Como Se Dice 'Synth-Pop'?

Mix by Oliver

Download:  Como Se Dice 'Synth-Pop'?


I have one glaring weakness: I love synth-pop.  If you put some synth-pop in a simple box-and-stick trap, I would rush right over and be easily captured.  I would be very calm and docile in the trap too, as I clutched my precious electronic drum beats and synthesized sounds.  I'm cool with that, I know who I am.  Hope you enjoy the mix, and thanks for listening. 

1. Cut Copy - "Need You Now"  Cut Copy are, perhaps, my favorite purveyors of 80's era synth pop. They just released their new album entitled Zonoscope. Count it.  I've only given it a couple listens but I definitely like what I'm hearing. They seem to be experimenting a bit more and getting away from the album full of 3-4 minute individual songs. More emphasis on the whole album. If you're a fan of the genre, be sure to check out their other excellent albums: In Ghost Colours, and Bright Like Neon Love.

2. Painted Palms - "Water Hymn"  Hat tip to Nate Dixey for this one. They seem to extract the pop from Animal Collective, simplify it, and then re-package it. Whatever, the Canopy EP is a really fun short listen.

3. Small Black - "Photojournalist"  If you need to queue up a whole album of some good synth pop, New Chain is what you need. That and this mix, of course.

4. Kisses - "Bermuda"  I actually first heard this song and another of theirs about a year ago and loved them. When I read that the album wouldn't be coming out for another year, I filed that away in the ole mental database and forgot about it. Fastforward to the present, and I think this little burst of warm weather triggered my memory for this song. Let the chimes and smooth vocals sweep you away to the tropics....

5. Cut Copy - "Unforgettable Season"  From the album In Ghost Colours.

6. Baths - "Maximalist" Saw Baths at the Jackpot opening for Dosh and El Ten Eleven. The performance was very striking and it really grabbed me. One guy, pudgy with glasses, going nuts, in a very calculated way on his machine. Cerulean is one of my favorite albums in the last year. Its a beautiful collection of electronic love songs.

7. ceo - "Illuminata" ceo is a solo project from one of the guys from Swedish group The Tough Alliance.

8. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffitti - "Round and Round"  When I first heard this song a while back, I slapped the 'put on future mix' sticker on it right away. Imagine my dismay when Pitchfork then named it their #1 song of 2010 in the staff picks of the Top Tracks of 2010! Surely I couldn't put it in a mix now, that would seem way too easy. Well eff you Pitchfork, I will not be bullied by you, this is a jam! As far as the album goes, I'm pretty meh on it. Nah nah naaaaaah nah......

9. Baths - "[]"

10. Sufjan Stevens - "I Walked"  I know you've already heard this, but I had to include something from it. I've always been a fan, and Age of Adz was one of my favorite albums of the last year. He did so much to simultaneously change and maintain his sound and the result was amazing. 

11. Twin Shadow - "Forget" This is the eponymous title track from Twin Shadow's debut album.

12. Husky Rescue - "Sound of Love"  I read about this album in an interview with Will Wiesenfeld (dude from Baths) and he loved it so I had to check it out. Its pretty great all the way through. Subdued and beautiful. This song stood out.