Back catalogue: Coldwave/Synth

Review: Oblique Records offers a four-track vinyl-only selection of stripped, club-ready house cuts shaped by UKG inflections and percussive detail. Velvet Velour's 'Make It Hot' leads with a swung rhythm, vocal stabs, and a warm bassline that keeps the energy tight without crowding the mix. Eli Atala's 'Fat Albert' runs deeper, with clipped low-end and a sharper rhythmic frame. The Velvet Velour remix of the same track adds glide and bounce, pushing the groove forward while softening some of the original's edges. On the B-side, MTTY's 'Wally' closes the set with swung drums and sparse atmospherics - minimal in structure but tuned for pace. Each track is functional without sounding generic, keeping arrangement changes minimal and geared for blend. A direct, neatly cut pack of tools with just enough variation to stretch across a warm-up or mid-set.

Review: Oraculo Records, M.U.S.A Records and Ombra Festival have all come together to unveil Dr. Oso, the latest talent to emerge from the Megabreakz collective. This Argentinian producer follows in the footsteps of Candido (who was behind Megabreakz 7) to deliver his own raw and unapologetic take on the hard new beat style. His release is pure fire, with 'Hooligan Beat Edit' swinging sonic punches in every direction at once. 'Trench Flight' is jacked up and ken with a rugged low end, gun shots and fragment synths all making for a visceral groove. It is much the same on the rest of the EP with 'Lager Dance' really popping thanks to its chopped up sirens and caustic textures.

Review: French Mahres sublabel Chandelle welcome two crazed newcomers to their darksynth techno fore, Stigma and Accessible Limits, both of whom are new to the game and yet make a precisely torturous, grotesque techno smash here. Thumbscrews tighten and stretching racks widen, as exquisite vanitas cover art tots up the second release in a series, which sees a differently coloured inner label depict an obscene objet d'enfer. Stigma insists we 'Take This Gun' on the A-side, hatching a devilish plan to city-map and computerise the underworld, while Accessible Limits somehow manages to chill the everlasting flames found thereunder with 'Dave Smith Va Estar Aqui' and 'Sant Roc Es Analogic', two tube-tastic flareups with a moodier feel compared to the A.

Review: Originally released in April 2017, this is a reissue that reaffirms the album's pivotal role in modern darkwave. Crafted by Sydney-based Marc Dwyer, Chroma pulses with a brooding energy that fuses stark minimalism with unexpected pop leanings. Across its runtime, jagged synths and relentless drum programming frame a series of emotionally charged compositions, each one dissecting states of isolation, longing, and inner turbulence. Far from being just a genre exercise, Chroma pushes the boundaries of synth wave and post-punk, threading glimmers of melody through layers of tension and shadow. Dwyer's delivery is cold and commanding, yet there's an underlying vulnerability in how he constructs each track, always rooted in personal reflection but never static. The production is raw but intentional, giving it an immediacy that still hits with force today. Since its release, Chroma has gained a cult following, inspiring peers in the darker corners of electronic music. With two additional albums and several international tours under his belt, Dwyer has grown into a spectral mainstay of the global goth underground. The long-awaited reissue brings Chroma back into circulation where it belongs. Restored, relevant and just as magnetic as it was eight years ago.

Review: One of the most underappreciated and perhaps most emotionally resonant albums from this legendary keyboard wizard gets a timely reissue. Released in 1992, it was overshadowed by the shifting tides of popular music, but time has finally begun to catch up to its brilliance. Here, Dolby reveals a matured musical identity that is melodically rich, lyrically thoughtful and sonically adventurous. 'Cruel', featuring the exquisite Eddi Reader, is one of Dolby's most stirring ballads. A lush, heartfelt piece that blends synth sophistication with intimate vocals. 'Eastern Bloc (the sequel)' cleverly reimagines 'Europa and the Pirate Twins', even borrowing rhythmic cues from Johnny Otis's 'Willie and the Hand Jive' before veering into its own layered complexity. On 'Silk Pajamas' and 'I Love You Goodbye', Dolby dips into a warm, Southeastern US sound palette, his intricate electronic textures as well as his knack for genre fusion (without ever sounding gimmicky) shining bright. Even when venturing toward mainstream pop ('Close but No Cigar') or darker territory ('Neon Sisters'), Dolby remains unpredictable yet unmistakably himself. The final track, 'Beauty of a Dream', is a moving, cinematic closer that lingers long after. While The Golden Age of Wireless remains iconic, Astronauts & Heretics is Dolby at his most personal and artistically fearless. It's great to see this album get its due.

Review: The hugely prolific and endlessly touring Australian rock band King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard's latest is Rave Gizzard: Live in San Francisco 2024 via Reverberation Appreciation Society, a hefty triple-LP capturing their legendary first-ever full synth set. It was recorded live at The Regency Ballroom on November 6, 2024, and is a nine-track set with technicolour performances of tracks like 'Theia,' 'Gilgamesh' and 'Extinction' all reimagined with razor-sharp synth textures. It was an epic show lapped up by fans who revelled in the overwhelming bass and immersive, rave-like energy, all of which is conveyed when listening back. This limited-edition bootleg is a document of the band's adventurous leap into synth-driven psychedelia that is sure to swiftly sell out.

Review: Futurespective is a carefully remastered compilation showcasing the finest work of Les Animaux Sauvages, the legendary Bulgarian band known for their blazing blend of post-punk, new wave and dark wave. For the first time, these classic tracks are available on vinyl, which is literally music to the ears of fans of Eastern European underground sounds. The band is a trio of artistic kindred spirits who united in 2014 with Ivo Stoyadinov Charlie on guitar, synths and programming alongside Sibylla Seraphim, who brings her haunting vocals and synth work to the mix. Together, they craft a moody, atmospheric sound that is distantly lo-fi, with prowling and sleazy guitars that Andrew Weatherall would love, chugging dark disco groves and tripped-out machine soul and wiry electronics.

Review: By the time they got to their fifth album, Liverpool synth pioneers OMD were deep into their glossy, technicolor phase and this reissue of Junk Culture brings all the sharp edges and weird charms back into focus. It's a record that manages to be sleek and experimental at once, balancing pop hooks with a slightly offbeat sense of rhythm and sound. 'Tesla Girls' is manic in the best way, bursting with punchy synth stabs and that hyperactive vocal delivery. 'Locomotion' smooths things out with a more laid-back groove, still very much dancefloor-ready but built on bounce rather than rush. Then there's 'Talking Loud and Clear,' which leans softer, airy and romantic without slipping into cliche. The deeper cuts keep things interesting with 'Love & Violence' and 'White Trash' which feel darker and more cryptic, like glimpses behind the polished exterior. Even when it flirts with radio-friendliness, the record never really plays it safe. This album links the early electronic experimentalism to the polished and slick synth pop that would take OMD to a household name with the following album. Sometimes an overlooked album in their catalog but always respected for the work within. It's a snapshot of a band pulling synthpop in new directions, not afraid to get playful or strange.

Review: This 2xCD edition goes well beyond nostalgia, offering the definitive take on Soft Cell's most illicit and club-focused chapter. Originally released in 1982 their second album was a bold pivot: less of the noir cabaret that had its roots in their Leeds Poly days, more MDMA-drenched disco detachment. But what felt fleeting at the time now reads like a fully formed vision. The first disc captures the original six-track run, including a furious remake of 'Memorabilia', the twisted funk of 'Sex Dwarf' and their glam-stomp take on 'What' i a track that somehow hit Number Three in the UK while sounding like it belonged in a haunted backroom. The second disc expands the picture with extended cuts like 'Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go' and 'Torch', all of which showcase how Soft Cell flirted with pop but refused to smooth their edges. It's a new reissue, but more importantly, it's a reminder of just how ahead of their time they were i turning sleaze into sophistication and dancefloor detritus into poetry. Digitally remastered and packed with rarities, this is as complete a portrait of Soft Cell's ecstatic peak as you'll find.

Review: The band's companion piece to their debut album, with MDMA-slanted remixes (they were among the first E-dopters) and one new track, was always a strange, thrilling detour that delved deeper into the band's darker side. Reissued now and pressed on pink and blue vinyl, it leans into the playful and hedonistic spirit that fueled the duo's early years. 'Memorabilia' still slams with that proto-industrial funk, drenched in echo and attitude. Their version of 'What?' is gloriously off-kilter, part cabaret, part warehouse rave. Marc Almond's vocals are as dramatic and sly as ever, while Dave Ball keeps the synth lines rubbery and raw. There's a sense of controlled chaos here, where the line between irony and sincerity blurs beautifully. 'Sex Dwarf' is one of the band's most intense moments. A club hit that works today just as good as back in 1982. Even in its more minimal moments, there's a sweaty urgency to these tracks. The whole thing feels like a snapshot of a night that got way out of hand, in the best way possible. While the original album was darker and more introspective, this one lets loose, offering up a lean set of tracks built for movement and attitude. A record that was never afraid to get weird, which suits us down to the ground.