01/08/2016 – Raider-Fairmont Futura Turbo (2016)
Retro Promenade is far from a niche label putting out synth covers and fake scores. Here are some key releases to get you started!
Retro Promenade is a label from Austin Texas that releases 1980’s and 1990’s influenced music and art, each releases comes with a limited edition poster. Their music is full of neon synth-wave, unadulterated pop, retro motifs and ultimately fun!
First Up is Retro Promenade’s most recent release Fairmont Futura Turbo. This EP by synth-wave producer Raider is based around the Ford Fairmont. This car might not seem the obvious choice of subject matter for a dreamy and woozy electronic EP but it does make perfect sense. The Ford Fairmont was sold between 1978 and 1983 and the music sounds like it’s been lifted straight out of some cult score and given a contemporary beat. Its laidback, classic and fun. Which I guess is what the designer’s wanted the Fairmont to be too.
An album that everyone at thisyearinmusic immediately fell in lust with was Bart Graft’s Art Exhibition. As their blurb says “It slices; it dices; and it makes french fries in three different…
…you know what? Just have a listen It’ll absolutely blow you away.” Seem legit. Jammin’ with Ariel sounds like Harold Faltermeyer having a go at Brian Eno’s ambient series, but having a laugh with it, instead of making minimal soundscapes. The searing guitar solo is the stand out moment. Why can’t the art galleries I go to play this, instead of Shostakovitch…
One of the best things that Retro Promenade does is commission fake soundtracks to fake films. The standout fake soundtrack is Protector’s 2014 masterpiece Return of the Killer Train. While this film doesn’t exist, in my mind it plays out like a mixture of Duel and Nightmare on Elm Street. Will the killer train be stopped before it claims another victim? You’ll have to listen to find out!
The jewel in Retro Promenade’s crown is its Twin Peak’s album from 2015. Over three volumes that showcased the up and coming producers around at the time, they covered, remixed and released songs that were inspired by the original series and the music. The songs are the same, compositionally, but everything has been given a cool neon synth sheen. If you are, or know of a, Peaker this these are albums for you!
If these links have whet your whistle check out the rest of Retro Promenade’s vast back catalogue including a John Carpenter inspired covers album, an alternative score for Batman as he fights crime in Gotham and their most recent, Die Hard inspired, Christmas album! Retro Promenade is a label that is far more diverse and varied than it first appears, much like the decades and genres it loves.
Oh and going forward how about a version of the Akira soundtrack, just putting it out there Retro Promenade…
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