synthpop
Cults Announce New Album Host, Share “Trials”: Stream
Beloved indie pop duo Cults have announced their fourth album, Host. The record is due out later this summer on September 18th via Sinderlyn. According to a press statement, the follow-up to 2017’s Offering is said to be about the sinister dynamics of a parasitic relationship, and the catharsis that comes with achieving freedom and self-reliance. For multi-instrumentalist/singer Madeline Follin, in many ways the new album represents a form of liberation, as it’s her first to serve as primary songwriter. “In the past, I’d never brought my own music to the table because I was just too shy,” Follin explains. This time around, Follin did pitch her material, and once her bandmate Brian Oblivion and their producer Shane Stoneback heard what she had written, they were “floored”. Cults’ entire sou...
Future Islands Share “For Sure”, First New Song in Three Years: Stream
Synthpop heroes Future Islands are back with their first new song in three years. The track is called “For Sure” and it sees the Baltimore band teaming up with Jenn Wasner of Wye Oak, a pairing that sounds seamless in practice. A press release states this is Future Island’s first new music since releasing their 2017 album The Far Field. Technically, though, the band released a standalone single called “Calliope” back in 2018 for Adult Swim’s Singles Series. Regardless, “For Sure” marks a welcome return for the band, especially because there could potentially be more new music on the way. “For Sure” is a soaring number that feels like you’re being filled with hope — something we could certainly use a little more of this year. Armed with their usual blend of synthpop, nonstop drums, and big ...
beabadoobee and Jay Som Join No Rome on New Single “Hurry Home”: Stream
Two years ago, No Rome scored a hit with “Narcissist”, a single featuring The 1975. The London-based songwriter and producer is now releasing another guest-heavy track in “Hurry Home”, which boasts assists from fellow Filipino artists beabadoobee and Jay Som. On the new collaboration, the three young talents take turns airing out their frustrations over a relationship that’s barely hanging on by a thread. “You’ve been running around my mind for a couple of weeks/ Guess that’s why it’s hard for me to fall asleep,” beabadoobee opens, while Jay Som’s later verse sees her finding “it hard to know that/ I can’t replace you yet.” An aching No Rome handles the chorus, determinedly singing, “I want to see you but it’s gonna hurt/ We got some problems but we’ll make it work.” Musically, “Hurry Home...
The 1975 Finally Release New Album Notes on a Conditional Form: Stream
By this point, our calendars are filled with crossed reminders of the release date for The 1975’s new album. After two years and multiple delays, the circle finally takes the square: The 1975 have today released Notes on a Conditional Form. The follow-up to the truly excellent 2018 effort A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships was formally announced last summer with an expected due date of February 21st, 2020. Work didn’t progress as anticipated, however, and a month before the release it was pushed to April 24th. Then the full-length faced another hitch along with the rest of the world when the pandemic hit, forcing The 1975 to delay it once again until today, May 22nd. In her review of the album, Consequence of Sound contributor Samantha Small said that the diverse record is...
The 1975 Pay Tribute to Their Friends on New Song “Guys”: Stream
The 1975 are now just weeks away from the release of their new album, Notes on a Conditional Form. In anticipation, they’re sharing yet another single in “Guys”, and it’s dedicated to some very special people. While last month’s “If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)” saw Matt Healy indulge in salacious conversations with a significant other, today’s offering is focused entirely on the British band’s close buddies. Editors’ Picks “It came quite easy, that song,” Healy told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, “but I think I just wanted to write a love letter to friendship, as opposed to every love song being about our romantic relationships. I think that our friendships are obviously our most formative relationships.” He added, “So shout out to the homies.” Stream the smooth cut below, and then head h...
How Kraftwerk and David Bowie Paved the Way for Music As We Know It Today
In 1976, David Bowie introduced his bravest new world yet. Zig-zagging across Europe and North America to promote his 10th studio album, Station to Station, he set the scene, night after night, with spliced footage from Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí’s surrealist masterpiece Un Chien Andalou. It was a strange yet enthralling scene for fans, but had the artist, then known as The Thin White Duke, had his way, four motionless Germans would have graced the stage instead. The request, of course, was made, but a firm yet friendly “nein danke” from Kraftwerk later led musical history to opt for another course. Midway through the Station to Station live run, also known as the “Isolar Tour”, Kraftwerk co-founders Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider met with Bowie at their Kling Klang Studio in their h...
