The Midnight
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...
The Midnight Drop Glam Metal Single “Change Your Heart or Die,” Announce New Tour
Grab your hairspray and sweatbands because The Midnight have dove headfirst into glam metal for their latest single. Released this weekend on Counter Records was the duo’s latest single, “Change Your Heart or Die.” The track has been played at The Midnight’s recent shows and quickly became their most requested ID. Reminiscent of a stadium-igniting rock song, “Change Your Heart or Die” steps away from their electronic-focused sound while also staying true to the niche genre wherein they thrive. Electrifying guitar riffs and anthemic vocals will conjure visuals of crazy hair, tight jeans and a sweaty crowd losing their mind. The bold shift to a glam metal direction was not always the duo’s intent. According to a press release, “Change Your...
The Midnight and Magik*Magik Orchestra Release Orchestral Remake of “Endless Summer”
In 2016, The Midnight turned heads in the niche yet devoted synthwave community with the release of their debut album, Endless Summer. They would go on to become one of the most prominent acts in the genre and emerge as a global phenomenon, playing shows all over the world. Now, a half a decade after its release, they’ve teamed up with The Magik*Magik Orchestra for a grand rework of their album. Titled The Rearview Mirror, the record spans five fan-favorite songs from Endless Summer. They’ve stripped away the retrofuturistic production and added a medley of strings, keys, and percussion from the international orchestra. The five tracks fans are able to experience reworks of are “Endless Summer,” “Vampires,” “The Comeback Kid,”...
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...
The Midnight Announce 2022 North American Tour
Known for dishing out nostalgic synthwave music, The Midnight are set to share their sound across two continents next year. The genre-leading duo will be spending their spring hopping from city to city for close to three dozen shows in North America before hitting Europe for 16 dates across 11 countries. While the European tour has been announced for some time now, The Midnight just recently shared the news of their North American dates. While many know that the core Midnight is two members, they oftentimes perform as a full band. In a press release issued to announce the tour, The Midnight shared that they’ll be bringing a larger band on the road and are set to perform new tracks. “Over the last few months, we have spent a lot of time together writing new music and remini...
Outside Lands Reveals Single-Day Lineups
Just last month it was revealed that Outside Lands would be pushing their beloved Summer event to the Fall. While the update came as no surprise, fans were excited to see a new batch of artists added to the list, and the fact that the date changed to Halloween weekend meant Outside Lands would provide the perfect chance to don some epic costumes. The team behind the festival is now back with their next announcement, the single-day lineups. The party starts on Friday, October 29th. The first day features a bevy of newly added artists to the roster, including The 1975 replacement headliner Glass Animals. They will be rocking out alongside fellow fresh additions SG Lewis and Kaytranada. Day Two lists ZHU as one of the headlining acts, and sets from Shiba San, Marc Rebillet, a...
The Midnight Re-Release Halloween EP, “Horror Show” on Spotify, Apple Music, and More
Last October, The Midnight surprised fans with the release of their Halloween EP, Horror Show. Unfortunately for many fans, the fantastic EP was only available to those who had an Amazon Music subscription, leaving some without access to the haunting throwback. Thankfully, this exclusivity ended on Friday as the synthwave legends dropped the EP on Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, and beyond, giving fans endless ways to enjoy the release. The re-release features all six tracks from the original including fan-favorites “Ghost in Your Stereo,” Neon Medusa,” “Good in Red,” and their collaborative cover of Patti Smith Group‘s 1978 single “Because the Night” with Nikki Flores. As a special treat, they’ve also included a new edit of R...
The Midnight Announce New “Horror Show” EP, Drop Hypnotic Single “Neon Medusa”
When we dropped our “Best Songs of 2020“ list, there was no question that The Midnight would be included. In fact, their year was so impressive that they landed on the synthwave category twice, for both “Deep Blue” and “Night Skies,” taken from their celebrated album Monsters. The LA-based duo plans to continue this success straight into 2021 with the announcement of their next EP, Horror Show. Fans first got a glimpse of the record this past October when they did a special Halloween release exclusively through Amazon Music. Horror Show will soon be available across all platforms on March 19th. To prepare for the impending release, The Midnight has dropped their first single of the year, “Neon Medusa.” The track fea...
The Midnight Conjure Synthwave Magic on Halloween-Themed EP “Horror Show”
In an effort to help fans get in the mood for the end of the month’s frights, The Midnight stirred up a surprise Halloween EP, Horror Show. While the leading synthwave act oftentimes create a cinematic atmosphere on their releases, their latest is a full-on concept album focusing on the horror movies of decades past. Described as their “…homage to the eerie romance of the stumbled upon late night black and white horror film,” the six-track EP is the perfect reminder of the campy stories that left us sleeping with the lights on. The setting is quickly established after the opening track prepares listeners for a trip back in time with its movie soundtrack-inspired production. Lightning bolt electric guitar and spine-tingling bass drops guide the EPR...
![The Midnight on Seminal Album “Monsters” and the Volcanic Potential of Synthwave Culture [Interview]](https://www.wazupnaija.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/the-midnight-on-seminal-album-monsters-and-the-volcanic-potential-of-synthwave-culture-interview-1050x600.jpg)
![The Midnight on Seminal Album “Monsters” and the Volcanic Potential of Synthwave Culture [Interview]](https://www.wazupnaija.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/the-midnight-on-seminal-album-monsters-and-the-volcanic-potential-of-synthwave-culture-interview-80x80.jpg)
The Midnight on Seminal Album “Monsters” and the Volcanic Potential of Synthwave Culture [Interview]
While typically flying under the radar, synthwave has become ingrained in popular culture. From the soundtracks of movies such as Drive to the iconic opening theme of Stranger Things, and even the critically-acclaimed video game series Hotline Miami, the genre’s sound and trademark aesthetic has pervaded nearly all forms of media. Case-in-point, one of the streaming world’s most popular creators, Dr. Disrespect, has styled his entire persona around synthwave culture, all the while regularly including music from some of the genre’s artists in his streams. However, despite synthwave’s prevalence, many aren’t familiar with the niche community. We spoke with one of the leading acts in the genre, The Midnight, to learn more about the history of the band, their new album Monsters, the future of ...
The Midnight Attain Retrowave Greatness on Nostalgic Third Album “Monsters”
Amidst the ongoing global health crisis, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with fear, anger, and anxiety. Sometimes, in an effort to combat the constant barrage of stressors, it helps to close your eyes, take a deep breath, and think back to the carefree days of being a teenager. Many may remember those long nights sitting in front of your family’s only computer, chatting away with friends worried about nothing more than math homework and how to beat your pals at Street Fighter II. It’s easy to look back at those days and laugh at how our teenage problems paled in comparison to those of adulthood, but by doing so, we forget the moments that helped to shape who we are today. While a friend moving to a different city might seem nothing more than a minor bummer to us now, the ...
