Top Releases of 2025: NEON Edition
Foreword by Vero Kitsuné - CZARINA
I can’t believe 2025 is already over. Thank goodness we made it through. What a heavy, grim year. I started writing a eulogy for 2025, but by the time I got to a 800-word count, I figured I should just scrap it. I think everyone here already knows and has experienced how heavy this year has been. And I’m not going to be that editor that lists and relists all the awful granular details of what the year has brought — between the ongoing human atrocities we can’t ignore, the political chaos, the widening divides, the erosion of reason and nuance, the rise of Generative AI adding to the distortion of our reality, the algorithmic chokehold on the flow and direction of culture and communities, the unfair slow death of quality…. I’m sure everyone reading this has already spent a lot of time processing, digesting, grieving, and mobilizing their own efforts for change.
We all agree that this is an awful timeline we’re in. But we survive to fight another day, right?
Despite the chaos and the bleak atmosphere of 2025, there are still a few life-giving springs and creative grottos that sparkle in our midst. When Twitter imploded and the digital town square scattered to the winds, communities such as the Synthwave scene found themselves drfiting across the social media galaxy. Small islands here and there glowing with familiar neon signals, while the rest of us paddle in rowboats, hopping from shore to shore in search of home and familiar faces and sounds.
But what has happened to Synthwave? At the end of 2019, the ever-provocative music journalist Iron Skullet infamously announced the genre dead — sparking uproar, chaos, debates, memes… and a few knowing giggles.
But did Synthwave really die? Did the phosphor-coated neon tubes finally burn out? Of course, not. Genres don’t die. They evolve, they change, they elevate. And that is exactly what has been happening. It has been observed that Synthwave has been trying to wean itself out of the “bedroom-producer / gateway genre” realm. Many of our synthwave heroes have started introducing new sounds, vibes, aesthetic and ambitious concepts pushing the genre to new eras and territories, while brilliantly staying true to the core. But most notably, the production quality has sharpened, trading the old formulas and the redundant 16th-note bass arps for a bolder, more robust sound to cut through the saturation. There is a rising demand for newness — and I think the genre is getting there, and we have been seeing glimpses of it especially this year. Also this year, we see the rise of a new Synthwave royalty in Paris-based artist YOTA, whose latest record “The Touch” being consistently named as a favorite amongst curators alongside Synthwave balladeer Ollie Wride’s “Pressure Point.”
The first half of this year’s massive Year-End list is dedicated to all things NEON — Synthwave, Electropop, Spacewave, and Dark Synth. Absynth has invited our friends, favorite editors and colleagues to join me, Karl, Chris and Mike to name their top releases for the year.
Our guest curators for this year:
Canada-based Scottish Synthwave Artist-Producer Michael Oakley signed to NewRetroWave
Canada-based Synthwave Expert Julian Green aka Neon Fawkes of The State of Synth at Nightride.fm
Seattle-based Synthwave Curator and Editor Kaarin Zoe Lee of KZL Live at Nightride.fm
UK-based Synthwave Artist-Producer and Cinematic World-Builder Synthprincipal.
It’s safe to say Synthwave is alive and well. If this list doesn’t convince you, I’m not sure what will. But without further ado, Absynth is proud to present our biggest article ever: The Top Releases of 2025: NEON Edition
Michael Oakley’s Top Picks:
Brothertiger & Hotel Pools - Paradigms (Self Released)
I love collaboration albums. It’s always interesting to hear when two worlds collide and what traits from each individual contribution end up dominating to make up the whole. It doesn’t get much bigger than two powerhouses like Brothertiger and Hotel Pools and Paradigms is absolutely fantastic. Chillsynth has been one of the stand out high point subgenres of Synthwave for me with its atmospheric soundscape moods. Chillsynth literally is a vibe and I always loved and admired how 1990s influences were so present within it. Synthwave has been guilty in the past of clinging too much to the 1980s and rejecting anything outside of that, much to my disdain. Chillsynth doesn’t care for that narrow mindedness and if you want to add some Jungle or DnB breakbeats… SURE! Go for it! If you want to add Trance style arps… SURE! Why not?! That openness is very refreshing to me. Paradigms naturally has Brothertiger taking vocal duties and makes this a vocal album which is rare in Chillsynth but his vocal tone compliments perfectly in the beautiful landscapes that he and Hotel Pools weave across this 7 track album.
Personal favourites: Black, Boundary, Slow Motion, Haze
T.O.Y. - The Prophet (Artoffact Records)
German Synthpop / Futurepop band T.O.Y. first appeared on my radar last year when I discovered the brilliant Pain Is Love album from 2017. This became daily rotation on my walks with my iPod touch (I know. I’m old school lol). When I saw an announcement for the brand new album The Prophet, I was very excited indeed. Then singles dropped along the way further stoked this excitement and revealed a more 1980s production style, but with all the same brilliant catchy ear worm melodies that founder Volker Lutz is known for. T.O.Y. are reminiscent of Mesh (another band I’m a huge fan of) in the sense that they are both having an impressive resurgence at this advanced stage of their career, writing and producing their very best work with no signs of any creative diminishment.
Personal favourites: Neon Lights, To The Stars With Me, Silent Soldiers, Turn On!
YOTA - The Touch (NewRetroWave Records)
The Synthwave scene really has been blessed with some of the finest female artists over the years, each with their own unique identity and style: Dana Jean Phoenix, Nina, Czarina, Jessie Frye, Kristine… All having their moment in the sun but currently for me right now Yota is on top and sitting comfortably as the unchallenged queen of the Synthwave scene. She keeps consistently releasing great albums with superior writing and production values that I have moments of awe listening to and wondering how she did it. I’m a sucker for Italo Disco music and Yota has redefined modern Italo in an accessible way that sounds futuristic but every bit as fun and catchy as anything old. The Touch is a little more downtempo and chilled out compared to her previous releases but it’s a nice welcomed change of direction. There’s a melancholic vulnerable side to Yota that excels in this style and allows for a more patent storytelling. Overall The Touch is one of the most impressive releases of 2025 that you should absolutely be listening to.
Personal Favourites: At Night, The Touch, Before Our Souls Divide, Drift Away
The Midnight - Syndicate (Ultra Records, LLC)
Well… The Midnight finally did that thing fans of their older stuff have been asking of them for years: To go back and do ‘the old sound’ again! Now I’m not someone who personally believes going back and repeating old ground is a good idea. In most cases it nearly always yields watered down results and can be indicative of an artist that has run out of ideas. This is not the case with Syndicate though. In fact The Midnight have written some of their best work on this album and it all feels very comfortable and familiar in the best possible way. Tyler’s voice has never sounded better and gives some of his best ever vocal performances committed to recording with catchy-tastic songwriting hooks to match. Tim takes us down memory lane with all the iconic recognizable synth sounds from the best of The Midnight’s previous canon but repackaged in new interesting ways. The production is stellar across this whole album actually. I’m gonna say it: Syndicate is the best thing The Midnight has done since Endless Summer and I love it. A rare example of when a band takes a step back in order to take a step forward.
Personal Favourites: Shadowverse, Friction, The Right Way, Summer Is Ending Soon
Ollie Wride - Pressure Point (NewRetroWave Records)
Synthwave is very lucky to have Ollie Wride as part of its vocal / Retrowave ensemble cast because he’s the only one in my opinion who has genuine star quality. What I mean by that is he’s the only one I could hear on mainstream radio next to any household name and wouldn’t sound out of place. In fact, given the right opportunity he would dominate that world too. At every stage of his development over the years there’s been a clear unique identity and signature within his music and a commitment to always delivering the highest quality writing and production. Sounds easy when I write it like that but believe me it’s incredibly hard staying consistent and showing up every day to create and develop your music from demo stage to finished fully realized song. Ollie is one of the hardest working musicians I know and The Pressure Point is a further step forward in his canon of music. If I called it a Synthwave album I’d be selling it short because it has moments of New Wave and reminds me of when rock singers from 1970s bands decided to do solo albums in the 1980s (Bryan Ferry, Phil Collins, Roger Daltrey and later Brandon Flowers). It also feels modern and contemporary. I would challenge anyone listening to show me a better produced and mixed album released in Synthwave. It’s a luxurious, expensive sounding record and anyone who knows me knows I’m a connoisseur of high production values. Some of the musicians he also recruited on this album shine bright and create memorable magic at exactly the right moments. The Pressure Point is easily my top album of 2025.
Personal Favourites: A Matter Of Time, Radio, Wish You Well, Contact
Julian Green’s Top Picks:
Ollie Wride - Pressure Point (NewRetroWave Records)
Earlier in 2025, UK artist Ollie Wride released his “Pressure Point” album, accompanied by an incredible tourthat culminated in a performance at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. Ollie is known for his retro rock popsounds, and this release embodies that unique sonic melange that his fans adore. Couple outstanding multioctave vocals with real retro instruments and melodies heightened by modern production techniques, and youwind up with a pop rock album dripping with synthwave undercurrents and frustratingly “ear wormish” hooks.
After listening to this album at least once, I doubt anyone won’t be able to hum and sing the key chorus linesand breaks. Tracks of note include “A Matter Of Time” (think of a classic U2 hit, and give it more energy),“Victoria” (my absolute favourite where every lyric burns into your mind), “Radio (feat. The American English)”,“City Of Angels” (personally, I can never get enough love letters to the fair city), “Contact” (beautiful choirsounds in the chorus), and “Holy Drug” (which just has a bop you can’t ignore).
Ollie’s “Pressure Point” is a tour de force that showcases his amazing songwriting skills.
Jessy Mach - Anime Legends Reborn
Look. Those who know me know that I adore synthwave and all its adjacent genres and subgenres. We alsoall know that the French have a particular knack at capturing certain retro beats, melodies, and feels from thelate ‘70s and early ‘80s. Enter Jessy Mach, a french musician who composes on synths and on electric guitaras easily as you and I breathe. It may help that he’s a music teacher during the day. Monsieur Mach has beenreleasing a prodigious amount of synthwave music in the past 2 years, almost an EP a month. To add to thisvolume, he’s also been collaborating with other synthwave artists to lend his guitar and production to theircreations. Earlier this year, he released his own tribute album to classic cartoons loved by many Europeansand North Americans alike. Re-imagined theme music to cartoons like M.A.S.K, He-Man, Thundercats, Space
Pirate Captain Harlock, Ulysses 31, and many more. Now, you take a retro electronic music lover like myself,then you recreate classic themes songs from my childhood like this, and of course, I’ll generate thousands oflistens on streaming services, buy the vinyl, buy the MP3s, and most likely set up a shrine. Every single one ofthe tracks on this album is a shot of nostalgia into your amygdala. Classic shredding guitar and lush synths.
Thunder. Thunder. Thundercats. HO!
YOTA - The Touch (NewRetroWave Records)
YOTA is a Swedish singer and songwriter based in Paris, France. I’ve written year end album reviews before,and her last album Room 412 made my 2023 favourites. This year, just in time for this review, she hasreleased her newest album called “The Touch”, and it is a slight departure from the up beat dancey vibes ofRoom 412. Throughout this album, YOTA is dripping emotions and breathy words, woven within somber andmoving productions with the help of her amazing roster of EDM friends such as Lifelike, Douze, JohanAgebjörn, and more. While the album kicks off with an amazing catchy club track, it descends into feelings,memories, hurt, and sometimes rejuvenation. The titular track “The Touch” features beautiful vapourwavesynths intertwined with smooth bass and relaxing beats as YOTA’s voice entrances you. “Under The Rain” sounds like a classic early 90s club romance that ends with some stunning ASMR. The pace picks up with“Hide” while still oozing blissful heartache.
From start to finish, this album has no fillers. It is YOTA at her best, reaching into your chest to gently squeezeyour heart to a rhythm.
Power Rob - Dark Star (Retrosynth Records)
Maryland metal synth artist Power Rob (one half of Megatronix) released his second album after Monsterman,and it features incredible guest collaborations with the likes of Night Rider ‘87, Battlejuice, Miami Nights 1984,and Bending Grid. Those who love incredible piercing vocals over lush synths and electric guitars will trulyenjoy this album. Catchy melodies coupled with high energy vocals reaching notes only dogs can hear fill thisrelease. Of note is the MJ cover “Dirty Diana”, the titular track “Dark Star”, and my favourite “Shane” (this songis like crack cocaine, pure unadulterated pleasure).
Power Rob shows that synthwave is not just about synths. Our nostalgia should also include rock bangers andsounds paired with our electronic fix.
Shirobon - Special Selection Vol. 2
UK artist Shirobon approaches our favourite retro music nostalgia from the aspect of chiptunes, drum andbass, and (hope he doesn’t kill me by saying this) happy hardcore. Compared to the other albums on my listthis year, you had best be prepared for BPMs in excess of 145bpm. If you were a geek in the days of theCommodore 64, Amiga, NES, or Gameboy, then this collection of some of his songs from 2019 up to 2025 willhit you hard. Preferred to rave back in the day? He’s got you covered. The album features some of his clubbangers that lean more to EDM and synthwave, yet the majority is a frenetic high energy smorgasbord ofbeautiful chiptunes and beats. Like Jessy Mach’s “Anime Legends Rebord”, these songs take me right back towhen I was a child. I remember days of watching hacker intros in front of pirated games on the Amiga(Demoscene to those in the know) or batshit melodies coming out of my Gameboy playing weird Japaneseimports. There are 25 songs on the album, so there’s something for every chiphead here. “Break Away” is amore traditional EDM track, catchy as hell. “Ridin” features Shirobon’s signature vocoder, as does “Brand NewYou” (my favourite off the album). Craving the chip? “Beat That” is an absolute banger, along with “Championsof Chiptune”, and “Step It” (blissful happy high BPM chip insanity). If you need something more danceable andclub oriented, may I suggest “Imposter Syndrome”.
Shirobon truly gifted his fans in 2025 with this bonkers compilation of his best beats.
In a nutshell, the retro electronic music scene is alive and well in 2025 for those of us who prefer melodies andhooks. Instrumental or vocal, there’s music out there that will touch you (in a good way). Thank the heavens for artists who know how to use DAWs, synths, guitars, mics, and words.
— Julian Green, Neon Fawkes
Kaarin Zoe Lee’s Top Picks:
ODDitee - Everlasting EP
The first release I want to mention was from the artist that stood out to me the most in 2025. This humble musician from the Portland-adjacent town of Vancouver, WA nervously sent me his first instrumental submission in 2022, and by 2025, he blew us away with his first vocal single, the titular track to his debut EP.
Anniee - Night School EP
It's hard for me to think of this as a 2025 release, as we've been watching it come together for the last few years. Danger Electricity caught my attention in 2022 and is probably my favorite track from this EP. Shoutout to her co-producer who also mixed and mastered this (and many other releases we know and love), Von Hertzog!
Mayah Camara - Wanting You Now
Mayah has always been a favorite of mine! Her iconic voice takes me right back to the relevant decades in retrowave, without ever sounding quite like any voice we've heard before. Synthpop straight out of 1989! Shoutout to our beloved SelloRekT/LA Dreams, her collab partner and producer!
Power Rob - Dark Star
Another album that's been coming together for quite some time. Several collab tracks with some beloved synthwave favorites (and one cover track!). Power Rob's unequaled voice endures, in both smooth ballads and belting anthems!
Ollie Wride - The Pressure Point
Last but not least! Last because I know this one's on multiple lists, as an obvious choice. Ollie continues to ride the outskirts of the synth scene, and his fans are happy to follow him there. Ollie is as authentic as ever (and more vulnerable than ever before) in this testament to a love he attempts to keep in his grasp like smoke in his hands.
Synthprincipal’s Top Picks:
Mikotron and UAP - Space Again
Space Again by Mikotron53 + UAP feels like flipping through an old photo album left behind on a space station. Each page is a snapshot... blurred edges, soft colours, moments you almost remember. That’s Space Again. It flickers with soft-focus synths and snapshots of what could’ve been... but it’s also about fixing what’s broken, reaching across time, and making things right.
Mikotron built the foundation
UAP brought the colour and texture
Together... they made something nostalgic.
Prophylaxis - Via Polaris
Music inspired by a single image… sounds like a cool concept, right? That’s exactly what Prophylaxis set out to do with Via Polaris, a synth-driven track featured on Sonic Relatives Vol. 02. One look at the artwork, and the idea of icebergs and frozen landscapes took over…
From the moment it starts, Via Polaris feels like stepping into a world of endless snow, much like Hoth. The synths are weightless… like a soft breeze over a frozen tundra. Then there are those rising square-wave notes… Prophylaxis describes them as having a “blocky” timbre, kind of like… ice cubes, and honestly, that’s the perfect way to put it. The whole track sounds like it was carved out of a glacier.
If Echo Base had a soundtrack, this would be it…
ØRBITA - Snow
EXPLORATION LOG 052 // “Snow”
Location: Noctora-6, Sub-Crustal Layer
System: ØRBITA
Mission Type: Auditory Survey
You breach the frozen shell of Noctora-6… a lonely ice planet orbiting the Helix Reach
Beneath the crust, the planet is broadcasting something. “Snow.” by ØRBITA.
It radiates from the core. Every species tuned to it through built-in receptors… somehow... everything here moves to it
You notice a Lumenback Vireel Longer than a jet. Ten times the size of a blue whale. Graceful, but colossal. It tracks our submersible all the way to the reef layer. Its glowing dorsal nodes pulsing in sync with the lead melody.
Mirrored Bloom Coral: Massive grooves pulse with geothermal light, refracting tones from the planet’s core in rhythm with the track’s soft arpeggios. Each bloom opens and closes like lungs, syncing its bioluminescence with the synth line
What I love about this one is that Snow feels like a track forged in the core of the planet.
Sleepless Nights - Memories (Feat. Sun City)
If you could bottle the ‘90s… the smell of Blockbuster, Capri-Sun, and Saturday mornings in front of the TV… it’d probably sound like “Memories”
Written as a reflection on revisiting childhood places with Sleepless Nights' own kids, Memories feels like a drive through a hometown that’s changed just enough to sting. The street’s the same, but where's the corner shop?
One of my favourite things about the song is the sax and guitar that don’t “blend.” They gossip, like a conversation between friends catching up after almost 30 years over overpriced coffee. And one of them is still holding a grudge from that Mario Kart match.
Production-wise, Thank god it’s still got fingerprints on it.
Just human noise stitched together by people who actually feel things.
Sun City’s sax glides effortlessly, while Sleepless Nights on the guitar lets the song breathe.
The reason I like Memories: it feels like a love letter to growing up and realising you’re now the adult, saying, “They don’t make music like this anymore.”
Lucy In Disguise - Lunar Bloom
Lucy In Disguise approaches a track the way a street racer approaches an old AE86 left sitting in the garage. The bones were there… a project file from 3 or 4 years ago, a rusted-out frame from another time.. In 2024, he cracked open the hood, tore it down to bare metal, and rebuilt it piece by piece with a new engine, fresh paint, and a turbo. None of the original demo survived, but its spirit lingers...
The result is a midnight run worthy of Gunma’s mountain passes. Headlights cut through the fog, tyres scream against the guardrail. What I like about this one is that the track slides between retro and modern like a perfect drift.
Vero’s (CZARINA) Top Picks:
LACRIMORTA - One Flesh, One End
By far, one of the most exciting, multi-faceted releases we’ve seen this year. Lacrimorta proves to be not only a visionary force, but her musical athleticism and production genius are unique, one-of-a-kind and one of the most creative. Each song is a character of its own, complete with lyrical depth and some of the most dynamic and clever compositions. This record actually belongs to the “Dark” or “Goth” half our Year-End as it’s more Visual Kei and gothic romance in vibe, mixed with metal and at times, trance. But since we met Lacrimorta in the synth scene, we figured to include her in this list.
GUNSHIP - Tech Noir Timelines (EP)
I mean, Gunship’s Tech Noir was my first synthwave crush. Tech Noir broke my synthwave virginity. Tech Noir was my first synthwave love. Nothing could ever replace your first they say. But this expanded edition with Tech Noir 2 follow-up, and remixes by Carpenter Brut and Sierra Veins further explore the sonic lore and legend that made us fall in love since the very beginning.
PERTURBATOR - Age of Aquarius
Perturbator is known for being a dark synth legend, however in Age of Aquarius, he pushes past the neon-drenched nostalgia of his earlier work and derives influences from industrial, post-punk, goth and electronica. It’s a record that challenges expectations while deepening his sonic identity. It’s a superb and masterful evolution and maturity that Perturbator fans would appreciate.
PASHANG - Lamentations of the Damned
A record meant to be experienced from start to finish — no skips, no interruptions. It stands as one of the most polished dark-synth/gothic-metalcore hybrid concept albums to date, flawlessly weaving a narrative of faith and war (my favorite) through grit, growls, ripping saws, driving sludge, tasteful guitar heroics, heavy percussion, and hauntingly lush atmospheres. Pashang showcases incredible production and musical athleticism along with his collaborators, while maintaining refined artistic choices and sophistication within such a heavy, brutal vessel.
ANNIEE - Night School (EP)
Anniee’s most-awaited EP finally dropped a few weeks ago, co-produced with Von Hertzog. At only five songs, Night School delivers a fully realized emotional arc—heartbreak, desire, and resilience wrapped in effervescent nostalgia and cascading synth lines between her breathtaking ethereal vocals. Anniee makes the dance floor personal, channeling honesty through hypnotic melodies. The EP is short and sweet but delivers a lasting impact.
ISIDOR - Stellarix
Isidor has built a name in the synthwave scene over the years for consistently delivering compelling aural works, garnering him the title of “Lord of Synths” by fans. I actually discovered him first through Iron Skullet years ago. Also what’s cool about Isidor is his warm social media presence, filled with eagerness to help other producers with various tips. His latest album STELLARIX unfolds like the secret logbook of a lone starship fleeing a planet-shattering assault and charting a course into an uncharted galaxy. Retro-futuristic synthscapes drive the narrative forward with cinematic tension and widescreen awe, each track revealing a stranger, more exhilarating frontier. Isidor’s masterful production packages this interstellar escape into a journey written in sound and felt like gravity.
SUNESIS - Destinations
DESTINATIONS charts SUNESIS’s most ambitious voyage yet — an 11-track odyssey of cinematic synthscapes pressed onto glimmering Arctic-Pearl vinyl for vinyl enthusiasts. Drawing on five years of evolution from the introspective Music for Space Stations to the galactic drama of ORBITAL and the cathartic heat of the Mercury EP, this compilation feels like a curated map of a universe still expanding thru the lush and warm, massive sounds of analog synths that only Sunesis can deliver.
BAD GUYS GET DEAD - Space Cadet: Galaxy Edition
Listed here for 2 years in a row, Bad Guys Get Dead has been building a name as an envelope-pushing, risk-taking wildcard in the synthwave scene, dubbing most of his works as “post-synthwave.” SPACE CADET: GALAXY EDITION is a soundtrack that transforms the nostalgic spark of Space Cadet 3D Pinball into a full-blown interstellar odyssey. Crafted on vintage hardware synths with rich analog energy, it honors the quirky charm of the original while launching it into cosmic-scale storytelling with bite-size musical samplers. From high-velocity battles to starry-eyed exploration, it’s a score that doesn’t just accompany the game — it propels it.
Karl’s Top Picks:
Beachdolls - Werewolves
"Werewolves" drifts in on a lustrous, slow-burning synth haze before Rob Nordli’s yearning sax and Jessica Ess’ misty vocals merge into a tale of dangerous attraction and moonlit longing. The beat grows heavier and more persuasive, pushing the track into escalating intensity as sax and percussion erupt with raw, hungry emotion. Its sudden silence after the final explosion is like the echo of a night where desire turns feral, vulnerable and impossible to resist.
Cassetter, Cyberwalker & Sleepless Nights - Nocturnal
"Nocturnal" rises with fierce momentum as pounding drums and a rushing bassline tear through the dark, while a hollow, ghost-lit synth threads a spectral melody above the weight. Effulgent synth lines collide with the growling low end, building the impression of unstoppable force before Sleepless Nights’ guitar slices in with a brooding, emotionally intricate cry. The final solo erupts with passion against the driving bass, settling into gruff shadows and a soft afterglow as the track exhales its last breath.
Chroma Glow, Alex Boychuk & networkonline - Quattro
"Quattro" unfurls like a twilight drive, its warm, refulgent synth and cosmic tones drifting over deep, rebounding bass. Gruff guitar and tremulous synth weave through airy echoes and angular beats, creating motion that feels both grounded and dreamlike. The track ultimately captures the sensation of steering a classic Audi Quattro down an empty evening road, fading into silence with tranquil, golden light.
Color Theory - This Bright Circumstance
"This Bright Circumstance" mingles anxiety, reflection and healing with variegated synth textures and Color Theory’s plaintive, beautifully weary vocal delivery. His introspective lyrics and lyrical singing create a potent mixture, shifting between shadow and light as they explore the complexities of human experience. As emotive melodies unfurl over complex synthcapes, the album carries me on an exploratory meditation that speaks to my own moments of struggle and hope.
Echo Wolf - Autetris
"Auretris" glows with uplifting warmth as a scintillating synth spins into motion, carried by a smooth, elastic rhythm and a sunlight-soaked melodic flow. Metallic tones twirl with encouragement while the drums fall away, letting the melody rise in a radiant surge that feels like a hopeful dawn breaking. When the bouncing beat returns, the synth sings with sunrise brightness and sparkling notes tumble forward, ending the track in a rush of early-morning energy.
Heartbreak City - Run To You
"Run To You" surges with desire-soaked electricity, opening with coruscating synth, beaming guitar and a rhythmic pulse that sets a seductive, uplifting mood. Jon Lilygreen’s chocolate-smooth vocals entwine with Daniel Newberry’s impassioned sax playing, while caressing guitar melodies and a satiny midsection create an intimate atmosphere before the song erupts again. As a yearning guitar solo peaks and the sax fades into sudden quiet, the song ends in a rush toward powerful release and irresistible gravity.
Hill Valley Hero - Aura
"Aura” unfurls like a lost ’80s fantasy film soundtrack, full of sweeping synth landscapes, heroic themes and vivid cinematic colour. Hill Valley Hero blends gorgeous melodic writing with soulful sax and evocative guitar to create a world brimming with wonder, danger and triumphant emotion. The result is a nostalgic yet imaginative journey brought to life with vision, craft and auditory magic.
I Am Boleyn - Voyager
"Voyager" glows with heartfelt synth-pop energy as I Am Boleyn’s delicate, expressive voice intertwines with thoughtful, emotionally rich lyrics to explore what it means to be human. The album balances layered synths, warmly blended instruments and melodies that evolve with ear-catching beauty. Its collaborative performances deepen the emotional landscape, creating a tapestry of vulnerability, strength and affection.
Jana Tyrrell - Skeletal
“Skeletal” unfolds like a dark incantation, her voice rising from a whisper into a force that cuts through looming shadows and trembling guitars. The song churns with spectral power as skittering rhythms, ghost-lit synth and blazing minor-key guitar frame her plea to be stripped down, chosen, and transformed. By the end, the narrator stands raw and unbound, having followed every breadcrumb into the fire just to feel the light she aches for.
Kylee Kubat - The Beach & Yacht Club
"The Beach & Yacht Club" radiates golden warmth, opening with oceanic trumpets and slipping straight into a tropical groove alive with timbales, dense bass and summery motion. Her playful, joyful vocals glide over Latin piano flashes, jazzy sparkles and a chorus that glitters like sunlight on turquoise water, as the lyrics paint scenes of dancing through Caribbean nights and exploring a sunlit paradise. As the freestyle vocals drift into imagery of beach walks and boat-dock adventures, the track creates a breezy combination of flirtation, rhythm and pure tropical delight.
The Blue Book Project - Aperitivo
"Aperitivo" bursts open with a skipping disco beat and bouncing synth pulse, instantly pulling the track into a glittering, sunlit groove. Brassy melodies, shimmering piano and swirling chimes create a floor-filling, joy-soaked energy as wriggling synth lines spin through the rhythm with unstoppable brightness. As the glowing patterns descend and the final tremble of synth and piano sparkles out, the whole track feels like a summer cocktail, full of effervescence.
The Secret Chord - Generation X
"Generation X" creates a brooding yet hopeful atmosphere, weaving Cold War tension, nostalgia and emotional clarity through layered synths and emotive lyrical themes. The album’s rotating vocal performances, from NINA’s stark spoken-word passage to Ollie Wride’s aching intensity, infuse each song with a distinct resonance. Blending 1980s influences with crisp contemporary production, The Secret Chord makes evocative soundscapes that explore resilience, freedom and history’s progress.
Maestro Eternal - High Noon
Maestro Eternal’s "High Noon" sweeps through the mythic Old West with towering melodies that blend fluting synth, throbbing rhythms and Spaghetti Western motifs into a vibrant, emotional landscape. Each track deepens the portrait of a haunted gunman with the devil whispering in his ear. His vigilance and desolation fill the music as the tracks stretch across vast plains and canyons. By the end, the album’s mournful strings, heavy drums and aching vocals paint a powerful tale of survival, justice and the shared poison that binds this outlaw to those who trail him.
Mellow Fields - L.A. Chillin
"L.A. Chillin’" floats through a laid-back Los Angeles night, carried on tender tones, swinging bass and whispering synth that evokes a pink sky above glittering towers. The track glides through tranquil passages where soft percussion falls away, leaving warm chords and a refulgent piano line to drift like headlights on empty streets. Each sparkling note shines like a distant star over the midnight city, giving the music a mellow charm.
Out Runner’s - Caught In Between
“Caught in Between” captures a romantic conflict, as softly billowing synth as guitar and rhythm trace the contours of complicated love. The melody moves like a lover’s touch, easing tension even as deeper currents of longing and uncertainty rise beneath it. Out Runner’s guitar solo brings the emotional tangle into sharp focus, weaving desire and complexity before the track exhales into silence.
Mike Templar’s Picks:
Lacrimorta – One Flesh, One End
Lacrimorta delivers the most emotionally overwhelming and artistically daring release of the year. One Flesh, One End blends darkwave, theatrical gothic drama, and electronic ritualism into a narrative about desire, decay, and transcendence. Her vocals swing from whispered fragility to cathartic screams, and every track feels like a scene in a tragic, neon-lit opera. Highlights range from the ghostly tension of “Reverend Daughter,” to the trance-like abyss of “Alectopause,” to the wonderfully unhinged, double-kick chaos of “Soup,” and finally the euphoric, near-angelic release of “Blood of Eden.” It’s bold, intimate, and impossible to forget — the most distinctive synth-adjacent album of 2025.
Sunesis – Destinations
Sunesis crafts a retrofuturistic odyssey built on warm analog synths and cinematic sound design. Inspired by 70s sci-fi aesthetics and developed over five years, Destinations feels like a complete audiovisual universe.
The album drifts between ambient space-synth, cosmic exploration, and elegant retro melodicism — a soundtrack for travelling through imaginary star systems. Subtle layers, shifting textures, and precisely sculpted tones reveal new details on every listen, highlighting the depth behind its seemingly effortless atmosphere.
Radio Abyss – Chrome Plated Heart Beat
Chrome Plated Heart Beat is a stylish hybrid of synthwave, futurepop, neon-funk, and emotional storytelling. Radio Abyss blends polished electronic grooves with vulnerable vocals, creating a surprisingly human cyber-romance narrative. Tracks like “Coma” and “Answer With a Yes or No” show a fragile emotional core, while the title track turns love itself into a chrome-plated machine metaphor. It’s sleek, catchy, and still deeply personal — a glossy futurepop album with more heart than expected.
Yota – The Touch
Yota continues to dominate the vocal-driven side of retrowave. The Touch is lush, dreamy, sensual — a blend of 80s synthpop, nu-disco polish, and her unmistakable soft-spoken, intimate vocal style. Warm pads, pulsing basslines, and romantic harmonies shape an album that feels like pastel-colored nostalgia brought into 2025. It’s the most “pop-luxurious” record on the list, perfect for late-night drives and neon-tinted daydreams.
Cyberwalker – Another World
Another World is a gentle, melodic escape — smooth, layered, atmospheric synthwave built for introspection. Cyberwalker excels at crafting moods: glowing arpeggios, soft bass pulses, rain-like echoes, and soothing harmonies that paint scenes of imagined cities and distant planets. It’s the calmest and most meditative of the five picks — a beautifully crafted world to get lost in.
Chris’ Top Picks:
Yota - The Touch
Ever since hearing “Strangers on Film” Yota has enthroned herself as one of my all time favorite synth artists.
Sunesis - Destinations
Anytime I want to take a trip across the galaxy I put on one of Sunesis’ albums. Everyone one of her tracks is an interstellar journey waiting to happen.
Vernal Ecosphere - Finite Planetary Possibilities
Simply put, I think Vernal Ecosphere has created some of the most creative and engaging electronica I’ve heard in quite some time.
Chris Harms - 1980
When I found out that Lord of Lost frontman Chris Harms released an 80’s inspired electro pop album I instantly queued it up. I was not disappointed.
The Brides of the Black Room - Commander
This one walked a line between neon and dark for me, but I decided to keep it on the neon side. Either way, this is synthwave with an attitude that deserves your attention.
