We’re deep in the summer music doldrums. New releases have slowed to a trickle as people spend time outdoors, flock to air-conditioned movie houses, and obsess over viral sensations like Jimothy the deformed raccoon. He is very cute.
It wasn’t always like this. The first few months of the year were stacked with incredible releases from returning legends like Mesh to exciting newcomers like ARMOURS. A wave of sad-boy synthpop filled my headphones, emerging as one of the year’s most intriguing trends. This fall promises a return to maximum musical output with highly anticipated releases from mind.in.a.box, The Sound Veil Society, ACTORS, and more. Check out my 2026 calendar to keep up with the most promising new music.
But first, we must get through summer. It’s a sweltering, upside-down time when the sun blares overhead and everyone loses their senses. One of our most reliable purveyors of dark synthpop, after all, is now singing songs about blue jeans.
This should soothe your summer madness. Here are my 25 favorite songs from the first six months of the year. These tracks are listed in alphabetical order by artists’ names because I’m not ready to commit to ranking them.
A THOUSAND MAD THINGS – “Truth You Seek”
English newcomers A Thousand Mad Things are among the best new acts in modern synthpop, thanks to the elegant majesty of songs like “Truth You Seek.” This is warm, engaging synthpop with a sticky hook that turns self-doubt into something irresistible: “Does that make me a coward? / Does that make me a freak? / Do I have to provide you the truth you seek?”
ANGELS & AGONY – “Changes”
“Changes” is the first new song from Dutch futurepop duo Angels & Agony in 10 years. What a welcome return. Its classic melodies, propulsive beat, and especially a big, soaring hook—“So here we are!”—make this track feel instantly familiar, as if we’ve been singing along for years. Let’s hope this is the start of a full-blown comeback.
ARMOURS – “Body”
Brand-new Swedish trio ARMOURS might just be my favorite new project of the year. “Body,” the title track from their debut EP, is a helluva opening statement that harnesses the enormous power of body music with clanking pipes, energetic synth riffs, muscular beats, and one bomb-ass hook: “The way your body remains.”
AUGER – “Back in Love”
English electro-rock project Auger joins this year’s prolific wave of sad-boy synthpop. “Back in Love” is a brooding blend of chunky guitar and warm, expressive synths steeped in classic New Wave melodies. What sets Auger apart is that deep, captivating voice that sounds as if you’re being serenaded by the devil himself.
CHAINREACTOR feat. AUDIOCALL – “Unintentional Presence Pt. 2”
You might not expect venomous German industrial-techno project Chainreactor to appear on a best synthpop list. Then again, you probably never expected them to tap Audiocall frontman Axel Tasler to transform a pounding instrumental into “Unintentional Presence, Pt. 2,” an exquisite banger built on clanking hi-hats, fiery beats, and thrilling pop melodies. It’s a sharp reminder that the distance between floor-shaking rhythmic noise and traditional synthpop can be as small as one killer vocal.
CHOIR BOY – “I’ll Always Let You Down”
Utah’s Choir Boy, returning this year from a five-year absence, make sentimental synthpop that’s largely known for the cherubic voice of singer Adam Klopp. He’s in fine form singing about not living up to expectations on “I’ll Always Let You Down,” his voice rising and falling with impressive range atop tingly piano keys and thwacking pads. It’s lovely, a sharp contrast to the ghastly visuals they’ve paired with it.
CULTURE KULTÜR – “Atomic Radio”
Spanish futurepoppers Culture Kultür preceded their long-awaited new album with an explosive single called “Atomic Radio” that imagines a post-apocalyptic future where a DJ spins songs for no one. That might sound like a buzzkill, but the track is a blast of energetic fun, filled with media samples, propulsive beats, and swirling synth melodies.
DEAD ON A SUNDAY and NITE – “RNAWAY”
The twin brothers of Texas band NITE team up with Colorado darkwave act Dead on a Sunday for a dreamy collaboration called “RNAWAY.” Now this is what modern New Wave should sound like. You can hear beacons of the past in its lilting melodies, but the song still feels fresh, soothing, and strangely empowering. Its mesmerizing hook captures the tension between exhaustion and resolve: “I’m tired of running / I’m tired of running / I’m tired of running out.”
DEAD LIGHTS – “(The Edge of) Dusk”
Anglo-Dutch duo Dead Lights don’t do anything by the numbers, so it’s a wicked delight to hear them sink their teeth into a deliciously sinister ballad. “(The Edge of) Dusk” is all simmering tension built on bubbling synths, menacing vocals, and a rhythm wound so tight it feels like it could snap at any second.
DEKAD – “Disconnected”
“Disconnected” is a sleek midtempo standout from French electronic artist Dekad’s new album, A Distorted View. The track glides on buzzing electronics and deliciously immediate melodies, while JB Lacassagne’s warm, expressive vocals give the song its emotional pull, especially when he lands the big, memorable hook: “So disconnected I can’t take it anymore.”
DEPECHE MODE – “Universal Soldier”
Following the untimely death of Depeche Mode cofounder Andy Fletcher and their subsequent Memento Mori record, the English synthpop icons made a surprise return to the studio to electrify the hell out of Buffy Sainte-Marie’s ’60s-era folk song “Universal Soldier.” Heavy beats, rattling chains, and Dave Gahan’s unmistakable voice transform this anti-war anthem into something dark, menacing, and astoundingly timely. Let’s hope this marks the beginning of a bold new DM era.
DIORAMA – “The Same Ghost”
German avant-synth project Diorama returned this year with another collection of challenging but deeply engaging soundscapes. My favorite from the set, “The Same Ghost,” finds the band ricocheting between no-nonsense pop and electrified screams of “CATCH UP!” and “FOLLOW US!” all within the same chorus. The result is madcap, danceable, and deeply weird: a compelling condemnation of the digital identities we build.
ELEKTROSTAUB feat. BEYOND BORDER – “Moments in My Life”
I have yet to hear “Moments in My Life” in a club, which is a real shame. The DJs in my area are sleeping on an absolute banger that has the thick, galloping beats and big-room energy of peak futurepop. Against a rush of swirling trance arpeggios, German artist Elektrostaub teams up with Beyond Border’s Iggi, whose lovely, empowering vocals remind us to live in the moment.
MADELINE GOLDSTEIN – “One Star One Body”
California musician Madeline Goldstein makes dreamy modern synthpop in the vein of Chromatics and LEATHERS. “One Star One Body,” the closing track from her 2026 album “Speaking to the Body,” is a dark, transportive song steeped in echoey reverb that stretches the emotion of each word into a time-defying, soul-crushing aura. Organic percussion deepens its immersive presence and steadily raises the tension.
MESH – “This World”
English synth-rock heroes Mesh returned from a 10-year absence with one of the most cohesive albums of their storied career. Its songs glimmer with the duo’s beloved sound, but my favorite from the set takes a dramatic detour. “This World,” a midtempo slow roller about finding peace in an unrelatable world, soars with orchestral arrangements and the cinematic majesty of a James Bond theme.
MINUTE TAKER – “Losing Self-Control”
I was not familiar with English synth act Minute Taker until this year, but a quick jaunt through his catalog runs a bit brighter than I’m generally drawn to. “Losing Self-Control” takes a darker turn with carefully strummed guitars, shimmering synths, and slow, spacious ’80s melodies that could soundtrack a John Hughes movie. Indeed, the accompanying music video is incredibly cinematic. Darkwave artist Curses provides a production assist that results in a stunning New Romantic ballad full of melancholy and deep emotional heft. It’s absolutely aching in the best way possible.
OPTIC – “God’s Eye”
For the past two years, Swedish duo Optic have maintained their spot atop my list of the most underrated acts in modern synthpop. “God’s Eye” extends their run of exquisite singles with arpeggiated pads, lovely melodies, and thoughtful lyrics that wrestle with the existence of God. Optic delivers the verses with a rhythmic, almost spoken cadence before opening into a more melodic chorus, which gives the song a dramatic push and pull.
PAPER FOXES – “Numb”
Paper Foxes is a highly underrated band from Arizona that I only recently discovered, despite that they have three albums under their belt. Their latest, Rituals, is one of my favorite records this year, and it’s because of thrilling songs like “Numb,” the opening track. “Numb” is all sinister energy with skittering synth riffs, some nicely placed guitar riffs, and eerie vocals singing about “cigarette kisses in the rain.” It’s entirely infectious.
PART2 – “My Pleasure and Pain”
Under-the-radar Swedish trio PART2 have built a devoted following through a steady run of elegant, melancholic singles. They recently revealed that they’re working on a debut full-length album of entirely new material. “My Pleasure and Pain” won’t appear on the record, but it feels like a compelling warm-up. The song may be their darkest track yet, pairing rich vocals with denser soundscapes and grimmer subject matter without sacrificing the elegance that makes their music so enjoyable.
RYMDVERKET – “In Silence”
In this quietly powerful admonition, Swedish newcomers Rymdverket scold folks who turn away from atrocities, whether personal (“a good friend being bullied at school”) or global (“A brutal war, a genocide”). The music rumbles with tension, martial drums strike with dramatic force, and the incredibly talented singer Linda Ganters devastates with unsettling elegance. Few songs have the power to change people’s behavior. This is one of them.
SPANKTHENUN – “No Further Requests”
The hilariously named Texas project Spankthenun brings a cheeky attitude to EBM that typically revels in smoke-filled industrial menace. “No Further Requests” still hits that EBM beat with mechanical precision and pummeling hi-hats, but something about its structure and aesthetic speaks to me as a synthpop lover. Its stoic, spoken-word vocals add intrigue to its warning about the surveillance state: “Remain unseen. Echo nothing. Play the game.”
TRAITRS – “Dream Drowning”
“Dream Drowning” may be the least synthpop song on this list, but there’s just enough machinery churning beneath the guitar that I’m comfortable including it. Besides, it’s so achingly beautiful, how could I not? Canadian darkwave duo TRAITRS recall The Cure at their most miserable, wallowing in melancholy and unresolved trauma with lyrics like, “I can’t tell if my own father’s dead / I saw him hanging in the shed.” This is peak gloom.
TWISTED DESTINY – “Forever and a Day”
German electronic duo Twisted Destiny, known for blending trancey soundscapes with husky vocals, capture the experience of time slipping away on their latest single, “Forever and a Day.” The track opens with a ticking clock, then swirling synths and a thumping beat turn the passage of time into something urgent. A clever, memorable hook drives the message home: “Seconds will be hours / Moments turn to days / A minute lasts a lifetime / Don’t let it fade away.”
VIDÉO L’ECLIPSE – “Mercury Kiss”
Do you remember when artificial intelligence still felt mysterious and exciting? Swedish duo Vidéo L’Eclipse revisit that forgotten fascination on “Mercury Kiss,” the lead single from their forthcoming third album. They crank up the BPM and tighten their elegant, sophisticated synthpop into a bona fide dancefloor jam, while Jonas Peterson’s mesmerizing baritone and numeric samples from an unknowable machine lament our lost faith in AI.
WHORTICULTURE – “Make Me Dead”
Denver duo Whorticulture don’t release much music, but every time they do they knock it out of the park. “Make Me Dead,” only their tenth track, is a rabble-rousing banger driven by a hypnotizing BING BING BONG BONG percussion riff that never lets go. The vocals deftly shift between traditional synthpop melodies and distorted aggrotech that charges the energy up and down. Ten songs from this incredible project are nowhere near enough. I want more, more, more.
