October 30, 2021 — October is a month of chills and frights. Surely you too can feel the veil that protects us from the land of the deadlifts and all manner of creepy crawlies sneak through. Apparently, it’s also an excellent month for retro, dark, and chillwave fans. At least this year it was, as notable names like Dance With The Dead and Scandroid graced our playlists with all new tracks.

Whether it’s a moody melody you’re looking for or an upbeat love song, you won’t be disappointed by this end-of-month roundup for October. Make sure to visit the Yestermade™ playlists on Spotify for immediate listening. While there are some seasonal picks in this month’s roundup, the notable sounds of the synthwave-scene gave us quite an eclectic choice of music to end the month with.

Thought Beings Drums Up Some ‘Strange Matter’

The month kicked off with a dark and moody track that fits well on any Halloween day soundtrack. ‘Strange Matter’ feels like a tribute to The Twilight Zone or Outer Limits, calling upon a sense of weirdness that lingers in the world. Of course, the music video below drives home that connection, with unusual imagery and even the occasional touch of S&M.

Thought Beings followed up ‘Strange Matter’ with a video to ‘Hazy’, which carries an entirely different tune. The two contrast one another in all ways, but it’s a testament to the range of the Californian project.

Yota Releases Soothing ‘Runaway’ 

Contrasting the sounds of ‘Strange Matter’, 80s-inspired artist Yota’s ‘Runaway’ is a beauty of a track that captures the signature sound of lovestruck synthwave. ‘Runaway’ allures listeners in with a gentle melody that builds up to a striking chorus.

The New York-based project wasn’t looking to reinvent the wheel with ‘Runaway’, but sticking to the tried and true sounds of retrowave worked wonders for this catchy track that asks the one question you shouldn’t answer during Halloween – ‘Are you still alone’? Fans can also find ‘Runaway’ (and more Yota releases) on their label official New Retrowave Bandcamp.

Perfect Nothing Seeks the Truth 

Is the truth out there? Quite frankly, we’re not sure. But we do know there is a new iteration of The X-Files available for us to listen to when we’re feeling a little spooky. The updated synth version is exactly what a reboot would need, should any creatives feel brave enough to take it on.

Perfect Nothing brought this track to life, complete with a nifty montage of a series that remains a fan favorite, despite its lackluster sendoff. The smooth saxophones to their reimagined version of the classic theme is a neat, jazzy touch that breathes new life into Mark Snow’s decades-old theme. PN’s version of the track is also available on Bandcamp.

Scandroid Digs into Your Dreams With Album Reveal

Nearly a year after delighting listeners with his last album, The Darkness and The Light, Scandroid is back with a reveal of a remixed version of the acclaimed experience. Dreams of Darkness, Visions of Light pulls 15 tracks from the 2020 double-album and reworks them for a harder, faster, and, at times, darker feel. 

Volkor X, Fury Weekend, 3FORCE, PRIZM, Extra Terra, and Lazerpunk are just a handful of the artists that Scandroid teamed up with to piece Dreams of Darkness, Visions of Light together. The audio stamp of each musician is evident right from the start as Scandroid’s tracks receive a bit of a makeover. 

Scandroid could have spent the past year putting together new music, but the reception for The Darkness and The Light was too good to pass up on finding ways to make the original album a bit better and he has our full support in doing so. Dreams of Darkness, Visions of Light will be released on CD and as a digital album on November 12, 2021.

Bunny X Embraces Her Youth and Love in New Album

If it’s an upbeat good time you’re looking for, then female duo Bunny X is undoubtedly a good start. Earlier this month, the bright pair and their influences of Madonna released Young & In Love, a ten-track album that absolutely does put love and romance at the forefront of most tracks. In fact, references to high school and first loves really do take the album’s name literally. 

Tracks like ‘Head Rush’, ‘Diamonds’ and ‘Young & In Love’ are rhythmic and catchy, each one dealing with and speaking of the complexities of young love and navigating high school while on the hunt for romance. 

Young & In Love was released on October 5 on CD, digital, vinyl, and cassette. That last format (which is becoming popular in retro music circles) really drives home the old-school feel of many of Bunny X’s tracks, transporting “elderly” fans and listeners back to the golden age of popping in a new cassette tape and enjoying great music with friends. 

The full Young & In Love album is available to stream or purchase on Bunny X’s Bandcamp in digital and various physical formats.

Dance with the Dead Gets in Bed With Freddy

There’s nothing quite like a classic, and when it comes to horror, you don’t get much more classic than A Nightmare on Elm Street. Dance with the Dead took a crack at revamping the original theme song, and while we’ll always be partial to Will Smith’s iteration (available below this roundup those of you who want to check it out), this synth-infused cover is a wonderful tribute to the man in the sweater.

While some covers feel like a stark departure from the original, Dance with the Dead stays true to Charles Bernstein’s original score. The running beat and the electric guitar are the perfect amplifiers to an already iconic track, embedded in the annals of horror cinema and Halloween soundtracks.

Dance with the Dead Teases Upcoming Album

Do you know what goes really well with the Halloween season? A new album announcement from the dark minds at Dance with the Dead. The teaser doesn’t give much away about the upcoming album, save that it’s titled Driven to Madness, a fitting name for the project, and that it will be releasing sometime in January 2022.

We’d be a little crazy not to feel some semblance of excitement as Dance with the Dead frequently delivers on its darkwave tracks. And a new album is sure to be full of some genuinely haunting and electrifying songs.

Other Notable 80s Retro Songs Released This Month:

 

Bonus 80s love: ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince (Will Smith)


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