Summer Synthwave

With summer in full swing, I’ve rounded up the summery, synth-based albums that I have reviewed over the past months. I enjoyed each of them for their individual qualities, but they all have linking characteristics.

One of the excellent features that each of them possessed was the mixture of chilled-out, gentle vibes and a deeper, more wistful emotional expressiveness. I was drawn to that melancholy, nostalgic mixture of feelings.

Another linking quality was the lush, complex and interwoven tapestries of synth sounds that each of the albums used. They generated strong, clear mental imagery that brimmed with sensation.

The final linking factor that I want to mention is the strength of the melodic writing on each of the albums. Every one of the artists involved had a talent for crafting memorable, affecting melodies.

Dream Shore - Miami

The sonic journey that I was taken on by Dream Shore’s Miami was a lush exploration of a wide-ranging collection of synth moods, tones and timbres. I also enjoyed how the vocals brimmed over with passion and well-written lyrics.

I was particularly drawn to the lush soundscapes that were created on Miami. Layers of richly intertwined synths created everything from cut glass shimmer to sharp growling sound. There’s sonic tapestries being intricately woven on this album.

The emotive, expressive vocals contributed by Dream Shore, E.M. Watson and Clap & Thunder were another element that I found compelling. All of the vocalists had power and depth. I especially enjoyed how Dream Shore’s voice could soar high or swoop low, caressing or energizing.

The lyrics that Dream Shore wrote for the album also attracted me. He created strong, clear imagery through expressive language. I was also drawn to how he finds a balance in terms of weaving images while avoiding wordiness.