2015 | Strangeways Radio

Fatal Charm – Summer Spies (Hi@30mix)

SynthpopBy DJ Mikey June 25, 2015

One of my favorite albums of the mid 90s was Jamboreebop by State Of Grace featuring the songs Hello, And Love Will Fall and Smile. This was a band that I truly missed, until today. I was listening to some playlists on Spotify and heard this beautiful voice that immediate caught my attention…and it sounded oh so familiar. The band was Fatal Charm, a band that I had never heard of. I continued to listen to a few songs and after a while the sounds started to sound familiar. They were State Of Grace songs! I did some quick googling and was surprised to find out that Fatal Charm was the early incarnation of State Of Grace.

Do You Remember? | A Modern Day John Hughes Soundtrack | DJ Mikey

MixesBy DJ Mikey June 24, 2015

RIYL: Future John Hughes Soundtrack

This is Volume 2 in the mix series of songs that sound like they would be included in a modern day John Hughes Soundtrack. I used a few different approaches in picking songs. Some of these songs might perfectly fit in one of his 80s masterpieces while others are guess how the sounds that he covets might have evolved over the years.

Daybehavior – Change

Electropop, SynthpopBy Scott Zumberg June 23, 2015

RIYL: Ladytron Parralox

Apparently, this is the summer of infectious female-led synthpop jams. You know what? I’m quite ok with this. Meanwhile, the video is all sorts of Retro invoking the look of Deee-Lite and Austin Powers at the same time.

Priest – Strong Hearts (with lyrics)

Indie Pop, SynthpopBy DJ Mikey June 23, 2015

RIYL: Chvrches Electric Youth Mr. Little Jeans

Strong Hearts is just the latest in a string of infectious synthpop jams from the Orlando duo, Priest. From the debut self-titled LP, the track will have you singing along in no time and it’s not going to leave your head any time soon.

Class Actress – More Than You

Drive Music, SynthpopBy Scott Zumberg June 22, 2015

RIYL: Annie Goldfrapp Polly Scattergood

I flat out LOVE this new track from Class Actress! Elizabeth Harper has done a rather impressive job of re-inventing herself; from her earlier folkier acoustic based solo days when she was billed as a ‘Female Morrissey’, to her rebirth as a synthpop star with Class Actress tracks like Journal Of Ardency, Weekend and Keep…

Cold Showers – Plantlife

Post PunkBy Scott Zumberg June 22, 2015

RIYL: Cold Cave DIIV The Soft Moon

Plantlife, the new single from Cold Showers is a very pleasant surprise to stumble upon. The LA Post-Punk band wowed us with their debut LP “Love and Regret”, but they’ve been pretty quiet of late. On the surprise new single, a driving synth beat is added to the mix of pounding drums and shimmering Post Punk…

The Radio Dept – Occupied

Electronic, SynthpopBy Scott Zumberg June 21, 2015

RIYL: Home Video New Order Royksopp

From the moment you hear the syncopated beats you are thinking some kind of 80’s dance jam ala Blue Monday or Bizarre Love Triangle is on the way. Not exactly, as the song settles in to a more chilled groove with slightly disaffected vocals – but that is kind of the charm of The Radio Dept. As the song continues, the bouncy synths invoke Royksopp and Technique-era New Order.

Tobias Bernstrup – Romanticism

Electropop, SynthpopBy David House June 21, 2015

RIYL: Alphaville

This title track from Tobias Bernstrup’s new album “Romanticism” is a great synthpop track and really has multiple levels of the theme “old vs new”. It has a modern sound but you can hear its ’80s roots, and it will appeal to fans of bands like Alphaville and Empathy Test and many others in that genre.

Sarah Cracknell – Nothing Left To Talk About (featuring Nicky Wire)

Indie PopBy Scott Zumberg June 20, 2015

RIYL: Luna Saint Etienne Stars

Saint Etienne frontwoman Sarah Cracknell is stepping out for a solo break with her new LP, Red Kite. This gorgeous slice of Indie Pop seems radio-ready, with charming boy-girl trade off vocals between Sarah and Manic Street Preachers’ Nicky Wire.

IAMX – Happiness (plus tour dates and lyrics)

Electronic, SynthpopBy Scott Zumberg June 20, 2015

RIYL: Depeche Mode Sneaker Pimps Torul

Happiness is…a new IAMX single! Nobody quite lays down the sinister synth beats like former Sneaker Pimps frontman Chris Corner. Happiness is…the fact that the b-side of the single is a remix of the title track by fellow dark synth purveyor Gary Numan.

Spotify release 1.07

NewsBy DJ Mikey June 19, 2015

A few months ago, Spotify removed several features that angered it’s massive customer base. They promised that most of those features would be slowly added back. Strangeways will do our best to inform you of the changes as they are made. Below is the list of changes that were included in this weeks 1.07 release.

Editors – Marching Orders (with lyrics)

Indie RockBy DJ Mikey June 18, 2015

RIYL: U2 White Lies

Today the UK indie rock band Editors delivered their second new single this year. Continuing where they left off with No Harm, Marching Orders is a powerful balled that will hopefully be filling large stadiums in a town near you soon. I say “large stadiums” because I feel that it is the progression that this band is taking. In my mind, the band is hitting their stride with U2’s Joshua Tree era of songs.

Yearly Archives: 2015