Six Months Of Superb Synth - Albums

by Karl Magi

The time has come again for me to round up my favourite albums, EPs and singles in a series of articles to explore what I've heard in the last half a year. All of these choices are difficult for me to make because I review so much excellent music, but this is the music that grabbed me and drew me in. I'll divide the articles into segments by album, EP and singles and singles. I hope you all enjoy reading through my summary of the last 6 months of incredible synth-based music from the inimitable #synthfam. We’re starting here with my favourite albums

Hill Valley Hero - Aura 

Hill Valley Hero’s Aura is a rich, retro fantasy soundtrack to an imagined '80s epic, weaving cinematic synth melodies with skilled instrumental performances to create a vivid sonic world. With gripping themes, a plethora of synth textures and a strong narrative arc, the album transports listeners into a magical realm of wonder, danger and triumph. 

Hill Valley Hero’s synth work and melodic writing evoke sweeping vistas and emotional depth, while collaborations with Manuel Trabucco on sax and Juani on guitar add soulful intensity and dynamic flair. Aura is not just a nostalgic journey it's a captivating work of musical storytelling, brought to life with vision and artistry.

GammaFlow - Twin Palms

GammaFlow’s Twin Palms is a dreamy, sun-drenched escape into a luxurious 1980s fantasy, where flickering synths, smooth guitars and laid-back grooves conjure images of pastel suits, palm-lined boulevards and glistening swimming pools. 

With a strong sense of atmosphere and a deep love for retro aesthetics, the album blends chill-out ease with the indulgence of an imagined high life. The presence of talented guest artists adds depth and variety, enriching the album’s rich textures and enhancing its tranquil charm. Twin Palms is a glowing tribute to vintage glamour, delivered with style, warmth and effortless cool.

Midsummer Ex - Fake It Till You Make It

Midsummer Ex’s Fake It Till You Make It is a vibrant, emotionally charged synth-pop album that blends '80s-inspired textures, infectious energy and poignant songwriting. The artist moves effortlessly between upbeat, danceable tracks and introspective, lyrically rich explorations of obsession, nostalgia, healing and heartbreak. 

Each song showcases complex synth layering, memorable melodies and eloquent storytelling whether in the darkly cinematic “Hollywood Star,” the hopeful ache of “Missing You,” or the nostalgia of “Always 1985.” With a keen ear for sonic detail and a deeply felt emotional core, Midsummer Ex crafts a journey that’s both cathartic and endlessly listenable.

L’Avenue – Tokyo Nights

L’Avenue’s Tokyo Nights is an absorbing journey into a dreamlike, neon-drenched vision of Japan. Intricately intermingled synths and serene, emotive melodies create an elegant, calming soundscape that washes over me like moonlight on water. The use of traditional Japanese sounds alongside effulgent synth textures adds calming depth and sonic richness.

Each track unfolds like a sonic painting, carefully crafted and full of reflective calm. Guest vocalists Josh Paulino and Elise Devane add expressiveness that deepens the emotional resonance. Tokyo Nights is soothing, beautifully produced and filled with moments of introspection and wonder.

Jessie Frye – Otherworld

Otherworld by Jessie Frye is a hauntingly beautiful album that unfolds in a dreamscape woven from heartfelt emotion, lyrical grace and luxuriant musical textures. Jessie Frye’s voice, airy yet powerful, carries a rich emotional weight that breathes life into each song, capturing both vulnerability and strength.

Collaborating with Matt Aslanian, Jessie Frye showcases some of my favourite songwriting of the year, filled with intimate sorrow, glimmers of joy and fresh honesty. The instrumental landscape matches the lyrical depth and vocal performances with subtle guitar work and a flowing rhythm section that creates a seamless sonic experience. As a whole, Otherworld is a deeply affecting album.

The Secret Chord – Generation X

Generation X by The Secret Chord is a layered and emotionally complex album that draws on nostalgia and Cold War anxieties while maintaining a hopeful future view. Through rich synth arrangements and grounded lyrical themes, the album crafts a brooding atmosphere.

First rate vocal performances from NINA’s stark spoken-word delivery to Ollie Wride’s aching soulfulness imbue each track with a distinct personality and emotional depth. The lyrics speak about historical and contemporary struggles, exploring freedom, loss and resilience. Musically, the album merges retro 1980s influences with modern clarity, creating an evocative soundscape.

Various Artists – A Portrait: The Music & Art of Shae Green

A Portrait: The Music & Art of Shae Green is a soul-stirring tribute to a gifted artist who made a profound impact on those who got to know him. The album is a loving homage filled with sincere performances, showcasing Shae Green’s lyrical talent and emotional clarity. Each guest artist interprets his songs with care and authenticity, preserving the emotional core that made his work so compelling.

In addition to Shae Green’s own words, the album includes moving original lyrics written in tribute by those affected by his life and loss, adding layers of shared grief and admiration. The production is crisp, allowing Shae Green’s musical ideas to shine and the final track interwoven with personal memories serves as a deeply emotional farewell that underscores the depth of his impact.

Bad Guys Get Dead – Stellar Cartography

Bad Guys Get Dead’s Stellar Cartography is a cosmic journey through sound, evoking the vastness, mystery and beauty of space with a textured and emotionally engaging sonic palette. The album’s expansive atmosphere captures the listener from the first note, using varied synths and quality production to build a sense of interstellar wonder.

Each track feels like a voyage through stars and shadow, with sweeping melodies that oscillate between melancholy and exaltation. The interplay between electronic and organic elements creates a multidimensional listening experience. Stellar Cartography is an odyssey that balances galactic scale with human emotion.

Alpha Chrome Yayo – Dream Chaser

Dream Chaser overflows with joy, hope and boundless energy. Alpha Chrome Yayo blends funky synth textures, bright jazz elements and explosive melodies to create music that celebrates life with every beat. There’s a strong sense of encouragement throughout the album, lifting my spirits and pushing me to keep chasing my dreams.

Melodies sparkle with exuberance and a touch of nostalgia, bolstered by rich harmonies and Eurobeat energy that conjures memories of rhythm games and carefree times. Yet, behind all the fun, the album reveals serious musical chops, complex, playful and packed with personality. Alpha Chrome Yayo delivers both heart and artistry.

Out Runner – Stellar Drifter

Stellar Drifter is a bold, emotional voyage through space, where Out Runner fuses powerful guitar work with soaring synths to chart a course across vast starfields and shadowed nebulae. His guitar playing is expressive and dynamic, infusing each track with unbridled feeling and a sense of cosmic grandeur.

Synth textures enhance this vision, building a synthscape that evokes massive celestial structures and interstellar travel. The melodies are cinematic, adding emotional punch to the atmospheric sweep. Stellar Drifter grips me with its beauty, scope and the touching emotion at its core.

Cat Temper – From a Whisker to a Scream

Cat Temper’s From a Whisker to a Scream is a thrilling auditory odyssey, skilfully weaving together tranquility and cosmic power. The artist uses vivid synth textures and striking melodic writing to conjure interstellar landscapes and emotions that rise and fall like solar flares.

There’s a beautiful interplay of sound and structure, as scintillating tones, interwoven synths and visceral drama unfold across each track. The melodies shine with emotional intensity, conveying wonder, danger and awe in equal measure. It’s an album that grips me with its celestial imagination and the sheer impact of its musical storytelling.

The Pyramid – The Tannhäuser Gate

The Tannhäuser Gate is a breathtaking, emotionally resonant journey through the cosmic vastness, composed with a profound sense of scale and beauty. The Pyramid’s melodic writing is at the album’s heart, delivering memorable themes that deeply touch me and pull me into star-swept dreamscapes.

Synthesizers bloom in lush, radiant tones, creating a textural and tonal complexity that supports the album’s journey and transports me to alien galaxies and breathtaking celestial panoramas. The mood is deeply evocative, equal parts majestic and intimate, as The Pyramid balances the grandeur of space with a touching reminder of life’s fragile beauty.

Neon Shards – ELKTRO

ELKTRO is a detailed sonic adventure through a glowing retro-future metropolis. Neon Shards mingles fascinating synth tones and expressive guitar playing to create a vibrant, cinematic soundscape full of emotional intensity and visual storytelling. The textures are dense and engrossing evoking bustling neon streets and lonely, windblown rooftops.

Neon Shards’ guitar playing is intricate, clean and bursting with expression, lifting the melodies to new emotional heights. Each synth sound is carefully chosen to support the music’s narrative and mood, while Anthony Hawkins’ vocal and lyrical contributions on “A Shot For Dreams” add emotional clarity and resonance to this compelling album.