MICHAEL OAKLEY - Is There Anybody Out There

Toronto-based Scottish artist, singer-songwriter and producer Michael Oakley has been an iconic fixture in the Retrowave electro scene along with fellow contemporaries Ollie Wride, Nina, Parallels, and Dana Jean Phoenix. He made his retrowave debut in 2017 with his album California, followed by 2019’s critically-acclaimed Introspect.

Michael unveils the visuals for his latest single “Is There Anybody Out There", off of his highly-anticipated LP entitled Odyssey . Directed by Los Angeles-based filmmaker, Brad A. Kinnan (a favorite in the electro scene for his stylistic brand of retro-inspired visual treatments), the neon-lit music video gives nod to 90s electro with stylish visuals and hyper dynamic editing, and an electrifying dance number (by performance artist Murphy), reminiscent of the smokey underground club kid era. Michael in his classic, effortlessly cool signature look gives a delightful effervescent performance as he croons and gets emotive in between flashes and waves of vibrant neon lights, wondering “is there anybody out there?”

We sure are here.

Check out the video now on New Retrowave.

Michael Oakley is part of New Retrowave Records. Keep updated with his news and visit www.michael-oakley.com

DARKROOM DATA - Groovata

Art electro duo Darkroom Data follows up their second single, a retropop ballad Hydrogen, with their new electro pop odyssey Groovata. The new single is a playful collage of sound and features a distinctive sample from the 80s UK band ‘The System’, produced by Bob Lamb whose credits include UB40 and Duran Duran.

“Groovatta is an invitation to step inside the curious smoke, like an anxious bird, flying to nowhere. Equally absent, equally present. Free-falling in a deep ocean of reverb and climbing on the spine of an arpeggiator, to rediscover all the things you will never live again and embrace the blank spaces of life, that can become anything,” explains the duo.

Visuals for the track were created by experimental filmmaker Moema Pascolini using a combination of found footage and film painting technique.

Darkroom Data are an indie electro pop duo, comprising Irish vocalist Gillian NoVa and Brazilian composer Márcio Paz. Their sound features expressive, atmospheric soundscapes, converging with flourishing melodic hooks and expansive rhythmic allure. Tones range from the warm and cinematic to the bittersweet melancholic , serving as a decadent call out to the mysterious and contentious.

Previous single "Hydrogen" achieved ample praise for its nocturnal synth-driven pop sound, charting on Hype Machine’s most popular list and receiving press from outlets like Podcart, Obscure Sound, Son of Marketing, Indie Buddie, and AnalogueTrash. Press has compared Darkroom Data to acts like Chromatics, College, London Grammar, CHVRCHS, and Niki & the Dove.

Prior releases have shown the duo’s encounters with dark, fantastical characters and a yearning for lost, late-night spaces. With a more expansive exploration of audio collage, lost samples, and velvet synths, their next upcoming release promises a headier deep dive into Darkroom Data’s peculiar world, which touts a decidedly cinematic character, reminiscent of Polanski and David Lynch, as if Chinatown or Blue Velvet were set in small-town Ireland.

The duo’s fusion of skills and artistic inspirations result in a musical chemistry that is unique and beguiling. NoVa brings an evocative, storyteller’s sensibility to the modern synth-pop genre; her vocals traverse the sweet and ethereal, and are at other times dark and soulful. Gillian fronted Irish indie rock band The Eyelid Show in the 2000s and has released a series of electro-pop collaborations over the last three years.

Although the main producer for the project, Paz is an artist first, composing and songwriting from an early age. With musical roots in Tropicalia, Clube da Esquina, and ‘90s grunge and pop scenes, Paz’s musical muscle alternates from fresh, dance floor pump to jazz club smooth. He has performed as a guitarist in bands since his teens and began his journey in soundscape design when he trained with multimedia artist André Thitcho. Drawn more to composition and sound development, he transitioned to the universe of aesthetics and production of sounds and noises. He is now more than happy to attest that he “plays computers.”

For more Darkroom Data, visit www.darkroomdata.com

PLATRONIC - Maybe Someday

Platronic latest track Maybe Someday laments over binational couples who remain apart due to COVID19 travel restrictions for months, if not over a year. As a binational duo, the synth and electro duo wants to support the #loveisnottourism movement and decided to dedicate this song to the couples all over the world who are longing and suffering. MAYBE SOMEDAY is a very emotional and atmospherical acid symphony influenced by the sound of 80s icons like Kraftwerk, early OMD, German Synthpop Band Propaganda (Claudia Brücken) and of course Depeche Mode.

A song about love and hope, Platronic shares their deep hope that MAYBE SOMEDAY will turn into a SOON or NOW to reunite all these desperate lovers, couples and families all over the world.

Platronic was founded by Finnish composer, producer SOME-E and German singer-songwriter Kay Burden. What started 2019 on Instagram with the idea of doing a track together in the foreseeable future, surprisingly turned into a real duo on the 24th of February 2020. Platronic released their debut single Pride in July 2020, followed by Dreams in October 2020 which charted at number 17 on the official German Alternative Charts. Platronic mixes retrowave and synth pop sounds that bring artists like Kirlian Camera, VNV Nation and ABBA to mind, with their own twist and updates to modern nostalgia genre.

For more Platronic, visit: platronicmusic.com

MELOTIKA - CRAZY

Canadian Electropop Artist MELOTIKA unveils the visuals for her latest disco pop single, “Crazy” - the second single off of her forthcoming album, “Dancing Without You.”

In her last single ‘Beautiful Disguise’, Melotika touched on feelings of heartbreak, self-reliance and what it’s like coming out of a toxic relationship. She breathes new life into older lyrics that still ring true for her today. Now, her follow up single ‘Crazy’ tells a deranged story about obsession and the craze behind falling in love with someone new. Melotika stays true to her off-putting statements revealing turbulent emotions often expressed through modern film, music and social media.

“I wrote this song 6 years ago. The original was a jam demo done with some musicians I met during my first Summer living in Toronto.” Melotika shares. “I still resonated so much with the lyrics and knew that I would definitely reproduce this once I finally get to establish myself as a recording artist.” “‘No empathy for the one I call my own, now I’m stuck in this place all alone’ is the first line that ever gave me the cold shivers,” she adds. “At the time I had just moved to a big new city. Within a day the words were flowing on paper. I was sitting on my roommate's kitchen table with the task at hand to compose lyrics for a song that was passed down to me. This lyric describes a society that lost all sense of control and self-worth. It was definitely a transitional period in my life where I was getting to learn about myself more, and I couldn’t keep back from observing the world around me. Everyone seemed so obsessed and in their own head. With social media becoming huge, it was clear that the idea of connecting with one another changed drastically. People seem to have no remorse either for their wrongdoings. The world felt empty ironically while I was falling in love with someone new.”

The Montreal-born artist fuses familiar retro sounds with a new school take on Pop. ‘Crazy’ combines the 80’s aesthetic, 70’s New Wave Disco and Electro Dance. “The idea was to keep my unconventional lyrics and create a Dance Pop track with a Nu-Disco vibe. A song that can just hit you. A song you can blast while walking down the street with headphones on. Kind of like Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees but a little more edgy and mysterious. I wanted to create that for people to feel empowered!” “The making of the music video was a different experience. Due to budget and Covid-19 restrictions, my partner and I decided it would be best to take up music video making on our own.” Melotika shares. “We usually hire a videographer. We recently invested in a video camera and hit downtown Montreal to film the craziness! Everyone stopped to watch what I was up to and smiled. It was really cool to get out there and just make art.” Dancing Without You followed 2018’s debut EP Unaware as well as several singles “Joyride” and “Bury The Bones.” She released multiple remixes of her songs that breathe new life into her work and take on a fresh style. She considers “Crazy” the beginning of her new life while undertaking all of society's flaws and remaining true to herself