effort since upgrading drummer Mike Lowry from touring member to full-fledged bandmate and songwriter. Newly strengthened together, Future Islands co-produced the record themselves alongside engineer Steve Wright at Baltimore’s Wrightway Studios. Due to the ongoing pandemic, Future Islands won’t get the chance to tour behind the LP, marking the first year since 2008 they haven...
HAERTS Reach “For the Sky” on New Song with Ed Droste: Stream
HAERTS, photo by B. Asch Synthpop duo HAERTS have released a new single called “For the Sky” featuring Grizzly Bear singer Ed Droste. It’s their first new music since releasing their sophomore album, New Compassion, in 2018. Nini Fabi and Benny Gebert, the musicians behind the moniker, are partners outside of the band. Apparently the inspiration for the song hit them after Fabi, who had recently found out she was pregnant at the time, woke up from a surreal dream. “When we finished the demo for the song, I kept hearing Ed’s voice and just thought he would sound amazing on it. We didn’t know him at the time, but were such fans,” she said in a statement. “When we reached out we honestly thought we’d never hear from him. But we did and we went into the studio in LA, and ended up recording it ...
Nick Murphy Brings Back Chet Faker Moniker for New Single “Low”: Stream
Nick Murphy is back with new music, except this time it’s under his Chet Faker alter ego. After five long years, the Australian artist has revived the old moniker for a new single called “Low”. A bluesy track that grooves and stomps with purpose, it finds Faker soulfully crooning uplifting lines like, “Just because I feel low right now/ It doesn’t mean all that I’ve got has run out.” He later addresses his listeners, who also may be overwhelmed with doubt, saying, “I think you got purpose/ I think you got song/ You know that I think you should/ Do whatever is worth it/ Just to get to that place there.” Stream it below via its official video. “Low” is out via the musician’s own Detail Records in partnership with ADA/Warner and BMG Australia. “For Nick Murphy to bring the Chet Faker project ...
New Order Release Power, Corruption & Lies Deluxe Reissue: Stream
Raise your hand if you thought this day would never come: New Order have released a deluxe reissue of their famed 1983 album Power, Corruption & Lies. A massive release fit for a massive fan, the box set boasts two CDs, two DVDs, and one vinyl LP. Stream the digital “definitive edition” below via Apple Music and Spotify. For the reissue, Power, Corruption & Lies was remastered from the band’s original analog tape recordings for the very first time and pressed on CD and vinyl. The second disc, dubbed “Extras”, features New Order’s 1982 John Peel Sessions, which were just released separately back in August as part of Record Store Day. There are also previously unreleased tracks, including an early instrumental version of “Blue Monday” and a demo of “Thieves Like Us” which was re...
Tame Impala Reschedule North American Tour Dates for 2021
Earlier this year, Tame Impala were forced to postpone their North American summer tour due to the coronavirus pandemic. Now, those concerts have been rescheduled for 2021. The new itinerary officially kicks off in late July and extends through mid-October. Kevin Parker & co. are slated to bring The Slow Rush to cities such as Mexico City, Phoenix, Denver, Portland, Vancouver, and Austin, as well as Toronto, Chicago, Washington, DC, Atlanta, and Miami. Tame Impala are also confirmed to play two festivals: Outside Lands in San Francisco and Sin City’s Life is Beautiful. Find the full schedule below. According to a statement, “all tickets for the original shows will be honored at the rescheduled dates. If you are unable to attend, you can begin the refund process at your point of pu...
Sylvan Esso Break Down Their New Album Free Love Track by Track: Stream
Our Track by Track feature provides musicians the chance to guide fans through each track on their latest album. Today, Sylvan Esso gives us some much needed Free Love. Sylvan Esso have today shared their third studio album, Free Love. Stream the 10-track effort below via Apple Music or Spotify One of the fall’s most anticipated releases, Free Love follows Sylvan Esso’s 2017 record What Now. Self-produced in the band’s own studio in the woods of North Carolina, the LP is billed as their “first true ‘band’ record.” It finds vocalist Amelia Meath and producer Nick Sanborn working hand and hand on all elements of the songwriting and recording, instead of one focusing on melody and the other on beats. Sylvan Esso describe the album as “about being increasingly terrified of the world aroun...
Sylvan Esso Shares Video for New Single “Frequency”, Directed by Moses Sumney: Watch
On September 25th, electropop duo Sylvan Esso will let loose their third studio album, Free Love. The follow-up to 2017’s What Now is being teased today with a new single dubbed “Frequency”, as well as its video directed by friend and fellow musician Moses Sumney. Here, Amelia Meath’s vocals roll gingerly over the track’s glitchy blips and beeps, rising and falling like a frequency wave. She sings about being irresistibly drawn to someone’s energy field, to the point that she’d like to be a part of it, too. This abstract idea is visualized pretty literally in Sumney’s corresponding clip. In it, a soaked Meath is seen dancing alone outside on a suburban lawn. Slowly but surely, though, more and more people — a delivery person, golfer, neighbor, etc. — are pulled into her orbit and join her ...
