Synthwave
The Best EDM Songs of 2022
EDM.com proudly publishes four installments of annual year-end coverage: Industry Leaders, Performances, Music Producers and Songs. The electronic music production community released new music at a dizzying rate in 2022. And it would be unfair to its diverse range of creators to publish a nebulous blanket list of the year’s top songs, so we’ve chosen 10 popular sub-genres and recognized five tracks, each chosen by members of the EDM.com staff. Check out a playlist of our top 50 tracks of 2022 below, followed by a breakdown of each individual song. House Chris Lorenzo & COBRAH – MAMI In 2022, tech house continued to bubble up from the underground and dominate the festival circuit. And one track in particular ran circles around the rest: “MAMI,” a four-on-the-floor...
Delve Into the History of Synthwave With Digital Release of “The Rise of the Synths” Documentary
You can now stream the most comprehensive look into the world of synthwave music from the comfort of your own home. Directed by Iván Castel and released in 2019 to critical acclaim, The Rise of the Synths is a documentary offering an incredible look into the beloved genre. Now, he’s made it easier than ever for fans to enjoy the nostalgic delight as the documentary has been given a digital release. Narrated by John Carpenter, the horror legend known for Halloween, The Thing, The Fog and more, the doc finds Castel traveling to nine countries to explore the history of synthwave and its unique subculture. Along the way, he spoke with some of the most influential artists in the synthwave orbit, such as The Midnight, Gunship, Carpenter Brut, Perturbator, Waveshaper, Power Glove and Miami ...
The Midnight Reveal New 13-Track Album, “Heroes”
Surging synthwave outfit The Midnight have announced a brand new album. Set for release September 9th via Counter Records, Heroes is the final album of a trilogy that spawned in 2018 with Kids, which was followed by the scintillating Monsters. “For me, Kids is self-knowledge, Monsters is self-love, and then Heroes is empathy,” said The Midnight’s Tyler Lyle. “I got into depth psychology and this idea of etiology, the way a human forms. The world doesn’t get better but we do. We grow into ourselves. We grow into our voice.” The Midnight’s new single “Heartbeat” is the latest glimpse into the album following last month’s release of “Change Your Heart Or Die,” a kinetic blend of synthwave and indie rock. The upli...
Darren Tate and Above & Beyond’s Jono Grant Join Forces for Synthwave-Inspired Alias, JODA
Above & Beyond‘s Jono Grant has caught the synthwave bug. Working in secret alongside longtime friend and fellow trance producer Darren Tate, Grant has formulated a new collaborative alias, JODA. Dropping their debut track, “We Find Ourselves,” Tate and Grant say the single is inspired by 2011’s Drive soundtrack, one of the most acclaimed film scores of the modern era. The working relationship between Grant and Tate was first established nearly two decades ago. In 2003, they linked in the studio and produced two melodically dense, uplifting trance singles, “‘Let The Light Shine In” and “Nocturnal Creatures.” As Grant’s career began to take off with Above & Beyond and Tate’s solo career as DT8 prospered, the two...
Kavinsky Releases Sequel to Iconic 2010 Song “Nightcall”: Listen to “Zenith”
The revival of Kavinsky continues with the follow-up to his most iconic song. In 2010, the French producer released “Nightcall” with CSS’ Lovefoxxx. The single, which was featured in the cult classic film Drive, went on to inspire tons of music and visual art en route to becoming a synthwave classic. Now, 12 years later, Kavinsky has switched gears and released the sequel to the story within. Titled “Zenith,” the sultry track is a collaboration with two vocalists, Prudence and Morgan Phalen. Pulsing guitar riffs, vintage synths, and vocoded vocals parallel “Nightcall” in a way that feels nostalgic but still fresh. As an added bonus for fans who love their retrowave with a brass tinge, Kavinsky brings “Zenith̶...
EDM.com’s Best of 2021: Songs
EDM.com proudly publishes four installments of annual year-end coverage: Industry Leaders, Performances, Music Producers, and Songs. With so much new music offered by EDM’s artist community, it would be unfair to its diverse range of creators to publish a nebulous blanket list of the year’s top songs. So to highlight the best songs of the year, we’ve chosen 10 popular sub-genres of dance music and recognized five tracks, each chosen by members of EDM.com‘s staff. Check out a playlist below, followed by a breakdown of each individual song from each genre. House Qrion – Your Love Nostalgic and wistful, Qrion’s “Your Love” leaves listeners yearning for nights in the big city. Delicate but moving, the track’s soundscapes leave listene...
Kavinsky Speeds Out of the Grave With “Renegade,” His First New Music In 8 Years
His enemies thought they’ve seen the last of him, but once again, Kavinsky has risen from the grave. The first single from the renowned French producer’s long-awaited album is finally here. After waiting more than eight years, Kavinsky has unveiled “Renegade,” a collaboration with Cautious Clay and Victor Le Masne and Gaspard Augé of Justice. Showing no signs of rust picked up during his long slumber, he’s delivered another Kavinsky classic. To help detail the pieces of the story that can’t be displayed through his dazzling, retro-inspired sound, Kavinsky released an action-packed music video soundtracked by “Renegade.” Standing atop a high-rise in the big city, like a superhero, Kavinsky surveys...
Kavinsky Announces Release Date of First Single In Eight Years
Kavinsky, one of the world’s most prolific synthwave artists, is making his grand return after a near-decade-long hiatus. In the early days of the summer, Kavinsky broke his radio silence with an announcement that a new album is on the way. Titled Reborn, the record is the follow-up to his 2013’s seminal OutRun LP. Now, after months of anticipation, fans can finally breathe easier after the release date for the album’s first single has been revealed. Kavinsky took to Twitter to announce the track, dubbed “Renegade,” as well as its November 19th arrival date. He unfortunately did not include a preview, so fans will have to stay on their toes to hear what the resurrected version of Kavinsky will sound like. For those unfamiliar with Kavinsky, his ...
CHVRCHES Trade Remixes With Legendary Horror Film Composer John Carpenter
As August continues on, many artists have begun to prepare for the return of fall and, more specifically, Halloween festivities. None more so than CHVRCHES, who recently traded remixes with one of horror’s most iconic figures, John Carpenter, the director of legendary films such as Halloween and The Thing. In addition to directing some of the most influential horror movies of all-time, Carpenter is also widely regarded as one of the most impactful composers in the genre and has scored many of his own classics. Together, CHVRCHES and Carpenter created their own spins of one track from each of their respective catalogs. CHVRCHES decided to enter the realm of terrors and give Carpenter’s “Turning The Bones” a retrofuturistic spin. While no vocals are pre...
Feed Me Announces New Album, Drops Stunning Music Video and Single “Reckless”
After teasing a new album back in February, Feed Me has finally unveiled more details about the LP as well as released its first single, teaming up with Tasha Baxter for “Reckless.” Arriving by way of Feed Me’s Sotto Voce imprint, “Reckless” is a beautifully cinematic tune, embracing a downtempo feel. Baxter’s airy vocals float effortlessly atop the meticulously textured soundscapes of Feed Me, who has long been revered for his trailblazing approach to sound design. The synthwave-inspired song is ideal for late-night drives, capturing a melancholy yet gritty feel. Check out the official “Reckless” music video below. Recommended Articles “Reckless is a lockdown story reimagined as escapist f...
The Midnight Announce Upcoming Orchestral Version of Debut Album, “Endless Summer”
The Midnight are breathing new life into their 2016 debut album, Endless Summer. With help from the Magik*Magik Orchestra, the renowned synthwave outfit will reimagine their debut album, 2016’s The Rearview Mirror, to celebrate its five-year anniversary. The duo took to social media to share a behind-the-scenes teaser video of the recording process, writing that they “wanted to try something different” as they reflected on the breakthrough album. Before the full EP drops, synthwave connoisseurs can enjoy its first single, “Vampires.” The track is quite a departure from The Midnight’s signature retrofuturistic sound, as Magik*Magik transforms the classic with a rich, emotive makeover. Alongside the digital release, The Midni...
Kavinsky Announces First Album in Eight Years
As detailed in an interview with the now-defunct blog BIGSTEREO, in 1986, a man was driving his Ferrari Testarossa and was tragically killed in a car accident. Not long after, he rose from the dead, returned to his iconic vehicle, and became the undead French producer we know as Kavinsky. Since the release of 2013’s OutRun album, fans of the fabled synthwave and French house producer and even just the retrowave aesthetic itself have been praying that he’d make his return. Luckily, those prayers have been heard and Kavinsky officially revealed that his first album in eight years is coming soon. While details are scarce at the time of this article’s publication, Kavinsky recently took to Twitter to share a picture that appears to be album art with the caption “Re...
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