Bridging The Gap: Synthwave VS Popwave VS Synthpop

Written by Thorisson

I want to address two topics within this article: the often discussed topic of synthwave and synthpop being two separate entities, and the ever-increasing claims of all synthwave music starting to sound the same.

If synthwave is truly to grow, we must celebrate innovation. As a collective, it is our duty to aid the scene’s growth, and not deprive it of the very thing that has sustained it over the years; evolution. The truth is that if all retrowave artists were still creating the same style of music that characterised the genre in the mid-to-late 2000s, it is safe to assume that most would have lost all interest by now. Instead, artists experimented and ventured into new areas, creating a host of sub-genres that quickly made their way into the heart of the scene—Popwave, darksynth and spacewave to name a few.

But are these genres where our openness to innovation stops?

“This isn’t synthwave” is a term I see thrown out quite often. But who are we to question musicians’ intentions and inspirations? We should be encouraging the artists that explore, but instead they are often overlooked. I have seen attempts to disprove the links between synthwave and synthpop, citing a difference in inspiration. And while the argument that synthpop is its own separate genre that has existed since the 70s holds true, a prominent arm—heavily influenced by Synthpop as it was known in the 80s—can be found in a large portion of today’s synthpop releases.

This is where a lot of similarities between synthwave and synthpop can be found; a shared love of 80s music. It is, in my opinion, not a valid argument to state that synthwave’s foundation is not supported by an affection with 80s synthesizers and the overall feel of the decade. The synths utilised and the visuals used are all heavily influenced by the 80s. It is hard to ignore the same influences found in songs like Essy’s Cry For Me and Dagny’s Somebody. What makes synthwave special is that it’s not defined by a tempo, or a particular sound, but by its retro character which can take many forms. The fact that an artist has predominantly been classified as a pop musician does not give us the right to deny their music as belonging to the synthwave realm. I hear countless electro and synth pop artists creating authentic synthwave experiences, yet they get overlooked because of our unwillingness to allow the the genre to expand and merge with other contemporary genres.

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The likes of The Chainsmokers, Zedd and David Guetta—predominantly EDM classified outfits—played a big role in bridging the gap between EDM and pop music during last decade’s early years. Today, it is hard to place a specific label on whether a song constitutes as EDM or pop. Indeed, the most popular genres undergo constant changes; this is by no means a new phenomenon. Such is the way of the music industry. It is impossible to cling onto the same exact style and expect people’s interest to remain throughout.

By the same token, it is not hard to imagine a song falling into both the synthpop and synthwave categories. Dua Lipa, CHVRCHES and, perhaps most famously, The Weeknd, have successfully sculpted commercial pop songs with a retro character that one would not hesitate to call synthwave if the artists’ names were not taken into account. Granted, these are high profile artists for whom it would be an anomaly to see interacting with somewhat of an underground scene. But surely we cannot base an artists’ belongingness solely on their level of interaction with its existing artists and fans. And while it would be unrealistic to expect these artists to be active members of the synthwave community, it does not mean that their music is not a part of the scene.

We would not deny W O L F C L U B, Parallels or Jessie Frye of the synthwave label despite their heavily pop-inspired productions. Indeed, these are all artists that have described their own music as synthpop. So what’s causing us to deny other artists of the synthwave label? Essy, Isle of You and Hanne Mjøen, for example, all have distinctive retro influences in their music, yet many would laugh off the very mention of these artists in a synthwave discussion. Digging deeper, it is evident that synthpop, popwave and synthwave go hand in hand on multiple artists’ Bandcamp releases, yet we continuously attempt to divide these genres. Of course not all synthpop can be classified as synthwave, and not all synthwave falls into the synthpop category. But that does not deny the obvious connection between the two genres.

Hanne Mjøen and Jessie Frye: are their respective music styles really that far apart?

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It’s in our nature to keep seeking what we already know. Rarely do we venture outside of our comfort zones but each time we do, we realise that there is more to life than what we knew before. Now I’m not saying that synthwave IS life, but rather that there is more to synthwave than a DeLorean driving on a neon grid with a rolling dx7 bassline playing under it. The truth is, if you’re only looking to find the classic synthwave sound then chances are you’re going to hear a lot of repetition. It could be said that synthwave is a by-product of house music, but it doesn’t quite fall into that umbrella. It has evolved into a music genre in its own respect. And as is the case with all music genres, it grows and changes overtime.

It is reasonable to call for that change, and it is reasonable to expect things to remain just the way they are, if that is what you’re content with. But one thing we cannot do is to call for a change, while simultaneously refusing to acknowledge the change happening before our very eyes. You wouldn’t drink the same lager beer every week and then blame the beer for not changing in taste. Instead, you’d go out and try an IPA or a stout—both of which are different kinds of beers; subgenres of beer, if you will.

As mentioned above, many have objected the notion of placing Synthwave and Synthpop under the same umbrella, citing the confusion that could bring listeners. But on the flip side, this way of thinking can, and perhaps has led us to pigeonholing artists, labels, and, indeed, music styles. Where do we draw the line between synthwave and synthpop if that line is becoming increasingly narrower? In truth, there is no simple answer. A division in opinions is proving to be somewhat of an obstacle in reaching a solid answer as to what exactly constitutes a synthwave track, and what characterises a synthpop track.

Perhaps a lack of distinction in the word “synthpop” plays the role of a culprit; the genre in itself has multiple variations. The term “nu synthpop”, however not often used, offers a possible solution to this. Nu synthpop is a sub-label I encountered someone using to describe the influx of modern synthpop songs with an 80s influence, and I believe this is a term that can be integrated into the synthwave discussion, as we continue to see more artists joining the nostalgia-infused music movement.

We cannot live in the same period forever. We must evolve, we must innovate, and we must welcome change with open arms, as opposed to questioning whether it belongs to our beloved genre. We can co-exist in the same space regardless of everyone’s music tastes being slightly different. The similarities far outweigh the differences, and I believe genres that are built on the same foundation have no business being separated simply because of the names of their respective creators. Synthwave and nu synthpop can co-exist within the realm of nostalgia-flavoured music that we all love, but only if we open our minds to it. The genre is only as big or as narrow as we allow it to be.

Check out this playlist here to discover some of my favourite nu synthpop tracks at the moment!

CHVRCHES

Review by Jake Griffiths of Electrodome

Early Chvrches reviews make for fascinating reading. They mostly come back to the same theme - what are they? An indie band from one of Scotland’s more edgy cities, they sound like polished electro-pop but largely self-produce their music, have consistently used synthesizers in each of their 4 albums but carry the look and ethos of an indie guitar act, feel like they’re hurtling full-on into top of the charts territory but carry political weight in their lyrics and art. Are they synthwave? Nope. Indie? Nope. Electro-pop? Maybe? But who cares when they continue to make music as good as this, as consistently as this.

‘I don't want to say that I'm afraid to die / I'm no good at goodbyes, I can't apologise’

Like all the best pop music, Chvrches do a neat line in darker themes with huge hooks, melodies you won’t get out of your head for days and choruses built for arenas. Their new album Screen Violence draws on subjects that have intensified and distilled throughout our phone and streaming-filled pandemic lockdowns, and the album is a huge accomplishment of tackling some of society’s more complex subjects without losing the pop accessibility that makes the band so popular.

‘He said you need to be fed but keep an eye on your waistline’ / ‘Look good but don’t be obsessed’ 

Singles He Said She Said and Good Girls take on violence towards women (real and virtual) and mismatched perspectives on men and women in the public eye. The band have been through this drama for real having publicly denounced Marshmello (who collaborated on arguably their biggest hit Here With Me). After working with the band Marshmello went on to work with Chris Brown, who later assaulted Rhianna. The torrent of death threats and god knows what else the band received for taking this position clearly influences the tracks on this album - their own kind of screen violence. And How Not To Drown with The Cure’s Robert Smith is a poem to staying on top of the anxiety of expectations - ‘how to stay conscious when you drown’

“In the final part, in the final scene / There’s a final girl – does she look like me?”

Come album 3 or 4 it’s not uncommon for a band to write their opus to the niggles of touring, recording, boredom and record label expectations. While Screen Violence maybe touches on those themes by way of reference to the expectation and scrutiny of a band in the public eye, it’s done through a lens of social commentary and the bending of reality by technology. The album explores how screens are bringing daily violence to our lives through a series of lyrics that each sound like mini-horror film scripts - most notably Asking For A Friend, Final Girl and Nightmares which all include references to horror scenes and often sound like they’re being written by someone running for their life.

It’s impossible to separate this album from the context it was written and produced in, and the album lyrics do an incredible job of projecting back a layer of lockdown, boredom and fear, of a world gazing into its screens for answers and finding only violence and horror. When you layer that up with Chvrches huge electro pop sound and glossy production you have an album that is really fascinating, and the first of their four that achieves real consistency in the themes and sound of the tracks.

IRVING FORCE - Sedatives

Review by KIZUNAUT

IRVING FORCE is a synthwave-adjacent artist from Stockholm, Sweden. His style has been a characterful mix of influences from 80s soundtracks, contemporary electronic music, rock and metal, with his black metal roots occasionally showing through. His music has offered an unique mix of kicking rhythms, hard riffs, memorable synth leads and a certain kind of playfulness and ability to smoothly incorporate sudden twists and turns to his music. His work has leaned alternatively on more cyberpunk aesthetics or 80s splatter vibes.  

Starting from 2015 onwards, Irving Force has built a rather extensive discography consisting of the Violence Supressor EP, a great many singles, and soundtracks to the adventure game Awaken Alone and the tabletop RPG SIGMATA and a single LP. The 2018’s Godmode album showed Irving Force’s talent at making powerful, fun, cool music that seamlessly wove together a diverse set of influences for an experience like no other. It remains one of my favorite albums that has come out of the synthwave movement. 

Sedatives is Irving Force’s newest...yeah...what exactly is it? A single? An EP? Something else? Irving Force himself speaks of “the yellow glove sequence” of tracks which consists of Sedatives, Backroom Surgery, Touch the Corpse and Waste Management Confidential which Irving Force released over the course of several months. At Bandcamp they are their own singles, but at Spotify each release had incorporated the previous tracks, building upon each other, with Sedatives reaching an EP length and being labeled such at Spotify. 

It’s an interesting solution, albeit perhaps a bit confusing one, and one that certainly breaks old conventions. But in a digital world, do the old conventions even have their place anymore? One could accuse this kind of approach of catering to algorithms, but with the music being as abrasive as it is and how Irving Force released the slow-burner, obvious-outro feeling Waste Management Confidential first, I find it hard to believe that he is catering to anybody or anything but his own vision and fans.

Due to the way it’s structured, I find myself mentally treating Sedatives as an EP, or at least some kind of cohesive whole, as the four tracks of the “yellow glove sequence” each have similar sounds, themes and, indeed, artwork. The visual aesthetics are fantastic, harking back to Godmode’s effective choice of colors and very stylish arrangement of images and text. At the heart of all the covers is a photo of a hand clad in a long, yellow glove grasping an object: a bag of waste, a bloody skull, and in the case of Sedatives, a very, very large syringe. There is a big bio/gorepunk vibe to it all, and indeed, the “yellow glove sequence” feels like something grown at a lab, the DNA of one track diving and mutating into another. 

Production-wise, the release is top notch. I had felt like the couple of singles he had released before the “yellow glove sequence” were decent enough, but that Irving Force really wasn’t bringing his A-game. On Sedatives he is back at full force. The songs hit hard but retain dynamics and a certain intricacy and attention to detail. The choice of sounds are strong yet fun and varied, and each track has a distinct yet coherent sonic identity of its own. It’s as good as Godmode or perhaps even better. 

Sedatives begins with it’s titular track, opening with pulsing, oozing basslines, swirly synth sweeps and a down-tuned speech sample. A kick drum comes in to carry the song, and ominous spoken word lyrics begin pouring out, the voice occasionally mutating into snippets of speech samples, painting gloomy pictures of bio-mechanical, psychological, corporate horror: “You are a funnel, aspiring asset....wither away in the absence of adversity, manifest stress, depression, anxiety...stocks plummet as the muscles convulse, timing the heartbeat to a post-human pulse”. A repeat of the word “anxiety” leads to the first chorus of the song, with the line “and they sell you their sedatives” repeating over and over again, a slurry of ultra detuned synths, blasts of heavy percussion, sharp guitars and voice samples of agony bombarding the listener. The second verse retains heavier percussion, leading into the second chorus which features the wailing, tortured, detuned synths in a prominent role. A brief interlude leads into the last chorus where Irving Force now screams over and over again “and they sell you their sedatives”, another quick interlude giving a brief pause before one last repeat of the chorus before the song abruptly ends with a choppy, glitch sample of a man yelping in pain. One of my favorites from the EP for it’s wonderfully inventive and sinister sound.

Klangy, rolling, metallic bassline opens up Backroom Surgery. A steady beat carries the song through it’s intro and a curious synthline occasionally looms in the background. The song lurches forward in starts and stops, samples punctuating it’s biomechanical march that builds into a sinister mix of propulsive bass, panicked samples and machine noises. Soon enough the song finds itself in a section that blasts the listener with a mix of orchestra hits and hard rhythm guitars which leads into an even harder section with ultra gnarly synths and guitars marching over a pummeling beat. A brief buildup featuring a mix of earlier elements and a resonant synth arp that races upwards follows, leading into another very heavy section, which leads into another section featuring the orchestra hits. The song ends with an ultra heavy pummeling, this time with new percussive elements and distressing, breathy swooshes lurking in the background.  A perfect example of Irving Force’s ability to weave interesting song structures and subtle background elements into very hard hitting electronic metal tracks. 

Touch the Corpse is the most metal-influenced track on Sedatives, opening with a computerized male voice insisting that he wants to “touch the corpse”. The song wastes no time, blasting into an extreme-metal influenced mix of rapid beats, chuggy guitars and screamed vocals. Buzz Saw-like synths back the guitars and drums. Irving Force screams about some kind of an AI-entity that wishes to gather information from the human dead. The relatively brief songs convulses and contorts through faster and slower passages, with occasional robotic voice samples and sound effects punctuating the track. A simple but powerful track, with the relative lack of audio flourishes giving space for Irving Force’s bone-withering vocal delivery. 

A slow, pulsing bassline and passes of ambient sounds opens up Waste Management Confidential, a track that features a slow, steady buildup towards it’s climax. A steady beat joins in, as do distant, choir-like pads and brief passages of high-pitched synths. A different kind of bassline takes the place of the previous one, and down-tuned, lo-fi synth chords pulse in the background. The chords fade away and a resonant synth arp takes their place. The drums drop away, and after a while the song starts building up energy again. A moment of silence follows the buildup, and the song explodes into life with new vigor, this time joined in with guitars and passes of synth hits that almost sound like the whistle of a steam train. A breakdown follows, featuring a more chuggy rhythm follows, only for the song to build into its steady course again, this time featuring another resonant, sharp synth arpeggio alongside the guitars and drums. With this the song ends, and the EP with it. Another favorite from the release for it’s wonderful atmosphere and how it builds up. 

Sedatives is a brief, but wonderful release from Irving Force. The grimy bio-punk aesthetic is fresh and wonderfully executed here. Irving Force has managed to coax out an entirely new realm of dystopian sounds in a scene that has been exploring the cyberpunk flavored sonic territories for quite a while now. It really doesn’t sound much like anything else out there at the moment. 

I would have loved to hear a full-length album of this type of material. To my ears, this is the best material Irving Force has put out since Godmode and one of the best releases of 2021 so far. Extremely recommended for all synth heads who can also digest the metal influences, and for all the metal fans who can take the synth influence. Fans of industrial music might find some similarity, perhaps even influence, within the chuggy machine rhythms and tormented voice samples of the EP. This is a release to be celebrated and cherished. 

For more IRVING FORCE, visit irvingforce.bandcamp.com

DRIVER86 - True Romance, Pt. 2

Review by KIZUNAUT

DRIVER86 is a retrowave producer from Finland. His style leans towards the dreamwave style, a slower, emotional, atmospheric subgenre. Driver86’s music has a very strong nocturnal, romantic, slightly melancholic vibe to it, often feeling like slowly cruising in a car with your lover at night while it’s raining. He has produced both instrumental music and tracks featuring guest vocalists, with some pieces also featuring guest saxophonists. From 2019 onwards he has released a handful of singles and two EPs: True Romance Part 1 and 2, with a planned third and final part of the trilogy coming sometime in the future.   

True Romance Pt. 2 sees Driver86 move towards a somewhat more synthetic and vocal-driven direction compared to the first EP. The saxophones are still present but play a slightly less prominent role than on the first EP, and this time around we are treated to two tracks featuring a guest singer. The overall sound is still very laid-back, but also slightly brighter than on the first EP. 

The production side of things is perfectly competent for the style, rather minimalistic and definitively on the retro side of retrowave. This sounds for most part music that could have well existed in late 80s. The vocals on the tracks with them are very forward, but the performances are so good that they deserve it. On a purely personal level, I think a more lo-fi approach and really leaning into the late 80s vibe could have worked well. Running this to a cassette and then back could have given the music a bit more texture. But even as this is, it’s a marked improvement production-wise from the first EP.

The aesthetics of the album art lean on well-established retrowave tropes, but are done with taste and are absolutely on point for the music. There’s a car parked amidst mist, impossible to tell quite where exactly, the mist blooming the lights of the environment into a hazy light show.  I think it captures the vibe of the album very well. 

The album begins with the soft synth strings and heartbeat sample of Heartbeat. Hollow, plucked synths, bright arps and a slow steady beat and bassline come in. A high-pitched synth plays a wistful melody for a while before the song strips away the drums, leaving a mix of plucked synths, bass and synth strings to float. After a while the beat comes back, and this time the track is joined by a saxophone serving as a lead instrument. The sax and synths sketch a romantic mood perfect for seaside evenings before the track ends after a while. 

1000 Miles Away opens with an airy up-and-down synth pattern and bass arps. The singing of Jeremy Rowe, the guest vocalist, comes in and the track blossoms to life. Twinkly synths sparkle in the background. Working on an inverted pop formula, the song begins with the chorus. After each chorus the verses strip away some instruments before building up to the chorus again. Jeremy sings of longing after a loved one who feels, as one can gather from the title, “a thousand miles away”. The last verse and chorus feature saxophone. A fantastic cut of soft 90s style pop. Jeremy has a great voice that fits the music very well. 

A bass arp that is much heavier than anything before on this album and kick drums serve as the intro to Heat of Love. The track is a bit faster and more energetic, featuring a bouncy synth line that sketches a kind of bittersweet, slightly melancholic mood while the bass and drums keep the pace danceable. The choruses feature a bright lead dancing with the bouncy synth. The track builds up various extra elements along the way, flourishes of twinkling arps and alterations to the bouncy synthline. Eventually the bassline drops out, then the drums, and the track fades out. 

Like Crazy begins with bassy synth pads and sweeps of synth strings. The tender singing of Olivia Zulke, the guest vocalist on this track, come in and is then doubled by another vocal track. Drums come in, and Olivia puts a bit more force behind her voice. The track alters between these heavier sections and lighter ones where she sings in a bit more airy, tender way. Her performance and the way the vocals have been layered is top notch, conveying melancholy and pain of a romance that is not working out. The instrumental side of things is very minimal, but for the better as Olivia’s performance is so good.

The album ends with You. Sparse hits of bass synths, swirly synth strings and plucked synths lead to the track. A slow beat comes in, and high-pitched crystalline synthline backs up the plucked synths. Here too, the vibe is of bittersweet melancholy. The track strips down some elements, a different, lower, melody comes in, and the track starts building itself back together. Eventually saxophone comes in, casting a melody over the synths and drums for a while until the track strips down the drums, leaving just the saxophone and the synths before the track ends and with it the EP. 

With True Romance Pt. 2, Driver86 has evolved his sound while retaining the identity he established with his first EP. He also has demonstrated skill in choosing guest artists and producing for them, giving enough space for their performances. Dreamwave might be the name of his game, but I think he has the makings of a retro pop producer in him. 

I recommend checking out at least 1000 Miles and Like Crazy if you are interested in vocal synth pop. As for the EP as a whole, fans of dreamwave, those looking for something laid-back for the coming autumn and those who remain true romantics at heart will enjoy this EP. 

For more DRIVER86, visit driver86.bandcamp.com