Self-proclaimed “cosmic disco” duo Synthia have been making cutting-edge sounds from their labs near Manchester UK long enough to know when they’ve hit a sweet spot. Matt Hope and Angus Paterson’s nu disco retro tunes come from Leeds, where the two DJs have been splitting their energies between their active residency and producing new outside-of-the-box twists on the retro-electro trend. Synthia’s “cosmic” tone is defined by their superbly-timed synths and drum pads, leading the listener on an audio adventure of spacey 1980s proportions. Having performed with the likes of The Bug, Nightmares On Wax and Fila Brazilia (who created one of the best remixes of Radiohead ever), certainly Synthia knows the level at which the bar has been set for them. Thankfully, instead of buckling under the pressure, their creativity bursts through convention to set standards of their own.
There is a silky undercurrent to their production sound that melts together in some sublimely-enjoyable way, like a grilled cheese made by grandma. All I’d need with it is a can of Tab and I’m set. Synthia lets the ’80s fun reign supreme in their wily dance groove. They stay charged within the bubble of their own innovative electricity with their club track “1981,” a song that combines a modern disco-electro element with their much-adored club beats of yesterday to produce a track that definitely lives up to its name. You can’t help but reminisce on the world of 29 years ago as “1981” ventures on. Heavily-immersed in reverence for the sounds of the past, the song begins with a sparse vibe and a lightness that layers itself towards its own core of being a total throwback track. As it drives onward, Synthia’s true potential shines through to reveal a high-caliber production of unique-sounding synths, delicately structured and lovingly crafted by skilled hands that know which of those musical spots taste the sweetest.
With this track the two astronauts of disco electro lay undeniable value on the table. Half-trained at Oxford, half-rooted in drum & bass, a solid comprehension of underlying beats and creative inspiration gives Synthia the sturdy foundation from which they launch their dance-inspiring grooves at us. “1981” shoots past like an arrow, inflicting its phonic damage on our brains before decelerating somewhere in outer space. The song is a bit like a dissection of itself, offering up sonic details in layers that sound individually isolated, but form together to give it the wide-open musical pathway it ends up following to its conclusion. You can hear the Tesla Boy in it; you can hear the ghosts of tunes from other trendsetters in the electro scene. Again we face remarkably-structured electronic craftsmanship.
Take the bridge for example, which starts just before the three minute mark. It builds itself into a happy funk which zaps the track into total 1980s immersion before the third minute has even half-passed. It seems mild and tame, but it isn’t. This hot iron will surely burn you. It demands us to respect the heat, get up and move; to dance to the beat with whatever we’ve got and show those nasty naysayers of ’80s revival what we’re made of. The fun of ’80s night culture is there. The Russian synth pop flavor is there. I’m not exactly sure what “psychobilly disco” is supposed to mean, but there is clearly some sort of uniquely-playful attitude that is also there, guiding their creative spirit. It will be interesting to see what these guys endeavor to come up with as time passes on.
Posted by: Paul
