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 2025 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. HALLOWS – “Catalyst”
Darkwave duo HALLOWS takes a more accessible approach on “Catalyst,” a brighter, bouncier turn from their usual sound. The band’s earlier work—like the unsettling 2021 track “All That Is True Dies”—leans heavily into drone, dread, and reverb-soaked vocals that blur the edges of language. But “Catalyst” trades that eerie haze for clarity. Twinkling synth arrangements topple over each other in layered waves, as lyrics about starting over—“We still have time to rewind”—point toward something more hopeful.
9. T.O.Y. – “Neon Lights”
German band T.O.Y. has been tinkering on their next album for years, and it finally arrives in December. We’ve already heard several tracks, including the majestic “Silent Soldiers” from way back in 2019. New single “Neon Lights” feels thematically adjacent to The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights”—so much so, I wouldn’t be surprised if it served as an influence. But while The Weeknd leans into ’80s pastiche, T.O.Y. brings a more refined, synthpop-forward approach that feels timeless rather than retro. Volker Lutz’s soothing vocals deliver gentle melodies over a glowing keyboard motif that makes “Neon Lights” feel warm and elegant.
8. Ash Code – “Far Away”
Modern darkwave heroes Ash Code blend bass guitar and synthesizers in classic genre fashion, but it’s the more synthpop-leaning moments like “Far Away” that appeal most to me. From the Italian trio’s fourth studio album Synthome (a release I expect we’ll see on many best-of-the-year lists), “Far Away” balances atmosphere and urgency. The verses echo with a cavernous, cave-like quality, sharply contrasted by a booming, declarative chorus: “Fate, you’re doomed / To roam far away.”
7. Lights of Euphoria – “Electric Lover”
German project Lights of Euphoria continues its turn toward melodic electropop with “Electric Lover,” a sleek track about falling for artificial intelligence. The song succeeds on the strength of its sentimental, memorable hook, paired with polished synth work full of pulsating bleeps and sweeping arrangements. It all adds up to a trancy, big-room sound that feels both futuristic and emotional.
6. Talk to Her – “PLD”
Italian electro-wave band Talk to Her returns from a five-year silence with “PLD,” the dark and pulsing lead single from their upcoming album Pleasure Loss Desire. Built on thick, pummeling synths and escalating percussion, the track grows more intense as it unfolds, capturing the tension between control and surrender. Andrea Visaggio’s echo-soaked vocals—still reminiscent of Editors’ Tom Smith—spiral through lyrics that hint at submission and desire. It’s a gripping return that sets the tone for what promises to be a colder, more aggressive chapter.
5. Ego Bliss – “Ascend”
Mexican futurepop act Ego Bliss kickstart a new chapter with “Ascend,” their first song since signing with darkscene powerhouse Infacted Recordings. The track blends trance textures, pulsating beats, and classic synthpop melodies into a high-energy anthem built for the dancefloor. Swirling electronics with a subtle Middle Eastern flair add unique flavor to the polished production, while electrified vocal effects give it futuristic shine. Anchoring it all is a soaring, defiant chorus—“We will never be afraid”—that gives the track its epic gravitas.
4. The Penthouse Plants – “Dance People Dance”
With each new release, the enigmatic project The Penthouse Plants reveals a little more of its backstory. We now know it’s helmed by musician John X Belmonte, who’s also released several solo tracks. “Dance People Dance,” their latest offering, was originally written in 1984 and features vintage drum samples—but it’s been revived with modern production that gives it fresh energy. The result lands squarely in my sweet spot: a mysterious, darkwave-tinged synthpop track with a strong, memorable hook. And yes—I’m a sucker for songs about dancing.
3. Promenade Cinema – “Moonlight”
Moonlight is a recurring image throughout Promenade Cinema’s Afterlife album, so it’s only fitting that the track “Moonlight” is among the album’s highlights. The English duo layers vibrating electronics beneath Emma Barson’s lovely, stirring vocals, creating a soundscape that feels intimate and expansive. Its haunting hook—“In your deep night / I’ll be your moonlight”—casts moonlight as a beacon in the darkness, a guiding force that amplifies the album’s nocturnal atmosphere. About halfway through, they fry her vocals with an unexpected, electrified effect that adds a jolt of drama to an already elegant song.
2. Alienare – “Let This Moment Never End”
I have to admit I’ve never given Alienare the attention they’re due—perhaps I unfairly judged the aesthetics more than the sound. But with the sideways mohawk gone and a new era underway, the German project is making a fresh start. “Let This Moment Never End,” the first track from their upcoming Mea Culpa EP, pairs slinky Gerrit Thomas–produced beats with the sort of gooey, feel-good energy that lights up faces on the dancefloor. It’s the best thing Alienare has done yet.
1. Assemblage 23 – “Tolerate”
The paradox of tolerance has been a hot topic in goth-industrial circles of late. So Assemblage 23 drops their latest single with razor-sharp timing. Over a pummeling beat and his signature electronic filigree, Tom Shear delivers the final word on the matter with incisive lines like: “There’s a limit to what the tolerant / Themselves will tolerate.” It’s a sharp, danceable reminder that bigotry has no place in our spaces. Period.
