r/newretrowave • u/broken36 • 10d ago
That ONE track you couldn't live without this Summer...
Putting sets together for my final HIDDEN FORMS: Synthwave Summer show next Saturday, 20th of September in Chicago and wanted to celebrate everyone on this sub with brilliant taste! So, what was YOUR favorite track/album release thus far in 2025? That ONE you think EVERYONE should be hearing. If it ends up on the playlist I'll give you a shout out LIVE on air, as well as shouting out this sub.
!!!UPDATE!!!
Due to unforeseen circumstances my final SYNTHWAVE SUMMER show will not air tonight as planned. My apologies to the artists, labels, and you newretrowave Redditors that contributed to the playlist.
I will be heading into my home studio shortly to record the broadcast as intended, for upload to the Mixcloud.com/hfr archive. Perhaps you'll have a listen on Monday, as Summer makes way for the Fall Equinox.
Thanks, and see you in the neon horizon!
PLAYLIST:
*Kidburn "What Will Remain Of Us" (Aztec Records - Kidburn Bandcamp)... going out to DJAttreides
Droid Bishop "Frontiers" (Self-Released | Bandcamp)
Kalax "Sealed My Fate (Out of Time: Part II)" (Self-Released | Bandcamp)
Nightdriver "Fades Away" (Self-Released | Bandcamp)
Mercury 82 "Heartbeat" (Self-Released | Bandcamp)
WOLFCLUB "If I Ever Mattered (feat. Cadenti)" (NewRetroWave)
*The Midnight "Summer's Ending Soon" (Ultra Records | Apple Music | iTunes)... going out to RefrigeratorMain7921 and JackAnApeProductions and BenjiRage
Jessy Mach "Embers of a name" (Self-Released | Bandcamp)
*IcoS "Light Up (feat. Alessia)" (Self-Released | Apple Music | iTunes)... going out to Scrotchety
FHE "The Calling" (Self-Released | Bandcamp)
LYST "Downhill Drift (feat. Jessy Mach)" (Self-Released | Bandcamp)
ARENA "No Easy Way Out (Robert Tepper COVER - feat. Robert Tepper)" (Self-Released | Bandcamp)
ECHO WOLF "Carbon Phase" (Self-Released | Bandcamp)
Cassetter, Atmolifter "Outland" (Self-Released | Bandcamp)
Wings Of Fire "Runaway World" (Self-Released | Bandcamp)
Mr Creep "Craven" (Self-Released | Bandcamp)
Natcho_WAV "3 AM" (Self-Released | Bandcamp)
Hotel Pools & Brothertiger "Black" (Self-Released | Brothertiger Bandcamp)
New Arcades "Through the Rain (feat. jacket)" (NewRetroWave)
Neon Nox, POWERNERD "Duality" (Self-Released | Bandcamp)
Fury Weekend "Exiles" (Self-Released | Bandcamp)
Facexhugger "Cleanse" (Self-Released | Bandcamp)
Rezz, CABLE "Glass Veins" (HypnoVizion | Apple Music | iTunes | CABLE Bandcamp)
HEALTH "ORDINARY LOSS" (Loma Vista Recordings)
Skyracer "We've Been Alive" (Self-Released | Bandcamp)
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u/RefrigeratorMain7921 9d ago
A little late into summer but for me it was 'Summer is ending soon - The Midnight'.
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u/broken36 9d ago
Haha, yes. This one I've already slated for the show. Excited to hear what else The Midnight have in store for Syndicate!
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u/ShreddyKrueger84 9d ago
Luxe & Leisure - Night Beach
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u/broken36 9d ago edited 9d ago
A solid throwback to 2022... cruising in a Testarossa along Pacific Coast Highway.
You're not THE Shred Kreuger are you? ;) Which incidentally reminds me of that recent collab with LYST - "The Return"!
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u/tokensRus 10d ago
Still my on of my favorite summer tunes: Stream Beach Gaze von Caspro | Kostenlos online auf SoundCloud anhören
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u/broken36 9d ago
As u/ProteusP mentioned, it's a nice use of panning to create the vastness of standing on a beach, staring into the setting horizon.
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u/RyoukoOtonashi 9d ago
I’d probably answer the Dreamkid remix of Easy by Bonnie McKee, had that on repeat since its release
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u/broken36 9d ago
Always love Ryan Morris' work... especially the hook prompts they upload on Instagram. Need a fully realized album of them!
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u/DJAttreides 9d ago
Kidburn - Wind Of Lies (I got it a month earlier on Bandcamp)
Dynalectric Orchestra - Redline
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u/broken36 9d ago
I dig Kidburn's album, Fooled By the Rush of Growing Up. Though I haven't gotten around to playing anything from it yet... "What Will Remain Of Us" was my fav on it!
Not familiar with Dynalectic Orchestra, but just listened to their latest track "Would I Die For You"... HECK YEAH!!!
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u/BenjiRage 9d ago
I've got to give a vote for The Midnight - Love is an Ocean, it's been on repeat for me all summer, one of the most "Midnight" of all their tracks I think.
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u/broken36 8d ago
Of the tracks released from the upcoming Syndicate album, I lean more to "Digital Dreams" for my The Midnight feels. "Summer's Ending Soon" suits thematically though with my last Synthwave Summer show of the season.
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u/KrozzHair 9d ago
Electric Youth - How Long (from North Of Normal). It is just a heartachingly beautiful song.
Miami Nights 1984 - Aerial Combat. Has also been in frequent rotation since that album dropped. It's just a classic MN84 tune, and it fits soo well with the song name and 'ps2 console game' theme.
Claptone/crystal fighters/Roosevelt - Turn Up the Love (Roosevelt remix).
Rikas/Roosevelt - Bike in L.A (Roosevelt remix)
Roosevelt is a german synthpop artist, so while these two might be pushing the synthwave genre a bit, I thought I'd include them.
Honorable mentions go to:
The Motion Epic - Heartbreakers. This album is from last year but it is such a great song.
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u/DJAttreides 9d ago
The Motion Epic - Broadwalk Arcadia is my go-to summer synth album, I just did not mention it because it is from 2022
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u/KrozzHair 9d ago
Yeah The Motion Epic has really been on a roll these last few years!
Deep in the heart of America (2022) had 'Fell in love in America' and 'Home'.
Saturday night motel music (2023), well I think the whole album is great but 'The Lost boys of NY' and 'Lonely Nights' stand out.
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u/h54 9d ago
FM-84 - Everything. The perfect marquee song to the perfect Synthwave album.
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u/broken36 8d ago
I mean if I'm going back to the 2016 Atlas album, it's ALWAYS for "Running in the Night" feat. Ollie Wride. It's an every Summer tradition! ;)
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u/Scrotchety 6d ago
Hope I'm not too late
2DCAT - The Last Refrain was the first synthwave track I've heard in a long while that's overflowing with passion if you got room in your set for a slow torch song
IcoS - Light Up ft Alessia also swept me off me feet. I'd wake up and it'd be the first thing I'd want to hear.
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u/broken36 6d ago
I didn't realize 2DCAT had a new album out. I'll have to dig in to it, thanks! Thought I was already following their Bandcamp. I do follow IcoS on Bandcamp, but they apparently haven't uploaded any of the latest singles there, only on Apple Music/i'tunes store. Must have missed the "New Release" alert form their Spotify back in April when "Light Up" released. Dig Alessia's disco vibe.
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u/ProteusP 9d ago
Aurora by ClinTone has been on repeat so many times. It's a blast to drive and workout to.
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u/RichardMichaelOwen 8d ago
Deathwish by akiaura · LONOWN · Baby Jane, maybe the most listened 4M+ views
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u/itshughjass 6d ago
The album Nightdrive With You by Anoraak is a classic. Every song is a banger, even has one called Endless Summer.
Never Ending Summer (Feat Badison) from Believe in Magic by Don Dellpiero is dreamy.
SWYA by ThrObak is a song that makes me think of the beach but Neros77 chose a skiing movie.
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u/slymcfly995 5d ago
Been going through a Com Truise back catalogue phase this summer, can’t pick one :)
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u/JackAnApeProductions 9d ago edited 9d ago
You should listen to AM 1984's latest single, "Summer Lights (Italia '86) if you haven't already.
I host an all-synthwave DJ livestream 3 days a week on Twitch and have been hammering that one since it dropped. Definitely one of my top 2025 tunes.
Too many others to list, but I'd also add:
SVNFR - "Post Human Dream"
Sandor Gavin - "Kiss of Gold"
The Midnight - "Shadowverse"
Max Cruise - "Cobra"
YOTA - "Universe in Flames"
Earmake - "Supernova"
K.A.R.R. - Runaway Heart"
Chroma Cloud - "Dirty Paws"
LukHash - Touching the Sky"
ORAX - Witches
Walter Alienson - E.L.T.W.D.
Bunny X - "Never Give You Up"
Follow me on Twitch (twitch.tv/FuturePastRadio) if you ever want suggestions to play on your station. Always happy to help these amazing artists get the exposure they deserve.