Here are my favorite synthpop, futurepop, and darkwave songs of November 2023. If you want to follow my music discovery this year, subscribe to my 2023 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. Eisfabrik – “Lost My Mind”
The gods in white continue to build momentum for their next album with their latest single, a methodic and catchy banger called “Lost My Mind.”
9. REIN – “There’s No Tomorrow”
On REIN’s first new single since her monumental 2020 album Reincarnated, the Swedish artist leans heavily into a dark electroclash direction with minimal lyrics and thumping beats.
8. Vexagon – “Scream Queen”
On their first song since joining the Progress Productions family, veteran US act Vexagon delivers sublime, sentimental darkwave with vocals eerily reminiscent of a calmer TR/ST.
7. Absurd Minds – “The Moral Men”
On the second single from their just released album, Gravitas, Germany’s Absurd Minds combine delicate tinkling keys with throbbing Eurodance flashes.
6. X Marks the Pedwalk – “Who Is Right”
My favorite track so far from X Marks the Pedwalk’s new Superstition LP is this throbbing number called “Who Is Right,” which features soaring vocals from Estefania.
5. Piston Damp – “I’m Losing You (A New Tale)”
Norway’s Piston Damp follows a pair of singles released last year with new single “I’m Losing You (A New Tale)” that opens with a spirited synth riff and propels right into a classic synthpop melody.
4. Bedless Bones – “Solar Animus”
Bedless Bones does an incredible job capturing ethereal soundscapes on her transcendent new album, Mire of Mercury, and the clashing percussion sounds of next single “Solar Animus” add an element of tension.
3. Ironic Sweden – “Let Me Go”
The standout track from Ironic Sweden’s first album since becoming a trio is “Let Me Go,” which features clever vocal interplay between the new trio and a sharp, frisky synthline.
2. Beyond Border – “Journey”
The second single from Beyond Border’s forthcoming new album is another banger with thick beats, contemplative lyrics, and the always magnificent voice of Kai Németh.
1. Hatif – “On the Peripheral”
I’ve been keeping an eye on Swedish duo Hatif since they formed in 2020, and this track from their new EP might be my favorite thing I’ve heard yet. “On the Peripheral” is a hearty, propulsive showcase of the band’s sound, which frequently employs unusual synth elements with a deep, baritone voice.
