Synthwave Sunday: TurboRetro, Heat
Viewed through the prism of the burgeoning synthwave/retrowave/whateverwave movement in 2016, it’d be a no-brainer to slide TurboRetro right alongside Miami Nights 1984, Dan Terminus, Mitch Murder and the like on the infinite CD shelves of the Internet; the synths sound vintage, the beats go hard, the overall vibe is decidedly ’80s. Synthwave, no doubt about it.
But if TurboRetro hit the scene in 2005 instead of 2015 their approach wouldn’t have felt that novel. They simply would’ve been grouped in somewhere else, alongside up-and-coming bands like Chromeo and Ratatat that were heavily name-checking old-school funk and electronic, with an extra dose of analog nostalgia thrown in. (Is it coincidental that both of the aforementioned and TurboRetro all consist of just two band members? Who knows.)
And that’s what I really like about TurboRetro’s June 2015 release Heat. It isn’t trying too hard to be overtly retro, it’s just kind of doing its thing, and that thing just happens to be a bit synthwave-y. The emphasis is on the songs — and whatever instrumentation and arrangement it takes to get there — rather than going over the top to be SUPER ’80s with images of fast cars, faster babes and gobs and gobs of synths to overload eardrums. Aside from their cringeworthy band name, which calls attention to itself in a way it doesn’t need to, TurboRetro aren’t actually all that synthwave; they just write great fucking pop songs with a bit of a retro approach. The subdued vocals are totally on point, and the lead guitar lines — occasionally in glorious harmony — propel this beast forward, like Prince, except if Prince wore neon beach gear instead of all purple. The measured use of slap bass on the album makes the album pop and gyrate, giving it a irresistibly danceable feel whether you’re typically inclined to shake your pelvis or not.
Check out “First Fight,” which just made its premiere on the NewRetroWave YouTube Channel, below; it’s one of the stronger tracks on Heat and it’s sure to get you hooked in. After that, stream the full album via Bandcamp, also embedded below.
