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 2024 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. Beautiful Crisis X Vain Machine – “Talk About It”
Adam Collier’s Beautiful Crisis project takes a decidedly darker approach on new song “Talk About It” than in his work with BlakLight, drawing gloomier electronic soundscapes from body music. He amps up the tension in the vocals with echoey reverb, which produces a shadowy vibe. The project features rotating guest singers. On “Talk About It,” that’s Omar Quiñones, his bandmate in BlakLight and the proprietor of Vain Machine.
9. Sacred Skin – “Surrender”
Just a few weeks before the release of their sophomore album, Born in Fire, LA-based project Sacred Skin dropped another thrilling single called “Surrender.” Like other tracks on the album, it draws heavily from the over-the-top bombast of ’80s soundtracks, blending monster guitar riffs and tingling keys into fiery synth-rock. Even the video plays like an episode of “Miami Vice.”
8. Wingtips feat. Tim Cappello – “The Verdict”
Every child of the ’80s should immediately recognize the name Tim Cappello, the sax god famous for performing in The Lost Boys. I had the pleasure of seeing him live on Tina Turner’s 1985 Private Dancer tour—my very first concert. Cappello still makes appearances in new music, most notably with the synthwave band Gunship. Now, Chicago duo Wingtips enlist his iconic sax for a couple of solos on their breezy, end-of-summer celebration, “The Verdict.”
7. Sleek Teeth – “Operating”
Emerging LA-based duo Sleek Teeth topped last month’s list and continues to impress with their scorching blend of clanking mechanical beats and melodic songcraft. “Operating” may not be as instantly memorable as previous release “Endless,” but Sleek Teeth still charms with sensitive vocals and a lively, romantic pulse.
6. TR/ST – “Warp”
The production on TR/ST’s new album Performance is relatively understated—it lacks the frenetic energy and unexpected sounds of previous TR/ST releases. But the album’s closing track is a stunner. “Warp” masterfully builds tension with pulsing blips, bleeps, and thumps. Robert Alfons’ distinctive voice finally arrives around the two-and-a-half-minute mark, adding to the song’s immersive suspense.
5. iamnoone – “This Is Forever”
Italian coldwave band iamnoone delivers big, grandiose sound with their latest single, “This Is Forever,” a rollicking track from their upcoming album, The Joy of Sorrow. Captivating synths and a monster hook drive the song, while the elegant, clear vocals deliver memorable lines like “I want to stay like this forever.”
4. Ghost Cop – “Problems”
Ghost Cop blew me away with last year’s “A Shot in the Dark,” which I included on my list of the year’s best songs. They’re back with “Problems,” the lead single from their upcoming album called Trouble. The New York duo once again delivers sonic tension, intense beats, and Lucy Swope’s mysterious, yet captivating vocals. The track’s gloomy synths and swirling electronic noises set a dark tone, while the lyrics explore embracing one’s own inner darkness.
3. MATTE BLVCK – “Vicious Dreams”
“Vicious Dreams” closes MATTE BLVCK’s phenomenal new album with epic grandeur. Clocking in at over six minutes, the tracks solidifies everything that’s come before it. Powerful percussion. Intense darkwave melodies. Superb production. With Vows, the San Diego trio cements their status as one of the best new acts in the dark music scene.
2. Vintage Voltage – “I Wasn’t Made for This World”
Swedish duo Vintage Voltage continue to impress on just their third track. “I Wasn’t Made for This World” once again wades through ’80s melancholy yet slows down the tempo to reveal a softer, more sentimental side of the mystery project. Previous tracks explored darker territory a la Depeche Mode or Human League, but the vocal melodies on this one recall—to my ears, at least—lighter outfits like a-ha and ABC.
1. Sydney Valette – “Pharmakon”
French artist Sydney Valette has an uncanny knack for creating beats that feel like they’re constantly getting faster—as if the music is struggling to keep up with itself. That gift has never been more apparent than on the progressive stomper, “Pharmakon,” from his new album called The Healer. The razor-sharp production features thrilling synth bubbles and breathless vocals. The whole song is a rush.
