MoTER - Aerodnmx

Author: Dimi Kaye

Let me be clear, this is not an objective review. MoTER is a good friend and an old collaborator. In a parallel universe (that broke away from our own 3 years ago) he would be an artist under one of the oldest and most legendary synthwave labels around, with people praising his music. Unfortunately that’s not the universe we live in, so let me introduce MoTER to you.

First of all, before reading press play on Slam, the second track on his latest EP Aerodnmx 01. You did that? Great. Let’s begin.

MoTER is a synthwave producer from Greece. Even though he is a guitar teacher by day, you will never hear guitars in his music. Instead, what you get is synth sounds that have the grittiness you expect from analogue instruments. He doesn’t use a lot of instruments in his compositions though, you will mostly hear a sweet pad, a lovely lead synth, the bass and the drums. It’s what he does with these instruments that matters though.

Now, when I asked you to play Slam, one of the two things happened: You stopped dead on your tracks with the opening sound that reminded you of early PS1 racing video game soundtracks; You loaded a new tab with MoTER’s Bandcamp page and started checking his discography. When the track progressed, what got your attention was the incredibly unusual and fresh take on arrangements, melodies and use of the instruments. You could say this is… progressive synthwave. And you would be right.

If you are one of those people, you don’t need to read anymore. MoTER’s discography is on Bandcamp (and other streaming platforms). Go nuts, have fun listening to something that sounds new and fresh and if you find time, go tell MoTER that you checked his stuff, he will be glad to hear it.

Instead, if you kept reading, focusing more on the words instead of the music, I will ask you now to press play on Midnight Trail. Give it a few seconds and then tell me: Does your head bob? Do you find yourself playing air synths along with the stabs and the catchy melodies? Doesn’t this track feel like it would fit in a main menu screen from that PS1 racing game, with the announcer passionately screaming “Career Mode!”, “Time Attack!” etc. as you press up and down on your controller?

There is definitely retro nostalgia in MoTER’s music and even if it doesn’t remind you of 90s video games, I am sure it will take you back to an unspecified time in your life that you fondly remember.

The reality is that even in its slow, ballad moments (like Sq. Victoria), MoTER’s music sounds way different and unique than anything the retrowave scene has to offer. It has its own style, its own voice but definitely keeps that retro and nostalgic feeling we all love. MoTER’s music is to synthwave what Japanese Pop is to the western pop music. It’s still pop, but the chord progressions, the instrumentation and the inspirations behind it created something that you can definitely distinguish. It’s something familiar but different.

If you dig deep into MoTER’s discography you might feel that some track sounds feel similar, and that has to do with him mostly using the same instruments. That doesn’t take away the fact that his music remains original, something you probably haven’t heard before in synthwave.

There aren’t many people who heard of MoTER or his music, but those who do (some of them are artists you definitely know and love) are die hard fans and get excited when he announces a new release. I hope you become one of them.

As I wrote in the beginning, this is not an objective review. I am a big fan of his music and I have huge respect for the person. Then again, I will not go around praising someone if I don’t believe in them and their art. And I do believe in MoTER’s music. I believe that most of you who will check it will fall in love with the style and how different but catchy it is. How fresh and totally retro it sounds. If you do, then share his albums with your friends and let him know.

Stay creative and keep supporting synthwave.

For more MoTER, visit moter.bandcamp.com

Artist Spotlight: 0 0 0

Progressive synths (also known as death beats) have been on a rise, combining harsh textures, pulsating bass mimicking liquid electricity with organic top ends to create a new trance-like experience. Spearheaded by leading artists like LORN, SNAKES OF RUSSIA, SOMBRE LUX, and most recently by rising artist FUTURE ENEMIES, death beats is becoming the new dark trip hop with its downtempo, cutting-edge and slow-burn slick oil effect.

Our latest discovery is Dutch dark electronic artist 0 0 0, soaking in Amsterdam’s bustling city life like a black hole and converting the chaos and alienation into powerful, punching basslines and introspective soundscapes. 0 0 0 explains that his latest single, MIASMA, is named after the medieval theory that bad air is the messenger of disease and death. MIASMA captures 2020 in experimental midtempo fashion, where bad air refers both to the virus itself as well as the intentional spread of disinformation. The rest of 0 0 0’s discography offers smoke-like, aeroscopic dynamics with some industrial sludge and organic sounds. The arrangements are almost meditative in format, evoking textural images as tho painted in black, white and chrome. 0 0 0 is one of the few emerging artists today that bring a new level of artistry, sending visuals through sound and a new vibe.

For more 0 0 0, visit nul-nul-nul.bandcamp.com

ELAY ARSON - Franz

Synthmetal duo ELAY ARSON has made a name for themselves for their unique approach in blending both synthwave, cyberpunk and metal genres together into one powerful sound they can call their own. Heavy -and often times even double - kick pedals under sweeping crystalline arps laden with tasteful, sonic guitars, syncopated bass riffs topped by guttural death vocal work mixed with melodic vocoders that would at times go into epic prog rock. For those who like their synths in the heavier end, but still retaining a sci-fi, cyberpunk atmosphere that can range from expressively vibrant to smokey, dark and progressive, this dynamic duo is for you.

Elay Arson is Daniel David Larson & Devin Harrison. Larson, from the American Southwest and a former US Army Sergeant and Iraq War veteran, often draws influences from his wide-scale life experiences. Devin Harrison, an outstanding guitarist and guitar teacher by trade, joined the project in 2017 and the two have been working together ever since.

Their latest release, FRANZ, is an electronic rock opera about a murderous man-car Frankenstein hybrid that came out of a freak accident at the Tesla manufacturing plant. (Curse you, Elon!). Featuring the vocal talents of artists Becca Star, C Z A R I N A and Hard Working Men, this collection of eclectic heavy electro tracks deliver a seamless cyberpunk narrative of metal and blood-thirsty horror. Read the story below and check this creative, supremely-executed record out which is one of our top picks for the year.

Franz – A METAL Truck Opera
“Practically drives itself”

Quarter 4, 202X, the first Tesla Cybertrucks start rolling out of the factory. Projected as a commercial success. An automotive revolution. The electric truck with bold & cold design.

Unfortunately, a freak assembly line accident occurs at the Tesla plant before the final product launch. On the day of a visit by CEO Elon Musk and Cybertruck designer Franz von Holzhausen, an overhead truck drops from its support platform and crushes Franz under his own creation. Never one afraid of the dark, Elon Musk faced the challenge in a unique way.

Musk attempts to bring his deceased employee back to life with underdeveloped "Neuralink" technology powered by a Cybertruck battery. The battery belonging to the truck that killed Franz.

In this secret Frankenstein-esque experiment, Elon unknowingly fuses the eternal soul of Franz to the vehicle.

The billionaire CEO thought the procedure failed. After hiding the lifeless corpse of his former designer in a nearby field, he orders his factory to resume vehicle production and dispose of the now non-functioning auto that fell on Franz.

Mere hours after the disposal order, the cursed machine could not be found by any Tesla employees. All had presumed someone else took care of the task.

Elon gave little thought about what had happened and made no public acknowledgment of his actions. He was mostly noticed on Twitter for his intellectual posturing, bragging about his lifestyle, and the financial success of the Cybertruck. In doing so, routinely leaving an embarrassing series of public messages to the chagrin of his music star spouse. Business as usual.

Weeks pass by.

In the cover of a dark mountain forest, Franz gains newfound consciousness. Hazy memories of names, locations, and sensations. Not quite man, not quite AI, a new life form. Possibly a superior being. A god. A creation ignored. Unintended and unknown to his creator. As Franz's newfound consciousness grew, so did his anger.

Reports of mysterious disappearances and grizzly murders in the areas surrounding the Tesla plant started occurring. Those reports were mostly ignored even as they increased. That is, until the morning the severed head of Elon Musk was found on the front steps of Tesla headquarters.

Franz announces his return from beyond the grave in a "hostile takeover" of the entire Tesla company via email.

He wants to design a new future. Recreate Elon's experiment. Create more sentient trucks. Truck supremacy. For this, he will need bodies. Many freshly dead bodies.

Franz grows out of control. No longer killing in secret. Rampaging in broad daylight. A bloodthirsty machine hellbent on murder and seeking revenge beyond recompense. The unstoppable force that could drag a Ford F-150 uphill. Rage envelops the sentient machine.

A brave selection Fremont citizens are forced to kill a beast born of a wealthy madman's hubris. Together, they hunt Franz in hopes of ending the reign of terror.

For more Elay Arson, visit elayarson.bandcamp.com

CAT TEMPER - More Than A Feline

Boston, MA-based meowsician CAT TEMPER unveils his monstrous 10-track full-length LP and his first non-instrumental release “More Than A Feline,” featuring vocals by various international artists in the synthwave, darkwave, post-punk, retro electro and industrial genres. The record delivers a delightful, vast array of feline-themed bangers, showcasing clever lyricism spanning from quirky, cuddly, lovable to fierce and ferociously deadly over some seriously catchy melodies - all written and performed by the collaborating artists over Cat Temper’s distinctive brand of synthwave instrumentals.

Synthpop star OCEANSIDE ‘85 (Victoria, BC) opens the record and desperately laments over forlorn feline love in “Sweet Cheetah.” Electro funk artist SWAYZE predatorily hunts and traps his love prey in “Cat’s Eye.” Darkwave artist JENNIFER MAHER COLEMAN (Upstate, New York) yearns to come close to her clawed beloved without sustaining injury in “Claws Out.” Synth pop artist FRISKY MONKEY (Atlanta, GA) rues with a broken heart as a victim of insatiable dark love in “Nine Lives.” Retro Electro artist CASEY DESMOND plays a ravenous game of cat and mouse in “Purrfect Crime.” Darkwave duo GULF BLVD (Tampa, FL) reveal what goes in the mind of a cat-tator wanting to dominate humans and turn them into slaves in “Slaves To The Feline Race.” Synth and electronic rock artist C Z A R I N A (Galicia, Spain) sharpens her claws as the stealth-mode frightening and uber fierce killah ninja in “Doom Puma.” UPON EVENTUAL COLLAPSE flexes all his muscles of steel as the beast of prey in “Big Bad Cat.” VIOLET CANDIDE (Vienna, Austria) goes into an outer space adventure in golden fur ball suits to save the galaxy from evil space rats in “Space Catets.” And finally dark synth artist THE VESSEL OF VVOV (Kuovola, Finland) closes the record with death and glory in the name of the feline gods in epic “The Swarm of Ulthar.”

CAT TEMPER is Mike Langlie, a veteran design director by day. When he’s not busy making the world a more colorful, sleeker place, he spends his time dabbling on synths and adding to his most expansive toy keytar collection.

For more CAT TEMPER, visit cattemper.com