Here are my favorite songs of the month in synthpop, futurepop, darkwave, and adjacent genres. If you want to follow my music discovery this year, subscribe to my 2026 playlist on Spotify. New songs are added every Friday. Sort by “Date Added” to see new tracks appear at the top of the playlist.
10. MENTAL DISCIPLINE — “Bring the Light”
Russian electronic project Mental Discipline often relies on guest vocalists like Felix Marc and Helge Wiegand to bring its melodic futurepop to life. But that’s mastermind Alex Mental himself on “Bring the Light,” the title track from the project’s fourth album. The result is a lovely, uplifting anthem with sweeping synth melodies and the kind of emotional grandeur that makes futurepop such an enduring genre.
9. RYMDVERKET — “Numb”
Swedish duo Rymdverket continue their impressive run of singles with “Numb,” a song written for an upcoming stage production. Its trancey electronics and pulsating rhythms generate a tremendous amount of electricity, while the tempo shifts to make room for Linda Ganters’ divine vocals. Her voice moves between delicate passages and soaring harmonies as the electronics gather momentum and race toward a small but powerful drop.
8. CAUSTIC feat. MARI KATTMAN — “Big Bad Rising”
“Big Bad Rising,” a team-up between electro-industrial provocateur Caustic and darkwave chameleon Mari Kattman, channels mid-’90s tribal house, as if Junior Vasquez spun up a relentlessly throbbing beat for the afters at Sound Factory. There are even the era’s trademark “whoa-oh-ohs.” Mari’s breathy coos, teasing spoken-word bits, and mischievous giggles give the track some serious sex appeal. But what really sold me was listening on a pair of proper headphones, where the sound buzzes back and forth from left to right in a way that’s deeply hypnotic and energizing. I could dance to this until noon.
7. PRIEST — “Dehumanized”
Priest is on a tear. In October, the Swedish cyberpunks released a whopping amount of music, including: new single “Dehumanized,” fifth album Altered Police State, a collaboration with Aesthetic Perfection called “Rorschach,” and a Halloween double-header containing “Zombie Night” and “The Goblin Song.” There’s so much material, it’s hard to pick a favorite. For my money, I’m going with “Dehumanized” for the way it combines unsettling tension, a surprising but engaging falsetto, and a big honking synth riff that explodes through the chorus. If they keep this pace up, they’ll have another album out before I finish writing this review.
6. PART2 — “You Will Always Be Here”
Swedish trio PART2 remain one of synthpop’s best-kept secrets, having quietly released 18 elegant and emotionally rich singles since 2021. Earlier this year, they revealed that they’re moving into the next phase of the project and releasing a full-length album of all-new material. I can’t wait. That new chapter begins with “You Will Always Be Here,” a gorgeous track that showcases everything I love about this underrated project: Lovely keyboard melodies, melancholic vocals, so much gooey warmth and emotion. When the album finally arrives, we’re in for something special.
5. SYDNEY VALETTE — “Warrior”
I’m having a hard time getting through Sydney Valette’s new album because track one, “Warrior,” is an instant repeat for me. Every single time. It’s another explosive banger from the French master beatmaker, in the tradition of previous favorites like “Pharmakon” and “Station Stop.” Valette gasses you up with empowering lyrics—something about being a badass angel designed to kill—while squawking electronics and bursts of media samples keep things bustling.
4. DARK MINIMAL PROJECT — “I’m Not in Love”
Don’t be fooled by the title. “I’m Not in Love” is not a cover of the Platinum Blonde song made famous in goth circles by Crystal Castles and Robert Smith. It’s an original from French electronic duo Dark Minimal Project, who’ve been on my radar for a couple of years. This song thrives on throbbing basslines, enticing vocals, and dynamic electronics, especially those breakneck laser pulses that give it an explosive rush. I’ll be paying a lot more attention to this dark project.
3. HAUTE & FREDDY — “Film Noir”
American duo Haute & Freddy are my favorite pop discovery of the year, with a colorful New Wave sound that draws from the likes of Kate Bush and The Thompson Twins. Their latest single, “Film Noir,” written for the new Carrie show, takes a darker turn. It’s eerie enough to slot comfortably into playlists next to underground acts like Promenade Cinema and BlakLight. The song conjures the New Romantic movement with spoken-word elements, twinkling minor-key atmospheres, and melodramatic vocals. Bonus points for the spectacular B-side cover of Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes.”
2. VIDÉO L’ECLIPSE — “The Piece”
Swedish duo Video L’Eclipse remains one of the modern era’s finest synthpop acts, thanks to their elegant, intellectual songcraft and the way they tackle broad subject matter with intimate detail. On “The Piece,” the latest single from their forthcoming third album, singer Jonas Peterson delivers another stirring performance. His voice is full of warmth and vulnerability as he pours his aching heart into lines like “It penetrates me… It devastates me,” all set against Robert Tingelöf’s rumbling electronics. The song offers a poignant reminder of the power of human connection in an uncertain world: “What we had in common was this fucked up century.”
1. THE PIXEL RAIN — “Glitching Sky”
“Glitching Sky,” the final single from The Pixel Rain’s just-released debut album, A Sense of Danger, opens with a rush of cascading synths, then unfurls with warm, organic soundscapes that recall Sweden’s Kite. Hungarian musician Áron Siegler, who is immersed in the Southeast London underground scene, sounds strikingly vulnerable, his deeply emotive vocals projecting a raw, authentic grit. The song forgoes a traditional verse-chorus structure, instead unfolding like a narrative that uses rain as an extended metaphor for life’s disappointments (a cheating wife, a shitty job). Eventually, messages of hope and empowerment arrive, and swelling synths build to arena-sized proportions. It is a powerful, perfect song.
