Latest Synth-pop Posts

[Electro-Pop] Limbic Void – The Doghouse (feat. Iben Bjørg Anton)

Posted by Mitch Marzuola - November 15, 2015

Limbic Void
The Doghouse (feat. Iben Bjørg Anton)

Norwegian producer Limbic Void and Danish vocalist Iben Bjørg Anton are a spectacular team. Artists with smaller followings continue to provide a myriad of songs that shape a community of forward thinking style and structure, and these two have devised a glistening electronic pop marvel titled “The Doghouse” that substantiates this exact point. Iben Bjørg Anton’s voice carries a resemblance to Lana Del Rey, albeit with a considerably less bleak delivery and approach. It’s here where the tune finds its footing, and the weight of the brooding production by Limbic Void crashes around her voice with grit and gusto. Alternative and electronic pop cover an expansive spectrum, and this cold, calculated sector of it obtained a significant new addition with “The Doghouse.”

Limbic Void has already been producing for a couple of years, which is evident of his SoundCloud history, and his refined construction of this song speaks volumes to his capabilities and potential. We were lucky enough to have this sent to us yesterday, and it’s been in heavy rotation since. If you catch yourself enjoying it, be sure to explore the sunnier side of his work by listening to the insanely catchy Grandstander, where he even provides his own vocals. With all that being said, be sure to show Limbic Void any support you can and enjoy the tune above!

[Electronica/Space-Pop] Phoebe Gorry – Done This Before (NTEIBINT Remix) [TMN Premiere]

Posted by Matthew Bloss - November 13, 2015

Phoebe Gorry
Done This Before (NTEIBINT Remix)

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Burgeoning London singer/songwriter Phoebe Gorry rather took us by surprise in the best of ways with her debut single, “Done This Before”. With under 400 Facebook fans and 100 Soundcloud followers at the time of this article’s inception, Phoebe Gorry’s measured and sophisticated vocal reverberations carry with them the weight and maturity of an artist who’s already spent years cutting their teeth, yet “Done This Before” remains the first of her tunes to get snapped up by a tastemaking label. And good thing that the label in question here happens to be one of our favorites -U.K. based dance & electronic imprint Love & Other Records– as of course their house full of heavyweight dance producers were bound to take Gorry’s debut to another level.

First on official remix duties for the rising songstress is Greek disco powerhouse NTEIBINT, who lends his airy touch by elegantly reconstructing a slow burning groover out of Phoebe Gorry’s original Jazz & Folk inflected pop single. On his revision, NTEIBINT fixes “Done This Before” with a steadily lurching synth line that builds into a lush crescendo throughout the tune before diving all the way into a disco tinged sea. NTEIBINT’s revision was no doubt made for late nights and disco lights, and he’s deftly managed to simultaneously pull Gorry’s lovely incantations to the forefront while re-texturizing the entire soundscape. We’ve not been able to shake this one and are thrilled to rbing it to you first in the form of a TMN Premiere. Stream NTEIBINT’s “Done This Before” remix above.

[House/Indie-Dance] YACHT – Ringtone (Joe Goddard Remix)

Posted by Matthew Bloss - November 12, 2015

YACHT
Ringtone (Joe Goddard Remix)

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Perhaps one of the most multifaceted studio blokes around the music industry today, Joe Goddard seems to carry a certain gravitas whenever his name is attached to anything. Known most primarily as one of the chief architects behind the almighty Hot Chip, and co-founder of Greco-Roman Records (the same label which housed debut releases from the likes of Disclosure & TEED), Joe Goddard has carved out quite the tastemaking assemblage of fans through those avenues; but his high profile remix work as a solo artist has always been just as intoxicating of an earworm for this writer as well.

Last month, the L.A. based ‘band, business and belief system’ otherwise known as the future-pop sweethearts of James Murphy’s legendary DFA imprint, YACHT, presented us with “Ringtone”, the third single to be released from their concept-bending LP I Thought The Future Would Be Cooler -which by the way may be running one of the most creative preview campaigns we’ve ever seen– and like a lot of their pop infused catalog, was one of those tunes just begging for the remix treatment. From the moment we first heard Joe Goddard would be taking on official remix duties, our little Ninja hearts couldn’t help but skip a beat as we prepared for something special. And oh, how he delivered. Goddard seamlessly folds YACHT’s recorded “ringtone” and notification sound bites into a uniform indie-dance anthem fueled by Goddard’s slick, hand-keyed basslines and synth progressions. Honestly, we could go all day about this one, but we’ll let Mr. Joe G. tell you in his own words instead: “I love YACHT; I think their music and their live performances are mesmerising, and they are just plain good people. For this release, I wanted to make an old-fashioned Chicago banger as if the Eurythmics were remixed by DJ Pierre.” He certainly hit the nail on the head with that statement, but why don’t you just check out Joe Goddard’s “Ringtone” remix for yourself above.

[Synth Pop] Grimes – Kill V. Maim

Posted by Jordan Coburn - November 12, 2015

Grimes
Kill V. Maim

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Canadian singer, songwriter, producer, music video director, and record producer Claire Boucher, better known as Grimes, has been working on her latest release for quite a while. Anyone who follows Grimes knows that she’s been influenced and motivated by quintessential pop for most of her career, citing people like Mariah as her major inspirations. While her previous releases have been primarily infused with her insidiously experimental electronic flare, her latest album release Art Angels finally epitomizes the pop product she’s been working towards, and she absolutely nailed the aesthetic in her track “Kill V. Maim.”

This song packs the kind of punch that belongs in the official soundtrack to a fierce cheerleader’s escapades taking out crime while defying any and all gender stereotypes—a theme that Grimes touches on in many of her interviews and songs. Complete with word-spelling and hi-yahs, “Kill V. Maim” has a powerful beat and lyric structure that’ll make anyone want to take on the world, and has convinced us that that is exactly Grimes’s plan. Seriously, this girl can do anything.

[Ambient-Pop] ON AN ON – Drifting (Brothertiger Remix)

Posted by Matthew Bloss - November 3, 2015

ON AN ON
Drifting (Brothertiger Remix)

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Brooklyn-based musician and producer John Jagos has for years been dutifully recording an illusive and ethereal brand of synth-washed pop under his Brothertiger moniker and in that time we’ve fallen pretty hard. Jagos is getting primed to drop a full-length Brothertiger LP on us in December, Out of Touch, and on advance listen behind its eclectic bevy of singles including “Wake”, it’s quickly ascending towards the top of this writer’s ‘LP of the Year’ shortlist (which is actually starting to get pretty lengthy, but that’s neither here nor there). Today however, Brothertiger again dons the ‘remixer’ cap for a tune that’s been circulating like hotcakes this year, ON AN ON’s “Drifiting”. We’ve previously featured Duncan Murray’s take on this one, but Brothertiger’s official revision has really been tickling our penchant for morose pop stylings. Melting pads are folded in deftly amongst a genial sea of nuanced synth played like waves against a subtly tweaked ON AN ON vocal track. If this isn’t one of the more beautiful songs you hear this week, we’ll be left scratching our heads. Brothertiger’s “Drifting” remix comes as part of the always stellar Roll Call Records‘ 4-track remix EP of the same name, which also features mixes from RAC, the aforementioned Duncan Murray and Sammy Bananas, but you can stream Jagos’ remix above.

[Denver Giveaway] TMN Presents: Small Black w/ Painted Palms @ Larimer Lounge – 10/31

Posted by Matthew Bloss - October 28, 2015

Denver Event Giveaway
TMN Presents: Small Black @ Larimer Lounge - 10/31

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We’ve been absolutely ecstatic about our next ‘TMN Presents’ show in Denver, so for Halloween we have quite the special night planned. Coming off of their latest long-player, Best Blues, on mega-tastemaking imprint Jagjaguwar, we’re thrilled to bring Brooklyn based four-piece Small Black to the Larimer Lounge in Denver, CO this Halloween. Already with an impressive list of releases including two EP’s and 3 full-lengths ranging from wistful electro-indie-pop to chillwave and lofi 80’s pop throwback, Small Black has left quite the impressive footprint in just the five years they’ve been releasing music together. This Saturday is looking to be quite the party as well, with support coming from San Francisco psychedelic synth purveyors Painted Palms, who also will be drawing from a pool of freshly minted tunes with the recent release of their second album, Horizons, on Polyvinyl Records. We’re getting our costumes in order, and ears tuned for what will no doubt be a night of tasteful debauchery in Denver.

Of course, you didn’t think we’d stop there did you? As we’re presenting this one, you know we had to get our fellow Ninjas in on the fun too, so we’re giving away not one, but TWO pairs of tickets to catch one of the best Halloween shows around. Entering our contest is as always, beyond easy. Just “like” The Music Ninja on FB, click on this post header if you’re still on the TMN front page, then comment below with your favorite Small Black or Painted Palms song, and boom, that’s it! And of course we want as many people as possible to come celebrate our favorite holiday with us so for our friends looking to secure their spot, tickets can easily be purchased at the link here as well.

There are a few rules, of course:
– The event is 16+ Be sure to tell all of your friends to increase chance of winning!
– You are responsible for your own transportation.
– You must bring a valid form of ID to pick up your tickets at the Larimer Lounge door.

Check out our preview mini-playlist, start commenting below and best of luck ninjas!

’Small Black – Boys Life’

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’Small Black – No Stranger’

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’Small Black – Back At Belle’s’

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’Painted Palms – Disintegrate’

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’Painted Palms – Spinning Signs’

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[MP3 Playlist] Indie Dojo (October Round #4)

Posted by Allegra Azzopardi - October 27, 2015

The days are getting colder and shorter and shorter and colder. But really, it’s just the universe giving us more time to stay in, kick back, relax and play through an Indie Dojo or two or three of four. We are here for as long as you want us to be.

’Boom Forest – Been’

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’Islandis – Home’

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’Bay Ledges – off u’

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’Silver Firs – Signals’

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’Cinders – Call it Home’

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’Katie and I – Bones’

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