We flippin love synthwave so we do
From Andie:
Glass Prism by Windows 96 – First thought, light electro with high synth. It’s as if you’re traveling through space. It starts off with that deep base and then you find yourself speeding by those slow tones and high synth points/dots – dots? I had no other word to describe it, but listen and you’ll totally get it.
America Online by The Midnight – The Midnight just HAD to be on this playlist. It’s so smooth, plus the steady bass with those synthesized vocals? Perfection. And if you listen closely, you get that bit of static sound and I think that just makes the whole track come together as if it really shows that “online” feeling.
Don’t Want To Change Your Mind by FM-80 – Something about this track that’s gonna take you back. It’s like that nostalgic feeling since it sounds like something from the ‘80s. And the vocals here are one of the best. All I can say is that you’ll really feel this one. FM-84’s cinematic synth is beyond beautiful.
Powertrust by Absolute Valentine – I think the perfect way to describe this is to look at its album’s cover art. Heavy and fast synthwave, but it has a part in the middle when it slows down and you can feel its pressure like a heartbeat- in the best way.
Perpetual Tides by Euan Ellis – The perfect mix of different kinds of synths. Euan Ellis poured so much “dreamy synth” in this track, but it’s balanced with that electronic and light-energetic sound (light-energetic? More like a subtle hit).
From Matt:
Dream Tower by Caspro – One from Andie that really stood out to me as being a really vivid soundscape. I could see this being the soundtrack to a cyberpunk search scene, somewhere near the end where the protagonist has almost given up hope. Almost.
Looking For Tracy Tzu by Carpenter Brut – Can’t do a synthwave list without Carpenter I’m sorry that would be illegal. This track hits like a truck with one damn fine vocoder hook as the driver and I for one am ready 2 be collided with. Exquisite every time.
Zodiac by Sung – Listen to the start of this track and tell me you don’t feel instantly ready to go and do stuff. I first heard this driving around the streets of Edinburgh at night (in Forza 4 lol) and I don’t think anything embodies the sound of nightdriving more than this wee beastie.
Dr. Online by Fury Weekend – Who is Dr. Online? I don’t know but they clearly have a PhD in groove (hahaha good 1). With that rolling guitar line over the top this track is prime for movement, though where we’re going I have no idea. PS I LOVE the crush of the underlying chords
Salem by Dance With the Dead – oh wow, what a powerful track! One absolutely laden with deep emotion, again undercut by those really grizzly guitar rings. If this is your first foray into DWtD or even synthwave as a whole, I can think of no better place to begin.
About the Curators
Andie De Guzman
Andie constantly thinks of music as an escape to a whole other place. It also brings out this different side of her that only music can. Like, you ever have a bad day, but when you listen to this particular song or shuffle this certain playlist, everything seems better? Yeah, that's pretty much how it makes her feel too. And for her, music has to be playing everywhere– as in everywhere. It's like she has a soundtrack for anything. She can't stop writing or talking about it. It's something she can talk about with you for hours and hours. Music helps her get lost but in the best way possible.
Instagram: @andie.de.guzman
You can also follow her Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/andiemars10
