Rating: 87 / 100 Sleepwalking is a finely crafted — though somewhat uneven — creation that occasionally achieves pop perfection
Category Archive: Synthwave Review
Synthwave is a retrofuturistic form of music that marries ’80s synthesizers with modern production and songwriting techniques. The synthwave review archive includes all reviews written by Iron Skullet, including those for the best and worst albums in the genre.
Elay Arson’s newest venture into occult music is a diverse and ambitious effort that continues to redefine the darksynth genre
Rating: 75 / 100 Supernova is an endearing and polished creation that occasionally falls into generic songwriting
Rating: 83 / 100 Gost once again disregards music conventions for a unique audio creation that surpasses his past releases in nearly every way.
Rating: 92 / 100 Superdivorce’s sophomore effort is an earnest blend of new wave and alt rock that offers consistently rewarding moments across a diverse selection of songs
Rating: 94 / 100 Shredder 1984’s cyberpunk-themed second album is a borderline masterpiece that offers a handful of the best darksynth songs recorded to date.
Rating 93 / 100 Gloom Influx’s incorporation of chiptune music and electronic metal into outrun is an ambitious and remarkably successful creation
Rating: 45 / 100 Carpenter Brut’s long-awaited return is a feverish misfire packed with cringeworthy kitsch and mutilated attempts at metal fusion
Rating: 90 / 100 Neon Droid’s Sunset Trilogy masterfully combines diverse musical styles and instrumentation for an exciting creation at the frontiers of modern synthwave and darksynth.
Rating: 60 / 100 Lazerpunk’s impressive sound production and aggressive style make his shift away from synthwave and toward dubstep an attractive proposition, though monotonous songwriting and lack of inspired details drags down the recording’s potential.
Rating: 93 / 100 Raytracers’ journey through a well-realized science fiction universe represents an exciting and memorable creation at the frontiers of modern synthwave music.
Rating: 65 / 100 Tokyo Rose’s long-awaited full-length album is a moderately enjoyable release burdened by monotony and outdated songwriting.
Rating: 96 / 100 Caspro’s debut album offers a unique blend of electronic genres with prominent melodies and engaging rhythms that can be enjoyed numerous times.
Rating: 95 / 100 “Cosmic Boundaries is arguably the finest release from Phaserland to date, and once the shape and overall composition of the album become familiar, it can be enjoyed from start to finish without a single dip or break in its overall quality. The many inspired touches amid Phaserland’s careful compositions are a joy to discover and experience, and the true brilliance of the recording becomes clearer on each consecutive playthrough.”
Rating: 90 / 100 “Ellen Replay’s debut album Star Citizen 426 is a modest and subtly masterful synthwave creation that incorporates elements of classic synthpop, ambient music, space synth, and science fiction movie soundtracks into its tapestry of cosmic-oriented sounds. It delivers some of the finest and most addictive melodies of any release in the genre, and there’s a natural confidence in the album that helps it stand out from the large crowd of newcomers to the scene.”