Back catalogue: Coldwave/Synth

Review: Phaedra is the fifth studio album by German electronic group Tangerine Dream, recorded in November 1973 at The Manor in Shipton-on-Cherwell, England, and released in 1974 through Virgin. An icier, tempoless departure for a band otherwise better recognised for their sequencer-led, soundtrack-bred sound, this was a hidden moulin for frost-drone fanatics, and a deviant pupil of the otherwise strict Berlin School. Despite receiving little to no airplay, Phaedra gained significant traction through word of mouth when it was released by a rather more hippified Richard Branson's fledgling Virgin label, eventually reaching number 15 on the UK Albums Chart and remaining on the charts for 15 weeks. Its long-form pieces, such as 'Sequent C' and 'Mysterious Semblance At The Strand Of Nightmares', represent an indifference to constraints of timing, instead washing over the ears as diachronic, swirling, crisp ice ambient smirrs.

Review: TR/ST's Performance delves deeper into the dark synth-pop realm Robert Alfons has mastered over the past decade. Recorded in Los Angeles with producer Nightfeelings, the album presents a smoky fusion of eerie synths, deep bass and Alfons' haunting vocals. The title reflects a friend's remark about Alfons' performative essence, a theme echoed throughout the album's narrative. The opener, 'Soon,' starts with ethereal electronics before exploding into a danceable new wave anthem laced with biting lyrics. Tracks like 'All At Once,' 'The Shore,' and 'Boys of LA' showcase Alfons' ability to blend melancholic beauty with intense, almost cinematic production. His voice anchors the emotional turbulence of the album, navigating through themes of guilt, desire, and haunting memories. Performance is an immersive experience that straddles the line between mesmerizing and unsettling. Alfons' lyrical introspection and dynamic soundscapes make this record a standout in the synth-pop genre, cementing TR/ST's place as a rising force in electronic music.

Review: As he's moved further towards a career in soundtrack composition, Trentemoller's music has become increasingly widescreen and atmospheric, with the Danish artist drawing inspiration from dream-pop, the Cocteau Twins and Durutti Column as much as the ambient, electronica and immersive techno he was once famous for. All of these strands combine beautifully on 'Memoria', a picturesque and enveloping affair whose multitude of highlights include the yearning, string-laden and bittersweet brilliance of 'No More Kissing The Rain', the wall-of-sound dream pop shimmer of 'In The Gloaming', the mid-80s indie-pop haziness of 'Dead or Alive' and the glassy-eyed and tactile 'All Too Soon'.