Latest Synth-pop Posts

[Chill] Lilt – Don’t Tell Me

Posted by Mitch Marzuola - January 25, 2015

Lilt (AUS)
Don't Tell Me

Whatever is in the water down in Australia, I want some of it, because more and more talent continues to bud from there. Lilt is the dual effort of songstress Louise Penman and Matt McLean, and they decided to break almost a year of silence on their SoundCloud with the ethereal Don’t Tell Me. They’ve cooked up a melting pot of BANKS, Little Dragon, and even a little Nine Inch Nails influence into their sound, which has carried over and developed nicely since their Swim EP. The confidence in the lyrics resonates throughout every element of the production as well, and these two know exactly how to complement their respective strengths. If you are a fan of Purity Ring, Lilt is will be right up your alley. They’ve graced us with a free download of Don’t Tell Me, so be sure to grab your copy and enjoy the vibes above.

[Indie-Pop] Chelsea Lankes – Down For Whatever

Posted by Brooke Ferguson - January 23, 2015

Chelsea Lankes
Down for Whatever

Soundcloud

As a woman, it’s incredibly comforting to come across female musicians/vocalists who just know how to serendipitously serenade us our life story. Los Angeles singer and songwriter, Chelsea Lankes, just recently unleashed an indie-pop sensation that will undeniably give you all the reason to not care about last nights decisions or even this weekends mistakes you will most likely make. “Down For Whatever” resonates something youthful, pleasant, and all around FUN. With its simplistic vintage approach and synth-heavy progression, Chelsea Lankes speaks to us young twenty-somthings who just want to keep making mistakes and keep the spontaneity within us alive. So press play and let your worries and cares just dissipate.

[Indie-Pop] MONARCH – Stay

Posted by Brooke Ferguson - January 23, 2015

MONARCH
Stay

Soundcloud

Often times we come across an artist or a band that completely change our standards and taste in music. Whenever this happens, we can’t help but experience a shift in direction as we continue along this linear path to a more refined music library selection. Earlier this week we stumbled across a debut artist, MONARCH, who consist of Brent Kutzle and Brian Willet from OneRepublic, A Fine Frenzy’s, Joel Plotnik, and vocal frontrunner, Brennan Strawn. This side project is full of extreme talent and an immense amount of potential. Today we are sharing their first single, “Stay”, which is apart of their upcoming 4-single EP, Apollo, which is set to release sometime this Spring.

“Stay” stunningly portrays a moving story that emulates that of something we would see in a contemporary dance routine. As the song progresses from a minimal baseline and crecendos into an indie-pop ballad full of mesmerizing synths, soothing vocals, and a powerful percussion, MONARCH gives us a subtle taste of vintage and modern elements that warm our hearts and coax our souls. This marks the start for a glorious new path for these guys and we can’t wait to see what they have in store for us this coming year.

[Cover] Mark Johns – In Paris (Prod. Sable)

Posted by Mitch Marzuola - January 22, 2015

Mark Johns
In Paris (Prod. Sable)

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Mark Johns does what she wants. And she does it well. All of her previous efforts within the Moving Castle camp have made her a commodity in this constantly shifting and growing network of URL focused collectives. Having already worked with Manila Killa, Y//2//K, and Strehlow, she’s cemented her spot as a premiere vocalist in the future bass realm. Her newest release calls on the talents of Australian native Sable, and they’ve reshaped JAY Z and Kanye West‘s Ni***s In Paris into something akin to a ballad.

The juxtaposition of the lyrics and Sable’s airy and atmospheric production are pulled together with no problem by Mark John’s ability to commandeer the original track and completely flip the script. We’ve seen it before on a flip of Gatorade by Yung Lean, and JAY Z and Kanye’s blockbuster hit get the same treatment with similar and pleasing results. There’s plenty in store for Mark Johns, and she exhibits a star quality amongst the impressive roster of producers she has supporting her. She’s not messing around with In Paris, and you won’t want to miss out what she is going to do next.

[Disco/Chill] Falcon Punch – Silk [TMN Premiere]

Posted by Matthew Bloss - January 20, 2015

Falcon Punch
Silk

Download

After storming Hype Machine’s Top 10 back in August with “Flying High”, and following up with an utterly tasteful disco-revivalist single for vinyl-only imprint Smokecloud Records, “Paid Dues”; Denver based Minneapolis transplant Avery Henderson, who limelights with one of the best names and sounds in downtempo dance music, Falcon Punch, is back with “Silk” for a very special ‘TMN Premiere’. Always a thinking man’s disco purveyor, Falcon Punch rolls out his latest single on a bed of subdued, shuffled hi-hats; laying a lush foundation for which the tune’s almost minimal leaning synth progression can freely skitter along. But, once the curtains are raised after a brief yet baiting four-bar intro; we’re pulled into a lovely electro-funk meets nu-jazz guitar line which serves a majority of the track’s focal point while simultaneously evoking some Discovery-era Daft Punk or chilled out Todd Terje comparisons. Furthering you along into a sea of groove, “Silk” highlights Falcon Punch’s proficient tastemaking abilities with a sumptuous vocal pulled from Dexter Wansel. Every piece functions as a standalone, but were also all clearly thought out and pulled together to play smoothly into one cohesive movement. “Silk” drops on Karl Kling (who you might know from his work with RAC) & Cyclist’s MANI/PEDI Records –Falcon Punch’s second release with the burgeoning dance label- and you can bet we’ll be all ears for music from both entities as 2015 unfolds. Stream “Silk” from Falcon Punch above.

[Smooth] Refs – Pain Goes Away

Posted by Mitch Marzuola - January 16, 2015

Refs
Pain Goes Away

Soundcloud

Finding new acts on SoundCloud is always exciting. Usually it means little to no information on the artist(s), but this gives us a chance to really enjoy the music for what it is: THE MUSIC. What we do know is that the NYC natives, Refs, have quietly debuted Pain Goes Away, a R&B tinged, electronic tune ideal for anything from a sunny day cruise to a twilight nightcap. Juggling the crooning of vocalist Richard Saunders along with the hazy production of Zachary Andrew, Refs have something here.

The slow swelling synths and tightened down drum work mirror the message of a constantly shifting state of mind during recovery from any type of pain, in the case primarily emotional turmoil. The balance and cohesiveness between each element in Pain Goes Away is striking and commands your attention from the start. Hitting stride on a first release is difficult, yet these two simply have grasped exactly what they wanted and have created a wonderful debut for themselves and their audience.

[Synth/Dream-Pop] Day Wave – Total Zombie

Posted by Matthew Bloss - January 14, 2015

Day Wave
Total Zombie

Soundcloud

Day Wave, the solo project of So-Cal indie-pop duo Carousel‘s vocal half- Jackson Philips, returns with another foggy, synth-driven cut “Total Zombie”. After dropping Day Wave’s debut single “Nothing At All” back in November, this time around, Day Wave’s focus seems to play a bit more pensive than his debut. Being a classically trained musician (and a highly trained one at that) clearly translates into a structural mastery of a multitude of music genres as well as the ability to turn out an addictive pop-riff masked in sterling instrumentation. “Total Zombie” playfully broods about behind a waxy, reverb laden guitar; intermingling with Philips’ gospel infused refrain harmoniously. It seems like the leak of recent Day Wave singles may be leading up to an EP or LP release, and you can bet your bottom Benjamins that we’ll be on top of all things Day Wave as they accumulate. Stream “Total Zombie” above.