SOMBRE MOON – Linger
Sombre Moon comprises Amanda Jane Rogers (vocals) and Steve Loxley (synths), a Gloucestershire-based electro duo who previously produced the amazing ‘Numb’ back in 2018. They also did a star turn at 2019’s Artefaktor Live 3 event with some delightful darkwave moments.
For their new outing, ‘Linger’ offers a slow-burning slice of synth goodness; Loxley’s talent for sharp melody matched by Rogers’ ethereal vocals. It’s a subtle composition that works its magic through washes of synths and a mesmerising focus that delivers on repeat spins.
There’s also some fine moments on the other tracks on offer here, including the thumping Fused Exile Club Mix of ‘Breathe’ and the stark electro workout that comprises the Entropy Remix of ‘Linger’.
https://sombremoon.bandcamp.com/album/linger
OLIVER MARSON – Time for Love
Currently serving on synth duties for Empathy Test, Oliver Marson is also responsible for his own electronic efforts. Back in 2019 he served up the driving pop of ‘Cocaine Romance’, which set the mood for Marson’s interest in themes of sex and death.
2020 sees the follow-up in the form of latest single ‘Time for Love’. Described as a synth-pop tune that offers “a punk vibe that explores toxic human behaviour, the darkness lurking underneath reality”, there’s a distinct synthwave flavour here augmented by some solid guitar work.
If you like your electro tunes to have a warmer aspect with a touch of lounge pop, then this will likely tick all your boxes.
REVELEVER – Future Forward
ReveLever is the musical endeavour of Randy Lever. Based in The Netherlands, the electronic musician started out as a drummer before developing an interest in synths. Lever sums up his musical direction as “combining hypnotic beats and straight-forward hooks with catchy melodic layers and creative arrangement ideas.”
On that basis, his latest release seems to be pretty much on-point. ‘Future Forward’ sees ReveLever collaborating with Shannon Maree on vocals (the pair have previously worked together on the Where To? album earlier this year).
There’s a buzzy, engaging quality to ‘Future Forward’ with some nice bass tones. Lyrically, the tune offers some sci-fi themes at its heart with a future-facing optimism (“We humans, robots, all/We’re gonna make it happen, direct our future forward”). It’s an earthy electronic effort that’s well worth investigating.
https://revelever.bandcamp.com/
