Adam Cresswell first came to the attention of alternative music fans as a member of Saloon. Between the late 90s and mid 00’s, the British band carved out a musical niche mixing elements of post punk, hard edged indie and Krautrock. Their use of angular riffs and vintage synths created something abrasive but distinctive, and the best moments on their 2003 release ‘If We Meet In The Future’ made it very easy to understand why Saloon’s blend of Neu!, Stereolab and Cinerama made them a John Peel favourite.
Tag Archives: synth
THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #50
Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore the various individual mp3s that have landed in our inbox over the previous few weeks. This time around, we bring you the return of soul performer Casii Stephan, some vocal jazz-folk from the brilliant Flo Perlin, a slice of punk ‘n’ roll, a synth based treat, some prog-leaning post-rock, and more besides… Enjoy!
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AUTOGRAMM – Diana / Licht Aus
They might not be household names, but Autogramm have been building a following on the alternative music underground since 2018. They’ve released discs on the Nevado and Jarama 45 labels, and their blend of indie rock, power pop and 80s synth pop often sounds as nostalgic as it does contemporary.
Tracks like ‘Born Losers’ and ‘Hey Allie’ (from their 2023 LP ‘Music That Humans Can Play’) are perfect demonstrations of how to construct a chorus that sounds like a fabulous 80s throwback, whilst ‘Love Is For Fools’ absolutely nails an early 80s, skinny tied, power pop homage, and their earlier ‘Small Town’ conveys a post punk energy with almost just as much ease. Autogramm are one of those bands that, wherever you choose to drop into their catalogue, you’ll find a huge, retro sounding hook that feels massively uplifting.
THE NOISE WHO RUNS – Come And Join The Beautiful Army EP
The Noise Who Runs is a musical project helmed by Ian Pickering, best known as lyricist for Sneaker Pimps. Joining Ian is French-Brazilian musician Felipe Goes, and between them, the duo share some big sounding synth pop and vaguely experimental electronic sounds on their 2024 EP ‘Come And Join The Beautiful Army’. Its five songs dart between big hooks and even bigger, sometimes angular sounds, creating a work that isn’t necessarily immediate, but has a strange and alluring quality that will appeal to listeners with a broader range of alternative interests.
SUN ATOMS – Ceiling Tiles / Tower Of Song
On their 2021 LP ‘Let There Be Light’, alternative rock band Sun Atoms shared some great music. That record’s quieter and more downbeat moments blended elements of goth pop with a very retro guitar twang, often falling somewhere between the classic, introspective songwriting of Leonard Cohen and the more contemporary moods of Tindersticks. When approaching busier sounds, the material mixed light electronica with spoken word passages. With other moments utilizing muted trumpets and very retro sounding backing vocals, the album was a pleasingly varied listening experience.