By Keith Walsh
I present sizzling synth beats for your Yuletide enjoyment.

Emily Zuzik “Christmastime Again”
This low key Christmas tune by the L.A.-based member of the electronic duo Woves tugs at the heartstrings with an ever so delicate arrangement. There’s only Zuzik’s lovely voice and quiet synth string accompaniment, and lyrics about missing that special someone who won’t be home for Christmas. Zuzik’s sweet soprano is double tracked on the choruses in goosebump inducing fashion.
Emily Zuzik dot com
Woves On Facebook
Woves On Bandcamp

Nahja Mora “Somebody Should”
This little electronic gem by Nahja Mora flirts with rhythm and melody more than much of Nahja Mora’s always astonishing work. “Somebody Should” is oddly hypnotic as is typical of Nahja Mora. When the dance beat comes in, I’m ready for more. The vocal sample of a female voice saying “somebody should” suggests neighborhood Karens or perhaps an overbearing sibling.
Nahja Mora dot com
Nahja Mora On Bandcamp

Roberto Montoya x PHNX x The Analog Girl “Polybius”
This marvelous remix of the recent single from the Neon Ballet album bears the imprint of The Analog Girl’s dreamy studio work. It puts a different spin on the synthwave tune which focuses lyrically on a mythical video game purportedly used by the CIA in mind control experiments.
Roberto Montoya On Bandcamp
PHNX On Bandcamp
The Analog Girl On Bandcamp

Pennies By The Pound “The End Times”
With funky beats and guitar riffs, and lyrics that are hopeful but cynical, “The End Times” finds this Finnish band departing from their prog roots to present a single that’s reminiscent of the electronic pop rock of the 1980s. Led by Johannes Susitaival, Pennies By The Pound features outstanding songwriting and musicianship. “The End Times” is a four and half minute song that ends too soon.
Pennies By The Pound On Bandcamp
Pennies By The Pound On Instagram
Pennies By The Pound On Facebook

Sumthing Strange “Is Our Love War?” (Julian Shah-Tayler Remix)
Between his tours with Depeche Mode tribute Strangelove, his Bowie tribute and his solo work, it’s hard to imagine how the prodigious Julian Shah-Tayler finds time to do anything else. Yet in addition to his recently released album Elysium, he did this splendid remix for Sumthing Strange. Shah-Tayler’s magic touch is all over “Is Our Love War?,” with its driving bass and beats, and rhapsodic vocals. The video’s director is in Ukraine.
Sumthing Strange dot com
Sumthing Strange On Instagram
Sumthing Strange On Facebook

genCab “Only Skin”
Not for the squeamish, this dark industrial synthpop features ominous electronic textures and impassioned vocals railing against the troubles that come with being human. It’s part theatre, part real life. The message comes across with skillful musicianship, dominated by synths, with raging guitars and drums in the background. Rather than being up front, the vocals are treated as part of the musical background. “Only Skin” is more than little bit gothic too.
genCAB on Bandcamp
genCAB on Instagram
genCAB on Facebook

Rabbit Junk “Nostromo”
When they’re not presenting scary ghoulish vocals, the guys in Rabbit Junk offer melodic synthpop with sequenced synth bass and melodies galore. The sounds of the 80s are not far, augmented with harsh angry vocals, aggro guitars and sinsister apocalyptic sentiments. The beats hold it all together.
Rabbit Junk dot com
Rabbit Junk on Instagram
Rabbit Junk On Facebook

Unitcode:Machine “This Truth”
The expert synthesis of man and machine come into play with this rousing synth pop tune. It’s from the newly remastered album Trinity, originally released in 2019. There’s hooks galore, lots of pleasing synth beats and goth sounding vocals. If three years seems too soon to release a remastered album, the proof is here in the pudding.
Unitcode:Machine on Bandcamp
Unitcode:Machine on Instagram
Unitcode:Machine On Facebook

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