SoundTrax: Back To The Future

posted in: Artist FeaturesReviews & Playlists

Is it just us, or does it seem like the ’80s are about to make a comeback? Juno synths have started to creep into even the most cookie-cutter radio pop music, vinyl warmth and tape hiss are becoming more and more prevalent in digitally-recorded music (where those things shouldn’t exist) and John Hughes movies have seen a huge sale increase (we joke). This all points to a simple foregone conclusion: the hipsters are bored with the ’90s and have begun the cultural depletion of earlier decades.

So for all the forward-thinking trendsetters out there, we have some tunes you should check out. In this edition of SoundTrax we highlight some of the most retro-sounding electronic artists currently out there. This music almost serves as a counter-culture to the hard hitting electro-house and dubstep that is all the rage these days. It stems from the same principles; danceable beats, melodic synths and attention to song structure, but lacks the immediacy of electro-house and the brashness of American dubstep. What the music lacks in attention-grabbing, in-your-face noise, it makes up for in charm.

This is music that sounds like it’s being played from a cassette you left in your glove box all summer (not that I know how that would sound, I’ve never listened to music off anything other than my iPod, of course). Some of it is a modern take on the classic disco sound, while other tracks have more of an ’80s synth-pop vibe.

SoundTrax: Back To The Future from OurStage on 8tracks.

So hop into a pair of bell bottoms, strap on your old SWATCH, practice the Molly Ringwald, maybe tune into some Max Headroom, and strut over to your local night club. Yes, I’m aware that I just jumbled pop culture references from a handful of different eras, just roll with it. I promise by the end of this playlist you won’t know the difference between disco and a Delorean.

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