In the past year, we’ve received quite a few gems from the FiXT record label. One of my favorites involved Klayton’s 80s moniker Scandroid. There’s something special about the music from that era that has a sound that brings back memories, even for many people that never spent a year in that decade. So when Brett of Blue Stahli fame decided to create his own tribute to the 80s with Sunset Neon, I couldn’t help but feel a bit giddy.

It’s important to realize that the 80s had a lot of different sounds, not just synths. While Scandroid has a very uniform sound throughout, making it obvious it’s all part of the same record and even name, the debut album Starlight from Sunset Neon is all over the place, showcasing guitar and percussion that sound like they belong on a pop album while also exploring sweeping mystery and dreamlike wonder.

While Bret’s voice is certainly a familiar element in the songs that we get to explore here, the rest of the album ventures into a sound that he’s only ever been able to touch on briefly in albums like his last. It’s a shame it took so long for this to happen, as his signature sound is perfect for the 80s element.

The first song to feature any singing is Got You, which comes out guns blazing right after the Opening Title Sequence, which is a grandiose song that is similar to a lot of other synthwave you are likely familiar with. Got You is fun to sing with, it’s fun to dance to, and you could leave it on repeat and never get tired of it. It’s something I’ve found myself singing throughout the day without even realizing. The premier song from the album, Never Dance Again, is another high octane song that we first got a chance to hear back in June of 2017. It fits perfectly with the rest of the songs, and is a strong contender for most memorable from the album. You can listen to it at the top of the page.

There are a couple songs that seem like they were created purely for dancing to at a club, such as Strut and Lazer Pink. They have vocals, but they’re not really something you’re able to sing with – they’re just used as an instrument, akin to how Madeon uses them. These songs are fun, but are probably the weakest of the album for me. By no means are they bad, I just feel like these and After Hours aren’t nearly as strong as the rest of the album.

Probably the most serene song you’ll listen to is You Are the Sun, which focuses more on lyrics and a much slower beat as the vocals lull you into a dreamscape with a relaxing reverb. This is the ballad that everyone ends up loving from a metal band, or the song that delves into a genre that doesn’t mix with the rest of album.

When you reach Tonight, you can’t help but think you’re about to watch a cartoon from the era – it’s basically what people think of when they think 80s cartoon opening, whether that’s what they actually sound like or not. For an example of what I mean, the Awesomenauts Theme from SonicPicnic has the same kind of guitar and rhythm with exaggerated vocals leading the song. It’s aggressive, it’s fun, and a great encapsulation of the decade for younger audiences. And while we’re discussing game music, Metrocenter 84 could easily fit into a game like Mekazoo, which takes a lot of inspiration from the old Donkey Kong Country games.

Probably the most amusing thing about this album is that the song Everything has a fairly prevalent part that could be defined as woooowwwwoooowwwowohhhoh, which was my biggest issue with latest Scandroid. Yet here, it’s probably the strongest part of the song, and something I look forward to when listening. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but the rhythm of this song has a very Jackson/Prince feel to it. Speaking of…

With any album that pays tribute to an era, it’s pretty much assumed there will be a cover of some sort. And with the recent losses we’ve had in the music industry, Prince is pretty much the perfect musician to cover. I was surprised Kiss was the song chosen; while the song doesn’t vary too much in structure or sound, it’s a great rendition. If for some reason Prince’s voice bugged you on the original, you may enjoy this one more. It’s a bit less guitar centric and more electronic, but a worthy tribute to such a legend.

Something of a staple of recent FiXT albums are the remixes at the end. This one sees Yung Bae covering Got You, which takes the song in a very unique turn, almost on the verge of jazz. Aside from the slower songs like You Are the Sun, Starlight, and After Hours, this doesn’t sound like it even belongs on Starlight, but is one of the best tracks on this debut. It clocks in over a minute shorter than the original, meaning it has all the goods without any additional filler to make it unique. It’s a much softer take on the song, which originally demands your attention with the very deliberate and succinct synchronization of the percussion and synths with Bret’s voice hitting each crescendo. This version makes you hang onto every word because of the soothing nature of it. The juxtaposition of the more melodic feel with the same energy of the vocals is a thing of beauty.

Whether you grew up in the 80s, are merely a fan of the era and its music, or you’ve never heard the sounds that Sunset Neon takes on before, you’re sure to love this. When I was listening to it, my wife kept telling me how our kid wouldn’t stop moving in her stomach. If my unborn child is already dancing to this, that should be proof enough that this is worth picking up.

9 out of 10

Pros

• Tackles All Types of Sound
• Prince Cover
• So Many Ear Worms

Cons

• Some Instrumentals a Bit Weak Comparatively

Starlight was created by Sunset Neon under the FiXT label. It went on presale November 3rd, and will be available on December 1st, 2017. The album was provided to us for review. If you’d like to see more of Sunset Neon, check out the official site.

 

Here at GBG we use a rating method that you are more than likely familiar with – a scale of 1 to 10. For clarification, we intend on using the entire scale: 1-4 is something you should probably avoid paying for; 5-7 is something that is worth your time, but probably not at full price; 8-10 is a great album that you can feel confident about buying. If you have any questions or comments about how we rate music, please let us know.

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