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    News and Articles on Synth

    Archives: Synth

    Purple Strain  Jun 28, 2009
    Right there, on his scratchy carpet, with the awful groaning and synth dribble playing in the background, I threw up the wine, leaving him with a puddle of "purple rain" to remember me by. The next day, several messages on the machine confirmed he was sorry. (New York Post -- Entertainment)

    Michael Jackson's Bad and Thriller ...  Jun 28, 2009
    Then there's "Human Nature," the haunting ballad with the shimmering modulated synthesizer harmonies, which is one of the best cuts if not for the stratospheric hits that preceded it. Steve Porcaro of the rock group Toto co-wrote it and provided the tasteful synth programming, which more often than not in the 80s was a contradiction in terms. (Suite101.com)

    New loop library recreates classic 8-bit sounds  Jun 26, 2009
    k.a. ComputeHer) they do live performances with 8-bit machines ranging from a Commodore 64 and 128, Nintendo GameBoys and N.E.S., Intellivision synthesizer, Atari 2600, Speak n Spell and Speak n Music, and an assortment of other vintage and toy synthesizers ... The library contains drums, bass, synth and special effects loops, including a range of samples created from the Apple II an Apple IIe and IIc are part of 8-Bit Weapons instrument library, too. (Yahoo News -- Technology)

    Review: Lil Wayne's "Tha Carter III...  Jun 23, 2009
    Phone Home utilizes both the immortal E.T. catchphrase for its chorus and a Blade Runner-style synth line in its verse to tell Wayne s story of origin ... Atop a slow grooving dance beat and lovely synth chord progression, he croons a sexed-up (at the very least) come-on. (Suite101.com)

    Lily Allen knows she can do it  Jun 16, 2009
    And so did we, from the opening electro rock blast of Everyone's At It and the lighter stepping synth pop of I Could Say to the semi-acoustic fairground jaunt of the boyfriend- skewering It's Not Fair and the alternative family singalong of F--- You, "dedicated" this night to the racist piglets of the British National Party. Fun was had. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)

    Scene 13: Synth-Pop in The Studio With Spy Magnet  Jun 16, 2009
    What the heck is synth-pop ... As the name implies, the synthesizer is the instrument that shines in this musical style ... Michelle Friedman, known on the synth-pop circuit as , paid a visit to the studio and impressed staff and crew alike with her professionalism, funky sound and powerful pipes. (13WMAZ.com, GA)

    Metro Station To Open for Miley Cyrus on Her Fall Arena Tour  Jun 5, 2009
    Metro Station -- Trace Cyrus (vocals, guitar), Mason Musso (vocals, guitar), Blake Healy (keyboards, synth) and Anthony Improgo (percussion) -- are currently wrapping up a two week tour of Japan, and later this month will return to Europe for three weeks of dates. In May they completed their most extensive domestic run to date, providing support on Fall Out Boy's "Believers Never Die" tour. (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)

    New Dance Techno Songs June 2009  Jun 3, 2009
    Robyn s crystal clear vocals rip over dense, hard synths and a killer beat by a funkier Royksopp ... Gore s lyrics, the affirmation of a light at the end of the tunnel, burn bright over thick layers of analog synths that bounce along to an 80 s vibe the band had all but abandoned since Just Can t Get Enough ... Let s have some fun this beat is sick, I wanna take a ride on your disco stick, a highly synthesized Gaga sings in the opening to her new track, and possible third consecutive number one.... (Suite101.com)

    Freeland Cope Review  Jun 3, 2009
    UK DJ Serves Best Fish Tacos In Encinada on New Rock / Dance Record. Freeland fuses rock with dance to make Cope, one of the most exciting electronica albums of summer 2009. (Suite101.com)

    DeJohnette Trio Dazzles At Boulder ...  May 29, 2009
    The duo returned later, with the help of Ben Surman (who produced, added basslines, synth and some vocals) to add various parts and effects in the studio. There are plenty of jaw-dropping moments on Elephant, but there are even more subtle gems. (Suite101.com)

    * [CD REVIEWS: TAIWAN]  May 27, 2009
    It plays off well against the funky drum rhythms, synthesizer flourishes and clean guitar lines that prop up the melodies. Another strong track, Sudden Light (@), written by guitarist and synth player Dixen (pf), waxes bittersweet and nostalgic about youth; the smooth J-pop style vocals and arrangement leave the song with an optimistic and hopeful sheen ... The electronica duo, which formed in 2005, has weaved together a set of musical vignettes full of beautifully dense synthesizer... (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- Business)

    Meet the Kanye West of Reggaetn  May 20, 2009
    It is a stealth conventional reggaetn album: Beneath the cybernetic mumbo-jumbo, foreboding synth chords, and techno twitches are lyrics about clubs and sex (and sex in clubs); disses of rivals; and , who should be pleased to learn that they still exist in the sci-fi future. There is one ballad, "," ably sung by Omar, that rare rapper who can carry a tune. (Slate)

    Passion Pit Celebrate Manners With Gig On A Boat Cruise  May 20, 2009
    " The band decided that music was perfect for an unconventional record-release party. "This album presented so many different challenges and things we had to deal with, we really wanted to celebrate in a different way," Angelakos reflected. But then synth player Ayad Al Adhamy chimed in with what everyone was already thinking: "And boats are fun. " Clearly, playing on a boat (not to mention premiering a lot of new material) comes with challenges, chiefly the fact that the venue is constantly... (VHI.com -- Music News)

    Full luminous line-up  May 12, 2009
    The hottest new name in electronic music, he makes big, bold sounds with walls of synth, flickering melodies and amorphous bass rumbles. Playhouse. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)

    Fans' Ferdinand's Best-laid Franz  May 9, 2009
    The synth riffs, fuzzy and dirty, hooked into pulsing bottom beats during this 100-minute set. But what was more impressive were the psychedelic melodies that felt as if they were closer kin to the music of The Doors than that of Madonna. (New York Post -- Entertainment)

    Bob Dylan Nabs Second Billboard #1 Debut  May 7, 2009
    Heaven and Hell, Mike Jones, NOFX debut in top 50 (VHI.com -- Music News)

    Masterchef's music fail  May 5, 2009
    Guitar solos/Major chords/Strings Use: To relate glory, usually over contestant winning something/getting through to the next round/having a judge say "Unfortunately...you're not going to be able to go....home...BECAUSE YOU'RE STAYING HERE FOR THREE MONTHS!!! (x4756245876 throughout an episode) - cue weeping, groin thrusting, vein pop The real stuff up here is what the music on Masterchef (and any other of these cookie cutter reality show abortions) fails to do. Which is reveal some semblance of... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Business)

    Ciara needs to stay in the groove  May 4, 2009
    Reteaming with Missy Elliott - the best of the album's costars - for "Work," Ciara takes her own advice to "put some snap into it" and nimbly navigates synth bleats and burps and a shake-and-shimmy beat. The sassy "Pucker Up" puts her penchant for swirling keyboard washes to funky use. (Boston Globe)

    Kate Miller Heidke  May 1, 2009
    " The results are equally eclectic. In 12 scattershot tracks, Miller-Heidke dips her toes into all manner of musical flavours and inflections. Bounce-laden tracks such as The One Thing I Know and God's Gift To Women see her squawking over bombastic pop riffs, while the shrill synth lines of the snide I Like You Better When You're Not Around could almost be mistaken for some kind of warped Van Halen tribute. But Curiouser isn't all pop bluster. Caught In The Crowd, for one, tells a heart-rending... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)

    Peter Bjorn and John play the Paradise  Apr 30, 2009
    Repeatedly throughout the 70-minute performance, the effervescent Swedes - Peter Moren, Bjorn Yttling, and John Eriksson - constructed full-bodied songs from basic building blocks: a catchy vocal percussion line, a single rickety guitar riff, a spare symphony of synth squiggles ... The juxtaposition of surprisingly beefy drum patterns - both synthesized and live - and the whispery vocal approach of keyboardist Caroline Polachek and guitarist Aaron Pfenning brought to mind New Order. (Boston Globe)

    Grotesque action flick sequel amps up the violence, lacks continuity in character appearances and storyline  Apr 28, 2009
    A strange amalgamation of Korean pop, '80s synth and Motown comprises the film's strange soundtrack. Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington makes yet another awkward cameo. (Daily Collegian, PA)

    Personal Jesus: the second coming  Apr 28, 2009
    It's been 28 years since their first Top 10 hit, but Depeche Mode is back and so are the synthesizers, Simon Houpt writes ... New York 'I just can't get enough," sang Depeche Mode on their first Top 10 single, and 28 years later they're proving again that they have no interest in quitting the music game: This week saw the release of their 12th studio album, the well reviewed Sounds of the Universe. The disc sounds a little like the three main band members, now in their late 40s, look, which is... (Globe and Mail -- Entertainment)

    Metric, 'Fantasies'  Apr 28, 2009
    "Who'd you rather be, the Beatles or the Rolling Stones?" Haines rhapsodizes over the whirring synth swirl of "Gimme Sympathy." But why do we have to choose between winsomely orchestrated musicality and rough-hewn rock 'n' roll. "Fantasies" has both in spades. (Boston Globe)

    The band, Metro Station, 'Shakes' up the teen-music scene  Apr 28, 2009
    Synth artist Blake Healey, 26, and drummer Anthony Improgo, 31, completed the group. The name, Metro Station is meant to symbolize the merge of the guys' geographic backgrounds and musical influences. (The Loyola Greyhound, MD)

    Essentials: This weekend's live music picks  Apr 17, 2009
    The just-released "Begone Dull Care" is their third collection of introspective synth jams. Max Tundra opens. (San Francisco Chronicle)

    Fever Ray, 'Fever Ray'  Apr 13, 2009
    "Fever Ray" is not quite the equal of the Knife's 2006 gem, "Silent Shout"; the pithy lyrics of that work have been subsumed by sound here, mixed underneath the bleeping, whizzing synthesizers that are its artificial heart. Andersson's voice is tampered with so that it, too, often resembles another synth, less expressive than atmospheric. (Boston Globe)

    Harris knocks GaGa off top spot  Apr 13, 2009
    In For The Kill by London synth duo La Roux, meanwhile, climbed three places to number four. In the album chart, Kingdom of Rust, the first release from Manchester band Doves in four years, was a new entry at number two. (BBC News -- Entertainment)

    Shining promise dims in 'Two Suns'  Apr 13, 2009
    Much of Khan's blueprint remains intact - tracks like "Glass" are full of foggy synth washes, minimalist percussion, and dramatic piano sweeps - but there's nothing remotely approaching that initial promise ... When the beat kicks up on "Pearls Dream," underlying a squiggly bass synth and Khan's multitracked vocals, things pick up. (Boston Globe)

    'Unstoppable' stops short of classic  Apr 11, 2009
    Comprised of Brann Dailor (drums, vocals), Brent Hinds (lead guitar, banjo, vocals), Bill Kelliher (guitars) and Troy Sanders (bass, bass synth, vocals), the four-piece band juxtaposes melodic soft passages with intense time changes, and muscular riffs and licks. The vocals rely less on constant screams than previous efforts but the intensity does not suffer. (Erie Times-News, PA)

    Batwoman's back  Apr 10, 2009
    " Pop fright It helps that Khan's ambitions chime perfectly with those of Radiohead - both strive to create music that is at once innovative and commercially accessible. Although it turns out that Khan is not the best judge of her own material. I loved Kurt Cobain and I thought I was going to marry him Natasha Khan Daniel, the album's lead single, is a spooky, Stevie Nicks-inspired love song filtered through the dusty circuits of a vintage synth. It is a million miles away from the froth served... (BBC News -- Entertainment)

    One Great Benefit  Apr 9, 2009
    For its part, his band is tight and professional-I was especially grooving on the drummer's expert shaker-playing (the drummer, by the way, also plays a synth). Next up was Ian Cooke, who I could say without exaggerating is my favorite musician in Denver-and he's up there on the list of musicians from anywhere else, too. (UCD Advocate, CO)

    TV Review: Genius (BBC Two)  Apr 4, 2009
    Genius has its shortcomings which start with the theme music a cheery synth number - that could have been ripped straight from Tron. It is very annoying and gets worse each time it s repeated when a new entrant is revolved on to the set like a weird version of Blankety Blank. (Suite101.com)

    Review: The Who  Apr 3, 2009
    To the brilliantly dramatic Baba O'Riley, with synth lines the Presets probably wished they'd written, or the rabble-rousing, hackle-raising Won't Get Fooled Again. This line-up is prone to strange flights of fancy - even Baba O'Riley and My Generation evolve into jams that take the songs to places you wished they hadn't gone, while a lengthy Tommy medley induces the occasional yawn. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)

    Incite a Riot: Syracuse University alums Ra Ra Riot performed new songs and old favorites at The Westcott  Apr 1, 2009
    The band's epileptic dancing, performed to a collage of distorted space-age synth and hardcore-informed electro, drove the 700-person crowd into fits on songs like "Progress" and "We Vibrate, We Do." Page 1 of 2. Article Tools. (Daily Orange, NY)

    Sound off: Eighties inspire Chairlifts synth-pop sound  Apr 1, 2009
    Sound off: Eighties inspire Chairlifts synth-pop sound - Kingston, MA - Kingston Reporter ... Sound off: Eighties inspire Chairlifts synth-pop sound ... Hopefully this won t get lost in the recent rush of throwback 80s synth pop, half of which is rubbish. (Kingston Mariner, MA)

    Ryksopp: "Junior"  Apr 1, 2009
    The first track on the album, "Happy Up Here," begins with a playful laugh, a funk-lined synth beat, and, after thirty seconds of upbeat electronica, the laidback repeating lyric "You know I really like it.". Similar to "Time to Pretend" on last year's "Oracular Spectacular," "Happy Up Here" jumpstarts the album with the notion that the new Ryksopp release is going to be fun. (Daily Orange, NY)

    Random Sampling: Chairlift's album transcends labels  Mar 27, 2009
    "Planet Health" (2) - Easily besting "Bruises" with its expert filtering of late-20th century Asian pop through Book of Love (and perhaps Thompson Twins), "Planet Health" couples nostalgic melodies and synth sounds with silly school-inspired couplets about the food pyramid and fire safety ("Gotta stop, drop and roll ... out the fire!") ... If anything, Chairlift's "Does You Inspire You" is largely an evocative tour-de-force of the synthesizer-fueled pop of the 1970s and '80s. (Athens Banner-Herald)

    Peter Bjorn & John overcome train wreck SXSW show  Mar 25, 2009
    They'll play a punk song amid a set of synth pop. Drummer John Eriksson says he likes "mayhem and mistakes" and even would have enjoyed being in the audience for their train wreck show. Peter Bjorn and John emerged in 2006 with their third album "Writer's Block," which carried the infectious hit single "Young Folks," (even Kanye West sampled it). (Waterloo Courier, IO)

    Review: Lotus Plaza  Mar 25, 2009
    "A Threaded Needle" expressively ends the album with a combination of synth and distortion reminiscent of the masterful "T 00001D83 wilight at Carbon Lake" on "Microcastles."The main issue with "The Floodlight Collective" is its derivative nature. While Pundt is undoubtedly talented as a solo artist, his album breaks no new ground. (Daily Orange, NY)

    Cut Copy's dance music misses some 'live' feel  Mar 25, 2009
    Put Cut Copy in sharp suits instead of their T-shirts and untucked button-downs, and they'd be straight out of 1982, all alienated-cool synth pop with a disco beat. A few songs segued straight into one another without a break for maximum danceability. (Boston Globe)

    SXSW Ends As Buzz Grows for Bands Who Impressed  Mar 24, 2009
    The Swedish synth pop trio Peter Bjorn and John had released several albums before the hit "Young Folks" off their 2006 album, "Writer's Block," catapulted them to indie renown. "We had kind of given up on that," said the band's lead singer Peter Moren before performing. (Newsmax)

    Prince turns a brilliant sonic triple play: 3 albums in 1 day  Mar 24, 2009
    MPLSoUND finds Prince revisiting the synth vibe of the '80s with his outsize ego intact on tracks like (There'll Never B) Another Like Me and Ol' Skool Company, which reunites some of his Minneapolis cohorts. The sly Valentina, bouncy Q-Tip-assisted Chocolate Box and wicked No More Candy 4 U also stand out. (USA Today -- Life)

    SXSW concludes 23rd annual event  Mar 23, 2009
    The Swedish synth pop trio Peter Bjorn and John had released several albums before the hit Young Folks off their 2006 album, Writer s Block, catapulted them to indie renown. We had kind of given up on that, said the band s lead singer Peter Moren before performing. (KHOU.com, TX)

    Prince's 3-CD set is wildly uneven  Mar 23, 2009
    The disc starts out as an old-school romp that sounds as if Prince rolled up the rusted door of a warehouse behind Paisley Park, surveyed the dusty, vintage synth gear, and said to the posse behind him: "Fellas, let's make a funky record today.". The first few tracks could almost be mistaken for "Controversy" outtakes: You'll recognize the dry, flat pop of primitive electronic drums, campy whirl of analog keyboards and wild-eyed vocal stylings that ground an edge on Prince's early stuff. (Florida Today)

    Educorock Espaol  Mar 22, 2009
    He also sang lead vocals, under the name Estevan, played the keyboards and did the synth programming as well as helped engineer and mix the disc. His goal in creating Educorock Espa;ol, according to the cd cover, was to motivate and reach students with a current beat [so to] eliminate lacks in specific grammatical and thematic structures. (Suite101.com)

    Dark was the night  Mar 21, 2009
    Leader Cheetah kick off the album with a heavy Neil Young fetish on Bloodlines and the Dead Sea close it with grand gestural synth rock but in between there's some delicacy and choral power (the Middle East's Blood), a splash of anxious white-girl blues (Super Wild Horses' We Don't Believe It), Sun-period early rock (the Harpoons' Garden City), 1960s vocal pop sugar (the Maple Trail's New York) and spectral rock a-la Cat Power (Lola Flash's Psycho). And more. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)

    Heroes to Zero  Mar 21, 2009
    The group, who are playing three sold-out UK shows in April, explain how they came back from the brink of splitting and how a faulty synth from eBay shaped the sound of the album ... KO: Right now, maybe synths ... How about guitars that sound like synths. (BBC News -- Entertainment)

    Fell on groovy days  Mar 20, 2009
    Beatmaker of the hour, Timbaland (who produced Scream), is hip-hops hottest property (Missy Elliot, Justin Timberlake, Madonna, etc) today and he has his production stamp all over the song squelchy synth bass lines and strings, choir vocal backing and 1980s-approved drum machine beats. Yet, in this haze of synthetic instrumentation, Cornells voice cuts through like a hot knife through butter ... When it was needed, we added more guitars, synths, live percussion. (The Star Online, Malaysia)

    The Furs know where to inflict the cuts  Mar 10, 2009
    But Perry's two-dimensional beats and cheesy synth touches give an electro edge to Boeckner's jangling guitar. The Furs also have a way of abruptly erasing the middle of the music, when the guitar or keyboards drop out and Boeckner is left to wail nakedly over a minimal beat. (Globe and Mail -- Entertainment)

    AR Rahman to Dileep Kumar - BE takes you down memory lane  Mar 5, 2009
    This was in an MRF commercial that showed the reflection of a synthesizer on the visor of the rider. That synth was borrowed by film maker Bharat Bala from Dileeps studio, when the composer was not around. (India Times)

    Genghis Tron: Board Up The House Al...  Feb 28, 2009
    What sets them apart are the keyboards and synths, and not in the classic metal sense, but more in the realm of glitchy electronica acts such as Aphex Twin ... 5 minute long song features a slow electronic dirge punctuated by doom metal parts until guitar and synth meld together in one epic melody ... Endless Teeth mingles the grind and synth so well that eventually guitar and synth are indistinguishable from each other. (Suite101.com)

    Stevie Wonder at Library of Congress  Feb 25, 2009
    The synth sound is that distinctive mix of harpsichord and Fender Rhodes that harks back to the great album "Music of My Mind." The rhythms here shift as the keyboard and oboe engage in a point-counterpoint. Sketches peaks with a solo on Mr. Wonder's trademark chromatic harmonica - his unmistakable playing is backed by piano as the rest of the orchestra quiets. (Insight on the News)

    'Enemy' has highs, lacks focus  Feb 20, 2009
    In fact, they've already failed at facing that issue -- their 2006 debut, Beast Moans, was a disappointing mess of overlapping vocals, muddy synths and not a hint of direction ... The keyboard settings, such as in the intro to Krug's "Settle On Your Skin," teeter between cheap/irritating and dull/harmless, which is not quite the balance one should be looking for in a synth sound. (Daily Collegian, PA)

    N.A.S.A. explores unity in all people through music  Feb 19, 2009
    " The songs beat features a heavy guitar crunch that obviously fits the style that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs were experimenting with while recording "Show Your Bones" (Interscope, 2006), which was produced by Squeak E. Clean. The upbeat synth melody is more reminiscing of the ODB/Mariah Carey 'Fantasy Remix," and the hip-hop that was up-and-coming while Fatlip was just beginning. Squeaky E. Clean notes the artist pairings beginnings on their Myspace saying, "we never said, 'let's make a track for this... (The Suffolk Journal, MA)

    Bitesize Brits: The nominees  Feb 19, 2009
    Brief bio: Squiggly synth rockers MGMT (pronounced "management") formed in Connecticut, before conquering student discos with their psychedelic funk. Nominated for: Best international group and album. (BBC News -- Entertainment)

    Review: Here We Go Again, Self-Titled  Feb 18, 2009
    Now with Here We Go Magic, he's limited by his penchant for synth, which fails to lend the magic he alludes to. He's at his best - or really, he's at his non-crappiest - in the last track, "Everything's Big," wailing, almost with tears in his throat, "We stuck around, 'cause nobody wanted to die." Aerial "ohs" and "ahs" paint the backdrop, along with charged cymbals, the delicate interweaving of banjos and guitars, and teetering piano keys. (Daily Orange, NY)

    Beirut, 'March of the Zapotec/ Realpeople Holland'  Feb 16, 2009
    The rest, which is being packaged as "Realpeople Holland," was composed in Condon's bedroom and opens with a bubbly synth track called "My Night with the Prostitute From Marseille." So yes - let's get it out - there's something a little too cute going on here. Condon's self-serious delivery has always been both blessing and curse. (Boston Globe)

    Franz Ferdinand, Dierks Bentley have new CDs  Feb 14, 2009
    The Fatboy trademarks are here (acid squelches, ska guitars, choppy oceans of synth), but theyre blended with the unique musicality of each guest. The set is reminiscent in spirit of Mark Ronsons Version (Wainwright even sounds positively Winehouse-ian on Spade), but its even better because the songs are new. (MSNBC -- Music)

    Nine Inch Nails  Feb 13, 2009
    Since the group's 1989 debut, Pretty Hate Machine, they've been the catalyst for the movement of industrial music and hardened synth pop into the top 40, using debased drum-machine rhythms and shrieking keyboards to turn out unexpected hits. Nine Inch Nails have released eight studio albums, as well as various remix discs, which combined have sold more than 20 million copies. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)

    Playlist: Empire of the Sun  Feb 10, 2009
    Parsons's synth playing is lighter than air. I discovered it a few years back and realised that people know him from his work with Pink Floyd on Dark Side of the Moon, but they have no idea how gifted he is as a solo musician. (guardian.co.uk)

    Local band finding their groove  Apr 1, 2008
    There is also the 19 -year-old bassist Corey Vines; and the 22-year-old synth player and back-up vocalist Chris Vittetoe. Jordy, Brandon and Corey have been friends since grade school and started the band about three years ago. (East Tennessean, TN)

    MUSO brings Caribou to UNH  Mar 28, 2008
    In the midst of this, a boy in a purple shirt was setting up a small table, which held a miniature keyboard and a slew of other synth devices; this boy ended up being the first opening act, Eat Cloud ... Vocals were mostly incoherent shouts into the toy microphone, which added intensity to the synthesized beats in the background. (The New Hampshire, NH)

    Friends overshadow Flo Rida on debut CD  Mar 23, 2008
    CHECK OUT: Timbaland s production on Elevator is a big, bawdy synth beat with space-age sound effects and Flo Rida s rhymes about a girl with a stacked top model body. Not Yet Rated. (Helena Independent Record, MT)

    After this, nothing was the same  Mar 23, 2008
    Composed of urgent, pulsing synthesiser chords overlaid with chanting and rapping, 'Planet Rock' seemed to spring into being wholly formed, with no antecedents, gesturing to a future of steel and silver and intergalactic spacecraft ... That the austere sounds of a German synth band could spark a revolution in New York black culture. (Guardian Unlimited)

    It was a hard day's night for local bands  Mar 17, 2008
    FANTASY MIRRORSIan Beck, manager"It's been mind-blowing, we're all exhausted, and I don't know how I'm awake right now. We've met a lot of great people. [Synth player] Michael Potvin and I ended up DJing a blogger party. We saw [UK band] the Whip, and they were phenomenal.". EZRA FURMAN & THE HARPOONSEzra Furman, singer-guitarist. (Boston Globe)

    Korg DS-10 synth for Nintendo DS - spark your own '80s electro pop ...  Mar 16, 2008
    Tech Digest: Korg DS-10 synth for Nintendo DS - spark your own '80s electro pop revival ... Korg DS-10 synth for Nintendo DS - spark your own '80s electro pop revival ... Classic 80s synthesizer, the Korg MS-10, is currently being recreated inside the diminutive Nintendo DS handheld console. (Mobile Digest)

    My Morning Jacket Unveils New Album Track List  Mar 8, 2008
    Strident rockers like "Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Part 1" boast unusual touches, from fluttering synth lines and multi-tracked vocal parts to chopped-up beats and electro effects on the bass and guitars. Appearing near the end of the disc, "Part 2" of the track is an eight-minute-plus mash-up of disco drumming and grandiose production unlike MMJ has ever attempted. (Billboard.com)

    Our area's rich talent pool offers fodder for 12 Bands of Christmas  Mar 7, 2008
    What many don't realize is that before she fired up the synth, she was active in the New York underground, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Television and the Ramones and producing demos with Blondie producer Richard Gottehrer. I'd love to see her onstage, and 12 Bands seems like a perfect fit. (The Augusta Chronicle)

    Rhyme and reason  Mar 6, 2008
    Pemberton's Afterparty Babies -- which hit the stores this week and is the follow-up to his 2006 Polaris Prize-nominated LP Breaking Kayfabe -- is a raw collection of synth tones and matter-of-fact poetic lyrics. NEW EFFORT. (Winnipeg Sun)

    CD reviews (1)  Mar 1, 2008
    The sound is classic 90s hip-hop, gritty (Bow Down ) with those unforgettable synth riffs (Gangsta Nation ). Also included are unreleased tracks like Let it Reign and little-heard gems like Bangin. (Helena Independent Record, MT)

    Future's so bright  Feb 27, 2008
    First, she found out that Crooker's call was arranged by her roommate, Sean T. Drinkwater (aka Freezepop synthesizer player-programmer-vocalist The Other Sean T. Drinkwater) ... Now Freezepop is trying to connect to a wider audience with a new album of catchy, 80s-tinged synth-pop, Future Future Future Perfect, which was released on Sept. 25 on a label, Cordless, distributed by Rykodisc ... Enthusiasm denies Freezepop intended to echo those 80s synth acts. (Boulder Colorado Daily, CO)

    How effective are the promo spots airing on local TV?  Feb 27, 2008
    The author: "It's got all the standards of the genre: pulsing synths and lights, an ominous voice-over, frantic editing. They're obviously emphasizing dependability and experience, but the implicit message is pretty standard. To wit: viewers WILL DIE A HORRIBLE DEATH if they don't watch." ... The author: "It's hard to highbrow in this genre, but NECN is trying. The synth washes, the little blips of light that look like sunspots, the grave, news anchor declarations. There's a deluded... (Boston Globe)

    Synthesized pop revives the musical glory of the 80s  Feb 26, 2008
    Media Credit: MCT campusMarilyn Manson's cover versions of great 80s synth songs such as "You Spin me Right Round" hooked me onto the electric pop sound ... The crazy synthesizer-created electronic pop, the brat pack movies, the incredible fashion sense--all of it makes me warm and fuzzy inside ... However, I especially like the electric vocals and synthesizer sounds that seem to make up the majority of the popular songs. (The Loyola Greyhound, MD)

    An early listen to possible future hits  Feb 26, 2008
    If you're Usher, you release this limp, quavery synth ballad with a dull Young Jeezy rhyme that covers well-trod ground about meeting and falling in lust with a "shawty" in da club. Why Usher didn't release the crisper Timbaland collaboration "Moving Mountains," easily found on the Web thanks to recent leaks, is a mystery. (Boston Globe)

    Does New Janet Jackson Deliver? Check Her Out Live on 'GMA' Tues.  Feb 25, 2008
    A galactic-inspired music video complete with her signature heavily choreographed dance moves and a synth beat ushered in the Discipline's" first single, "Feedback," which was released to drum up heat for the album's Feb. 26 release. Photos WATCH JANET JACKSON PERFORM LIVE ON GOOD MORNING AMERICA ON TUESDAY, FEB. 26. Don't Call It a Comeback Hope exists that her Island Def Jam label debut will ebb her sliding sales, which dipped drastically in the aftermath of her infamous "wardrobe... (ABC News)

    Seventh Tree  Feb 23, 2008
    Happiness carries a little bit of Bolan boogie in its synth backpack and Caravan Girl is scarily close to straightforward guitar pop, like the Cranberries but better. There is little of the tease and much less of the look-at-me manoeuvres found in Supernature, however. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)

    British influence at the heart of the Bravery  Feb 21, 2008
    That song, which proved a highlight of the Bravery's mostly sharp 60-minute set, carried all the best elements of the band's intentions: a squiggly synth line; bright guitar riff and sturdy melody; and an earnest lyric poised to connect and delivered with perfectly pained disaffection. "The Ocean," an elegant, keyboard-and-guitar-encrusted ballad that echoed the silvery majesty of the Church, was another high point from the band's latest album, "The Sun and the Moon," as was "Tyrant," a slab of... (Boston Globe)

    Singer PJ Harvey chalks up a great gig at QPAC  Feb 18, 2008
    Like her music, Harvey doesn't stay still long enough for the audience to grow bored, using the metronome atop the piano to hypnotic effect on White Chalk, playing synth bass with drum machine for My Beautiful Leah, playing the zither on Down By the Water. But the best was yet to come in the encore, when joined by her friend and sometimes collaborator Mick Harvey, of the Bad Seeds, playing piano while she took up the acoustic guitar for the first time of the night. (Courier Mail)

    Black Mountain  Feb 17, 2008
    Wucan is simple and excellent a popped-up funeral organ giving way to synth heaven, catchy though I cant find the catch. Evil Ways is part noise-rock, part Janes Addiction, and part Zoot-suit riot, but its sum weighs all parts out (the case for derivativeness, and isnt a good one. (Yale Herald, CT)

    Rock and roll back the clock to 1984  Feb 15, 2008
    Indeed, good ol' 1984, the year in which Van Halen's 1984 album dropped, subsequently causing my older brother Marc's jaw to drop over the synth loop on Jump. I clearly remember him with his Oakley sunglasses and his mullet, passing me the HEADPHONES tethered to his WALKMAN (how did we live with such limited technology. (Florida Times-Union)

    The thrill continues  Feb 15, 2008
    The rhythmic synth bass pulse (all six notes of them) during the verse is perhaps one of the most recognisable in pop music history. But the icing on the cake has to be Prices ghoulish narration accompanied by a church organ, which momentarily takes Thriller into the realms of creepiness. (The Star Online, Malaysia)

    NME Awards Tour / Leeds  Feb 13, 2008
    Creators of enormous dance-rock grooves that somehow combine Killing Joke, Daft Punk, the Prodigy, the Sex Pistols, with vocoders and synth lines nicked from 1983 one-hit wonder Rockwell, this four-piece are unpredictable, uncategorisable and refreshingly berserk. Their trump card is MC Morgan, an unashamed crowd-pleaser who beats a cowbell, dances like Max Wall being electrocuted and plays guitar with his teeth. (Guardian Unlimited -- Arts)

    Sink your teeth into this  Feb 8, 2008
    It s a chugging, mid-tempo funk groove with trainwhistle synth stabs and deep, bluesy wah guitar. It also perfectly illustrates the balance that is central to The Manimals music, between having fun with the music, keeping it tight and also pulling off the necessary soul elements to make it gritty and genuinely danceable. (Albany Democrat-Herald, OR)

    In the mood to dance  Feb 5, 2008
    ESSENTIAL Ready for the Floor""Every time that we walk the streets, I try my best to keep up with the beat," runs the verse to "We're Looking for a Lot of Love," the fifth track off Hot Chip's third studio album. It's familiar turf for frontman Al Taylor, who made his name grinding complex emotional equations - from sex to love to growing up - to one common denominator. In Hot Chip's world, strobe-lit and neon-hued, the dance floor is both a battleground and a stage; it's the all-encompassing... (Boston Globe)

    Hot Chip, Made in the Dark  Feb 1, 2008
    Nonetheless, it is exactly the kind of song you can imagine her singing: devilishly catchy, every element of the song functioning as an earworm (including the odd squonky synth lines) ... Shake a Fist is a terrific, clattery thing that rattles along for most of its span like a skeleton in a closet - except it's interrupted by two minutes of pointless synth pitch-shifting noise ... In the past, the magic of remixes has enabled this to be so - most spectacularly in the case of Erol Alkan's take on... (Guardian Unlimited)

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