RR7349 by S U R V I V E
Retro synths galore!
RR7349 is the fourth album from the American four piece and despite the palpable influence of John Carpenter and the general eighties vibe throughout, they manage to sidestep connotations of pastiche through a diverse range of compositional styles, all within the bounds of synthesiser music.
Copter sports a riff so rugged, if it was created with an electric guitar it wouldn't sound out of place on an album by Metallica. Sorcerer, on the other hand, conjures up such a magical feeling of wonderment you might expect to hear it accompanying the climax of an action blockbuster (this all makes perfect sense when you realise that two of the members of S U R V I V E are the brains behind the soundtrack for recent Netflix smash hit Stranger Things). From another angle, Low Fog sets the scene with a chilly atmosphere — majestic ambience to (arguably) match anything on this list. What we've got is music with a story; nine tracks packed with intrigue and depth, surely the only way to present instrumental music that isn't aimed at the dancefloor?
8/10 after 15 listens