Category: Synth Pop

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

BOVIY is an emerging and rising Hamburg-based alt-pop artist. And with her work she addresses important social issues and advocates for marginalized people while loudly expresses the demands, desires and thoughts of a strong, confident and vibrant young woman. Last year, Vogue Germany named her as one of the top six up-and-coming female artists — and bolstering that achievement, she has already opened for the likes of Jessie Ware and James Morrison.

The German artist’s latest single “Berlin Is A Liar” is a slickly produced, hook-driven bit of 80s inspired pop that recalls St. Lucia, Haerts, ACES, Jef Barbara and others: Pulsing bass synth oscillations, glistening synths stabs, bursts of strummed guitar and stuttering beats and a sparse, almost minimalist bridge featuring twinkling keys serve as a lush soundscape for BOVIY’s achingly tender, yearning delivery. While being a Top 40 radio friendly bop, “Berlin Is A Liar” reveals an artist, who seems to effortlessly craft a remarkably catchy hook while anchoring the song in seemingly lived-in, bittersweet experience.

As the German artist explains, “Berlin Is A Liar” is a walk through late-night/early-morning Berlin: The burst of sunrise just on the horizon, and the streets full of revelers returning home. But at that point of the night, the sense of fun and freedom began to fade, and a sense of loneliness and melancholy beings to take hold.

Video by William Ruben Helms

Throwback: Happy 62nd BIrthday, Dave Gahan!

JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan’s 62nd birthday.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Stefan Certic Shares Broodingly Cinematic “World of Mine”

Stefan Certic is a Serbian multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer and producer, who will be releasing his latest solo album World of Mine. The album will feature the previously released “Human,” featuring Steve Sims, a brooding and cinematic bit of 80s-inspired synth pop that nodded OMD and Eurythmics, “Human” is a remarkably cinematic track with melancholy and reflective lyrics discussing the human condition in a deeply lived-in fashion.

The album’s latest single, album title track “World of Mine” continues Certic’s collaboration with vocalist Steve Sims, as well as a run of material built around broodingly cinematic and atmospheric soundscapes while featuring elements of dark wave, synth pop and alternative pop. And much like its predecessor, the song is rooted in melancholy and reflective lyrics that discuss the human condition: The song’s narrator acknowledges that life is often full of unbearable pain, misery and darkness — but that there’s also profoundly sublime light and beauty if you know where to find it.

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: Geneva Jacuzzi Shares a Striking Visual for a Brooding and Retro-futuristic Bop

Geneva Jacuzzi is a Los Angeles-based multimedia artist, whose immersive and unhinged performances are considered legendary: they often involve a psychotropic gallery of masks, costumes, confrontation and massive art installations. Her recorded music frequently features catchy hooks and cryptic moods dusted in 4-track grit.

Jacuzzi recently signed to Dais Records, who shared the following about the signing: “As long-time fans of Geneva’s immersive world-building, singular songwriting and unforgettable live performances, we are honored to welcome her to the Dais roster.” She adds, “So excited to join the Dais crew. It’s definitely the coolest label in LA. Exciting new adventures on the horizon!” 

The Los Angeles-based multimedia artist’s latest single “Dry” is a brooding yet swaying bit of 80s retro-futuristic synth pop, anchored around layers of glistening analog synth arpeggios and skittering beats paired with catchy, razor sharp hooks. Jacuzzi’s seemingly detached vocal singing about disconnection and uncertainty ethereally floats over the dreamy arrangement.

“I took a little break from writing music and when I sat down at home to record, ‘Dry’ was the first song to burst out,” Jacuzzi recalls. “The music came together so instantly it’s as if it had been waiting and perfecting itself for years in the ether. The chorus lyrics came that same week after I went on a date with Mike Judge and he never called me back (haha). I wasn’t upset or anything, but I had never been ghosted before and couldn’t help but equate modern love to an appliance you buy on the home shopping network.”

The accompanying video is shot in a strikingly cinematic black and white, and features Geneva suspended upside down in an elaborate art installation-meets-costume, being literally hung out to dry.

Video by William Ruben Helms

Throwback: Happy Belated 77th Birthday, Florian Schneider!

JOVM’s William Ruben Helms belatedly celebrates the 77th anniversary of the birth of Kraftwerk co-founder Florian Schneider.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Julie Thuillier is a French singer/songwriter, who started her career as a member of Zebra Love, an act that released two EPs. Since then Thuillier has stepped out into the spotlight as a solo artist with her recording project AMA Waves, which sees her pairing slickly produced, neon tinted synth pop with lyrics sung in English.

The French singer/songwriter’s AMA Waves debut EP, the Daniel Burkhart-produced Delirium is slated for release later this year. The EP’s latest single “I drop my guard” is a blissful pop confection built around glistening synth arpeggios, thumping beats and rousingly anthemic hooks serving as a lush bed for Thuillier’s earnest yet defiant vocal. The result is a feminist anthem that seemingly channels Robyn, Pink and others.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Kalystia Shares 80s Inspired Synth-driven Bop

Kalystia is the solo synth pop recording project of a mysterious and emerging British singer/songwriter and musician, who started the project after watching the major motion picture Drive.

Inspired by the synth-driven soundtrack of the film, the British artist started to learn how to play synths, much like the sounds heard throughout the film. Two weeks later, they loaded up a vintage synth and attempted to mix that vibe with their love of the psychedelic elements of Tame Impala’s sound.

Kalystia’s latest single “Tonight, I’m Alive” is a swaggering 80s soundtrack-inspired bop built around glistening synth oscillations, anthemic, shout along with your drink raised in the air-worthy choruses, gated reverb soaked beats, wobbling bass lines and a woozy guitar solo paired with the British artist’s yearning delivery.

At its core is a youthful sense of abandon — and of enjoying life’s small pleasures before they pass.

Video by William Ruben Helms

Throwback: Happy 68th Birthday, Peter Hook!

JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates former Joy Division and New Order member Peter Hook’s 68th birthday.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Cisco Bluff is an emerging Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. His second single, which also is the first official single off his forthcoming EP “Second Sight” is a slickly produced and funky 80s-inspired synth pop track built around glistening synth arpeggios, lush synth pads, a sinuous bass line and skittering beats paired with Bluff’s melancholy and yearning delivery and an uncanny sense of catchy hooks.

While sonically “Second Sight” reminds me a bit of Rush Midnight, St. Lucia, and others, the song as Bluff explains “essentially began as a ballad about sexual desire. It’s about falling into rapture, fantasy taking hold and being pulled into a hypnotic state of longing.”

“The song was originally written on guitar and later arranged around a rhythm I had programmed on my Oberheim DX drum machine, the same one used on many 80s classics,” the Los Angeles-based artist adds. “What you hear in the song is that original hardware. Everything else came together around that beat, which I immediately knew wanted big arpeggiated synth bass and lush pads.”

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Radiant Baby Shares Slinky “Mort de Rire”

Félix Mongeon is a Montréal-based singer/songwriter, musician, producer and creative mastermind behind Radiant Baby. Mongeon’s Radiant Baby debut EP It’s My Party caught the attention of Lisbon Lux, who signed him and then released the Montréaler’s 2019 full-length debut, Restless. Restless saw Mongeon creating a sound that meshes crisp electronic sounds with organic instrumentation to convey a more mature and dynamic aesthetic.

Since the release of Restless, the French-Canadian artist has very busy: He has made the rounds of the provincial and national festival circuit, with sets at Festival Pop Montréal, M pour Montréal, Festival Mode et Design, Picnik Électronik, Festival Fringe de Montréal, Santa Teresa Fest and Canadian Music Week. He also played at New Colossus Festival.

2021 saw the release of Mongeon’s sophomore Radiant Baby album, Pantomime, which was followed up with a deluxe edition of Pantomime (Deluxe) last year.

The French Canadian artist starts 2024 with “Mort de Rire,” the third single from his forthcoming third album slated for a summer 2024 release. “Mort de Rire,” is a slinky bit of synth-driven New Wave-like funk paired with Mongeon’s dreamy falsetto that sounds as though it could have been released sometime between the late 1970s and early 1980s. The song, as the rising Canadian artist explains inspects the twists and turns of our darkest sides — without taking itself too seriously.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Pill Couple Share An Anthemic Banger

Pill Couple is a Vietnamese-based electronic duo, with members who grew up in the US and Russia, who have been friends since school. The duo’s sound sees them experimenting and meshing different genres and styles including dream pop, dark wave, synth wave, psychedelia and hip-hop rooted in melodicism, emotive vocals and heart-worn-on-sleeve lyrics that thematically focuses on sorrow and hope.

The duo’s latest single “Violetize” is a slickly produced bit of synthwave/darkwave featuring buzzing synth oscillations, glistening synths, industrial clang and clatter, tweeter and woofer rattling thump and Nik’s expressive delivery paired with rousingly anthemic hooks and chorus. The result is a song that pairs pop craft with modern production and earnest lyrics.

singer/songwriters by William Ruben Helms

Throwback: Happy 69th Birthday, Annie Lennox!

JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates Annie Lennox’s 69th birthday.

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: Uma E. Shares an Atmospheric Cover of 80s Synth Pop Hit

Ulriqa Fernqvist is a Swedish multi-disciplinary artist, who strongest forms of expression have always been dance, theater and singing. Over the course of two-plus decade career, she has worked on an experimental, improvisational concerts, musical installations, theater and dance performances. Along with producer and collaborator Don Gog, she runs the performing arts company Art of Spectra, a company that has been invited to perform at numerous festivals, theaters and art centers around Europe.

As a pop artist, Fernqvist is the creative mastermind behind solo recording project Uma E. Her latest single, sees Fernqvist and her longtime producer and collaborator tackling a-ha‘s 1985 song “The Sun Always Shines On TV.” The original begins with a dramatic introduction featuring twinkling keys and atmospheric synths before quickly morphing into a hook-driven, prog rock-like anthem reminiscent of Yes‘ “Owner of a Lonely Heart” and Duran Duran. Clocking in at a little under six minutes, the Uma E. rendition sees the Swedish collaborators stripping the song down to the bare bones, transforming the song into a brooding and uneasy, Portishead and Massive Attack-like bit of trip hop built around thumping kick drum beats, gently twinkling synth arpeggios, grainy bass synths and atmospheric electronics paired with Uma E.’s ethereal and plaintive delivery.

“I worked in the theatre play TOUCH by Falk Richter in Germany at Münchner Kammerspiele during the pandemic. I was asked to perform the A-ha song, ‘The Sun Always Shines on TV’ and it started off quite close to the original,” Fernqvist says. “I realised after a while I wanted to express the song in a different way to make it feel right. I got very attached to this song and the lyrics as it was a song I heard a lot growing up. I felt that I wanted to express it more like a poem – slower and more intimate.” 

Changing the style of the song was planted in the Swedish artist’s mind, and came to fruition later that summer, when she returned to Sweden. “Me and my producer Don Gog started to experiment with what that change  could be. It developed to what we came to call ‘a techno prayer’ and we started building this track with the idea that it was to be performed in this play. Later we reworked that version to make it more like a track without the theatrical context – even though those memories still live in the track. The challenging thing with the vocals was to keep it very fragile and honest even if we wanted the music to have this constant rise. It was also very interesting to blend the electronica with elements from techno. 

Directed by Fofo Altinell, the accompanying video for “The Sun Always Shines On TV” is a hazy fever dream, following the Swedish artist in the countryside during golden hour.