The State of Synth

Neon Fawkes and Kaarin Zoe Lee welcome Jessie Frye back to The State of Synth ahead of her upcoming tour dates with The Midnight. Jessie talks new music, touring, influences, and what’s next, plus fresh synthwave from Arcade High, Cassetter, Michael Angelaux, SelloRekt/LA Dreams, and more.

This week, The State of Synth boots into safe mode with Italian cyber-metal mastermind Master Boot Record. We talk classical music, the demoscene, VirtuaVerse, Keygen Church, and who really lugs all those CRTs to his concerts. Please insert floppy disk and repent.

The State of Synth kicks off a brand-new season with UK artist L’Avenue, catching up on his latest album En Vogue, his evolving sound, graphic design, gear, and the questionable amount of wood paneling actually found in the 80s. Dennis and Jules also spin fresh synthwave from Evanton, Johan Agebjörn & NINA, and more.

Droid Bishop joins Dennis G and Neon Fawkes to discuss his new album Frontiers, life after Neotropolis, and catch up on what’s been going on with the World Cup. Plus, hear brand-new music from Sun City, Toxxic Project, MEGAS & Nightflyer, Earmake, SynthPrincipal, and more!

Michael Oakley returns to The State of Synth to chat with Dennis G, Neon Fawkes, and KZL about his new album Prologue, making music, favorite movies, and whatever snacks happened to be nearby. Plus, new music from Michael Oakley, Ness Daniels, Shadowrunner, Jacket. & Echo Wolf, Ferus Melek, and L’Avenue.

Dennis G and Neon Fawkes welcome French synthwave artist Jessy Mach to The State of Synth to discuss his musical roots, classic TV inspirations, creative process, and why his music didn’t make it into the new He-Man film. Plus, hear tracks from Jessy Mach, FM Attack, Lyst & Dimi Kaye, Chelsea Owen, and more, including […]

Dennis G and Neon Fawkes welcome Midnight Danger to the show for a deep dive into the horror synth project’s origins, influences, soundtrack work, favorite snacks, live performances, and joining forces with Swedish sleaze rockers Crashdïet. Along the way, hear tracks from Midnight Danger, L’Avenue, Code 89, Wice, New Arcades, Marvel83′, and Trevor Something. Set […]

Dennis G and Neon Fawkes catch up with Swedish synthwave favorite Robert Parker as he returns to The State of Synth to discuss what he’s been up to, his French house influences, live performances, and his most recent unreleased collaboration with the late Starcadian. Plus, fresh tracks from Power Rob, Myrone, Neon Shards, Mitch Hunt, […]

Dennis G and Neon Fawkes are joined by Kaarin Zoe Lee for a long-overdue chat with Michigan synthwave veteran Android Automatic. From the desert highways of Mojave (“Mo-Jav-ay”) to the chilled-out pulse of Infinite Drift, the crew explores the origins of one of the scene’s OG artists while spinning new music from Beckett, Bunny X, and more.

Seattle duo Nouveau Arcade join Dennis G and Neon Fawkes to talk about their deeply personal concept album Die Happy, recording inside a 19th-century church, distorted vocals, mental health, and leaving imperfections in the music on purpose. Plus: Skyrim, TMNT, Pacific Drive, and why Forza Horizon 6 might secretly have the greatest synthwave soundtrack ever […]

Jeremiah Kane joins Dennis G and Neon Fawkes for a synth-fueled ride through muscle cars, retro riffs, and what really belongs on a Polish sausage.

Robbie Whiplash and Power Robs, better known as Megatronix, join Dennis and Jules for a fast, chaotic pre-Neotropolis warm-up packed with laughs, robo-banter, and heavy tracks. The crew talks upcoming desert plans, the origins of the Robs, gear, collabs, breakfast science, and what’s next for Megatronix, while spinning cuts like “There Can Be Only One,” […]

Jules and Groot catch up with Emmy Award-winning DJ and producer Faith In The Glitch to talk Night.wav, music production, DJ life, and getting ready for Neotropolis. Plus, a stacked playlist featuring new music from Jessy Mach, Bonggita, Mayah Camara, JJ Mist and more. Grab your favorite cereal and your clicker, it’s go time.

This week on The State of Synth, Groot and Neon Fawkes link up with Skylane Drive. We break down how his sound is built, what’s behind the recent run of releases, and what’s been fueling the atmosphere lately, from X-Files to Twin Peaks. Along the way, we spin tracks from Lukhash, Power Rob & Night […]

This week on The State of Synth, Groot, Jules, and Kaarin welcome Colombian artist Meteor to the show. They dive into his origins, production style, and what all those letters in front of fighter jets actually mean. Featuring music from Meteor, Rogue VHS, MYRONE, and the legendary GoST. RIP. Grab a “corn cake” and enjoy.

This week on The State of Synth, Groot and Jules catch up with Atlanta’s Watch Out For Snakes to talk touring, retro games, and his move toward vocal tracks, featuring new cuts from WOFS, Seersha, 7 Rising, Toxxic Project, Hideotronic, and more.

This week on The State of Synth, Groot and Jules catch up with Street Cleaner to talk Neotropolis, live shows, Street Cleaner 3 the video game, and a few bat shit crazy ideas. We spin a stacked lineup including Alex Lightspeed, DRUMxWAVE & The Neon Syndicate, Duett, Morgan Willis, Extra Terra & Rogue VHS, Vector […]

This week on The State of Synth, Atlanta artist Seersha joined us for a St. Patrick’s Day episode that went a little off the rails, fueled by drinks, hot sauce, and guest host KZL. Featuring tracks from Seersha, Nicolaas & Brothertiger, Eclectotron, Lyst, and Data Fatale, with a few laughs and a little bit of […]

This week on The State of Synth, award-winning composer and synthwave artist Megan McDuffee joins us to talk about her work in video games, film, and dark electronic music. We spin several of her tracks, dive into her collaborations, and get her thoughts on vampire bites.

This week on The State of Synth, we’re joined by Seattle synthwave veteran Vector Hold (Peter Rice). We talk about his evolution from dreamwave to harder-hitting retro sounds, his production setup, creative influences, and his latest track, “Soft Focus Apocalypse.” Plus, new music from Eden Future, Altermore, Jeremiah Kane, Glenn Main, and more — closing […]

Season 15 launches offworld to Kepler-609c. In this episode, we’re joined by the Creative Director of Neotropolis for an exclusive preview of the 2026 festival — what’s new, what’s evolving, and what to expect before liftoff. With fresh tracks from Carpenter Brut, Jessy Mach, Cat Temper, and more!

We wrap up the season with a full Zenith Sounds takeover, co-hosted by Von Kaiser. Dennis G and Neon Fawkes hang out with Jonah (7 Rising), Alan (Let Em Riot), Mayah Camara, and Bobby (Syst3m Glitch) to talk shop, spin new music, and debut a handful of Zenith Edition reworks. Thanks for listening. See you […]

This week on The State of Synth, Groot and Neon Fawkes are joined by John Kunkel of The New Division for a focused chat on his music, production process, and work within the synthwave scene. We spin key tracks from The New Division alongside fresh cuts from Jessy Mach & lxst child, DRUMxWAVE, Lyst & […]

This week on The State of Synth, Groot and Neon Fawkes welcome Ohio synthpop duo Chroma Cloud (Jamie & Brian) to chat about their cinematic sound, creative process, and the stories behind their latest releases. We spin some of their standout tracks—including “Mine,” “No Escape (Pray for Light Mix),” and their killer “Knights of Cydonia” […]

On this week’s episode of The State of Synth, Groot and Neon Fawkes hang out with Swedish producer Lyst to talk about his music, his influences, his favorite tools, and what he’s been working on lately. We spin three of his tracks—“The Return,” “Downhill Drift,” and “Doze”—while diving into how he approaches sound, collaboration, and […]

This week on The State of Synth, Groot and Neon Fawkes chat with Swedish-French artist YOTA about her new album The Touch, collaborations with Johan Agebjörn and Douze, and her latest video. Plus new music from Droidglow, Kobra Force, Mecha Matos, Dynatron, Extra Terra, and Glitbiter.

This week on The State of Synth, Groot and Neon Fawkes sit down with the one and only Dr. Jess Blaise Ward — yes, an actual doctor of synthwave. Music producer, author, and cultural researcher, Jess joins us to talk about her brand-new book, “Making Synthwave: How an Online Music Community Invented a Genre.”

Groot and Neon Fawkes sit down with Anniee to talk Night School, her musical The Heart (and the making-of doc), and what’s next. They also run through upcoming tour dates and spin a stack of fresh cuts from Phaserland, Jessy Mach, The Midnight, Atlas Neon, Battlejuice & Power Rob, and Miami Nights 1984.

Groot and Neon Fawkes were joined by Swedish outrun powerhouse Neon Nox to talk about his music, collaborations, and production techniques behind his high-octane sound — including his work on the Terrorbytes soundtrack. The episode featured premieres from Signal Void, Annie, and Von Kaiser, plus bangers from Droid Bishop, YOTA, and Megan McDuffee.

Groot and Neon Fawkes were joined by Vehlinggo’s Aaron Vehling to talk about the blog’s origins, iconic interviews, and its impact on the synthwave scene. They also spun tracks from Let Em Riot plus some of Aaron’s own picks, including Electric Youth, Fawn, Foret de Vin, Kinga, Sébastien Tellier, and more.

Groot and Fawkes were joined by VHS Dreams — one of the OGs of the synthwave scene — for a trip through his retro-electronic world, from Trans Am and retro EDM roots to cover albums, aesthetics, and action-figure brainstorms. Along the way they spun fresh cuts and premieres from Evanton, Pfeffermouse & Edictum & Turbo […]

This week, Groot and Fawkes plug into the dark cybernetic world of DreamReaper — the Portland producer whose sound fuses heavy riffs, glitchy textures, and cinematic energy. They dive into his creative process, favorite tools of destruction, and how his music is shifting toward new frontiers, from collaborations to movie soundtracks. Along the way, expect […]

Groot and Fawkes were joined by Immortal Girlfriend — the Dark Knights of Synth — for a deep dive into their cinematic sound, brotherly chemistry, and their journey from Milwaukee to major syncs in Wednesday, Good Girls, and NBA 2K22. They shared creative inspirations, stories from the road, and even what fuels a 2AM tour […]

This week on The State of Synth, Groot and Neon Fawkes are joined by special guests Edictum (Austria) and Pashang (Korea) to talk about their global collaborations, upcoming releases, and the making of their concept album. Tune in for a boat load of exclusive premieres and fresh tracks from The Midnight, Droid Bishop, Futurecop!, and […]

Groot and Neon Fawkes welcome Timecop1983 tour drummer and multi-talented artist Jay, aka DRUMxWAVE, to the show. They chat about his new project, DRUMxWAVE, and his experiences working with artists such as Timecop1983, The Bad Dreamers, Arena, Chroma Cloud, and Ollie Wride.

Fawkes and Groot power up the season premiere with Neotropolis veteran and vocal powerhouse Power Rob — talking Dark Star, touring, and the secrets to ultimate Dragon Ball Z victory.

Dennis and Jules wrap up the season with an epic chat featuring OG Synthwave and French Touch legends Nightstop and Maethelvin—plus some killer tunes and a few herp-a-derps for good measure. Thanks for listening! See you in September!

Groot and Neon Fawkes chat with Toronto-based chillsynth producer Nightflyer. They dive into his music, his upcoming album, the Toronto music scene, and just how much melatonin we should really be taking. Hop aboard your favorite seagull and prepare for flight!

In this episode of The State of Synth, Groot and Neon Fawkes sit down with New Zealand-based synthwave artist Indigo for a late-night/early-afternoon chat about her music, gaming, and what’s been going on in the land Down Under.

In this episode of The State of Synth, Groot and Neon Fawkes honor the late Starcadian with a mix of his music, personal stories, and fan tributes. Guests Rob O’Neill, James Secker, and Jared Butler join to share their memories and experiences.

This week on The State of Synth, Groot and Neon Fawkes welcome Pacific Northwest-based artist ODDitee. We dive into his debut album Everlasting, favorite VSTs, cereal preferences, his signing with Rosso Corsa Records—and things get very meta. Plus, fresh tracks from Lukhash, L’Avenue, Midnight Fury, and more.

Swiss synthwave artist Mike Templar joins us to talk about his spiritual new album The Owl and The Moon, his love of sci-fi, and how storytelling drives his sound. Dennis learns more about his own Swiss roots—and how he may or may not be the main protagonist in Mike’s novel TROM.

In this sun-soaked episode of The State of Synth, we cruise down the neon-lit highway with Valley Lights, the LA-based retrowave artist behind Two Lane Highway. We chat about his journey into synthwave, the inspiration behind his debut album, and why he’ll never get tired of palm trees.

In this radiant new episode of The State of Synth, Groot and Neon Fawkes sit down with synth maestro Alex Lightspeed and The Most Excellent Band—featuring Siren Niphilim, The Neon Syndicate, and more—for a high-energy conversation that spans creative collaboration, retro inspirations, and the road to their upcoming album, “Lost Future” (dropping April 25th on […]

Dennis and Jules sit down for a poised yet playful chat with synthpop queen and NewRetroWave artist Jessie Frye. From songwriting secrets to the lush sonic landscapes of her new album Otherworld, this episode dives deep into the stories behind the songs. Plus—could a Jessie Frye darksynth project be on the horizon? Tune in to […]

Dennis and Neon Fawkes sit down with Seersha to talk synths, songwriting, books, food, and what she’s got planned for her upcoming set at Neotropolis. Come for the music—stay for the Eggs Benedict.

Stephen and Stephanie from Night Rider 87 join Groot and Fawkes for a fun conversation about music, synth culture, and the best ways to rack up Neo-Creds at Neotropolis. From creative scavenging to hidden hangouts, they share tips, stories, and insights from their experiences at Neotropolis—plus drop some fresh music!

Dennis and Neon Fawkes chat with Jesse / Street Cleaner about the highly anticipated Street Cleaner 3, diving into its brutal soundtrack, the game’s evolution, and the mystery of its missing sequel. They discuss the grind of indie game development, the sold-out companion magazine, and Jesse’s go-to production tricks. Plus, they talk about his upcoming […]

Dennis and Neon Fawkes chat with Neotropolis showrunner Jared about what sets the event apart from Wasteland Weekend, what first-timers can expect, and the role of LARPing, factions, and attire. They discuss the biggest challenges of running Neotropolis and tease upcoming surprises.

This week on The State of Synth, Groot and Neon Fawkes welcome UK producer and chipwave master Shirobon for a deep dive into chiptune, vocoding, and his creative process. He shares insights into his latest album, Breaker, talks about his favorite synths, and reveals what’s coming next!

Dennis and Neon Fawkes spin fresh tracks, take requests, and share highlights from their winter break. Later in the show, they catch up with synth-whisperer Glenn Main. Grab your hot toddy—it’s time for a new season of TSOS!

Dennis G and Neon Fawkes close out Season 12 with an extraordinary chat with Pittsburgh producer Bad Guys Get Dead. This episode is sponsored by the Exovant Corporation.

Dennis G and Neon Fawkes cozy up with some space milk—er, Bantha milk—as they chat with spacewave producer Sunesis. They discuss her musical inspirations, her love for space stations, and where to find the best empanadas.

Just ‘and’? Yes! Dennis and Neon Fawkes sit down for a chat with Nick to discuss how his company, ‘and,’ is making it easier for independent artists to distribute their music.

Dennis and Neon Fawkes are back after a brief hiatus, and they’re making up for lost time with a jam-packed episode featuring synthwave sensations, The Motion Epic. Pat, Nick, and Aaron join the duo to discuss their latest album, High Rollers, and the inspiration behind its roller rink vibes. The guys share stories of tattoos, […]

Genre-blending producer Opus Science Collective joins the show to talk about his music, creative process, and inspirations. Meanwhile, Dennis and Jules unleash some spooky synth tracks to set the Halloween mood.

Real Finnish people Van Derand and Turbo Knight from Cottage Cult join Dennis and Jules to talk about their latest spooktacular album, Final Death IV: Bloodstar. They’re literally a cult that makes synthwave in a cottage (okay, a cabin)!

Dennis and Jules chat with Swedish-French artists Yota and Johan about their new EP, Universe in Flames. They delve into the inspiration behind the project and share some juicy tidbits about a few of the tracks.

Dennis and Jules entertain wild and interesting stories from LA artist M.K. Khan.

Dennis and Jules have a rad chat with French synthwave producer Benoit, plus drop some wheelie-popping tracks from your favorite artists.

Viperdrive joins the show to chat about his music, influences, and his time as a Nightride FM broadcaster. Dennis and Jules also have fun with rhyming words.

Dennis and Jules chat with NewRetroWave and Billboard-charting artist Indigo. Dennis ponders life in New Zealand and discovers a new food he can’t pronounce.

Dennis G and Neon Fawkes catch up with Power Rob.

Dennis and Jules sit down with Swedish producer Moonraccoon to explore her music and the influences behind it. Dennis discovers another word he cannot pronounce.

In this episode of The State of Synth, Dennis and Jules catch up with Street Cleaner to dive into his music and get the inside scoop on his upcoming video game, Street Cleaner 3.

In the Season 12 premiere, Dennis and Jules welcome SonicWaveArtPop artists Lucy Dreams to the show. Lead members Zero and One discuss their upcoming Canadian tour, share insights into their distinctive musical style, and reveal the intriguing role their AI bandmate, Lucy, plays in shaping their artistic journey

Dennis and Neon Fawkes bring down the curtain on season 11 with special guests Tim and Tyler from The Midnight.

Fawkes and Groot hop on the party line to chat with Bending Grid and crew about their new debut album Parallax.

Dennis and Jules talk action movies with special guest The Runaway Wild. Dennis eats too many Cadbury eggs.

“Dennis and Jules welcome producer and friend Syst3m Glitch to the show to talk about his new album out now on NewRetroWave.

Jules surprises Dennis with the special guest Out Runner. They chat about his music, how he found the synthwave scene, and where he likes to put his GoPro.

Dennis and Jules chat with Ace Buchannon about his music, his ongoing battle with breast cancer, and the importance of breathing.

NEURON SPECTRE BRINGS THE BIG LETTERS AND HEAVY SOUNDS TO THE SHOW.

Indian synthwave producer Popcorn Kid chats with Dennis and Neon Fawkes, sharing his secrets behind sexy sax, while Jules unveils his latest drinking game. Meanwhile, Dennis focuses on increasing his iron intake. It’s all more fun than a coked-up Barry Manilow!

Dennis and Jules collaborate with synthwave producer and sound engineer Marc Matthews to create the perfect patch library composed solely of mouth sounds.

Dennis and Neon Fawkes dive into a discussion with synthwave artists Phaserland and Nagrom, delving into topics such as their music, inspirations, favorite horror movies, video games, and the debate over whether it’s acceptable to alter the original Coke recipe.

Dennis and Jules chat with Toronto artist Full Eclipse about Twin Peaks, Pink Floyd, and, get ready, full eclipses! Grab your pinholed glasses and listen in!

Dennis and Neon Fawkes chat with Lost Nights’ about latest choose-your-own-adventure, “Noah’s Ghost,” and his inspirations behind his music.

Dennis and Jules have a cozy chat with Toronto producer Nightflyer. They chat about chillsynth, Tim Hortons, and where to find the last remaining McRibs in Canada. Tune in, eh!

Dennis G and Neon Fawkes have a fun chat with Austrian producer Edictum about his music, his numerous collaborations, and his favorite cooking recipes.

Dennis G, Neon Fawkes, and special guest host Yota chat with French touch pioneers LIFELIKE and Demon and play some of their favorite French touch tracks.

This episode, OG synthwave producer Futurecop! joins us as special guest. We get the lowdown on his experiences early in the scene and get to premiere a brand new track from him. Neon Fawkes eventually turns into a robot.

In this episode, the crew of Night.Wav joins Dennis and Neon Fawkes to talk about the incredible experiences they create in cities all over the USA. They also drop banger tracks from their compilation album, aptly named, A Darksynth Compilation.

Dennis G, Neon Fawkes and special guest hosts Von Kaiser chat with Elon Dust and VHS Celebs. Thanks for listening. See you in 2024!

Get ready to Nightride and chill as Dennis and Neon Fawkes chat with Brooklyn-based producer Brothertiger, known for his ‘retro-leaning’ nature-inspired sound. Brothertiger discusses everything from his self-titled release to his live stream, as well as his Tears For Fears cover album.

Dennis and Jules chat with award-winning director, photographer, and producer Brad A. Kinnan (like seriously, what does he not do?). They discuss his numerous contributions to the scene, such as the infamous Ollie Wride ‘The Driver’ video, and his work with NewRetroWave. Words get said, and puns get had. Come join us for this magical […]

Dennis and Jules are joined by LA based synthwave artist Elevate the Sky. This episode is not affiliated with or sponsored by the delectable McRib sandwich, which has made its return for a limited time.    

Dennis and Jules chat with PYLOT about his latest NewRetroWave album, AXIOM. They also discuss his collaborations, including his most recent collaboration with The Midnight’s Tylor Lyle. Additionally, they drop premieres from Power Rob feat. MN1984 and Nightmares and Neon. No pants required.

Dennis and Neon Fawkes chat with NewRetroWave artist The Secret Chord about his music, space travel, and whether or not there is life out there. The truth is out there!

Calling all neon cowboys! On this episode, Starletta joins Kaarin and Dennis G to chat about his new album, the Nashville scene, and why none of us are sponsored by Neon Cowboys (yet).

In this episode, Dennis and a slightly inebriated Jules catch up with Mark Cooper, and get updates on his latest adventures (and it turns out there are quite a lot of them!). They discuss topics ranging from Power Rangers and Transformers to video game controllers. Then, Dennis forgets how to use words. You know, just […]

On this episode Dennis G and Neon Fawkes chat with Chillsynth producer Sequenza. Together, they explore Sequenza’s musical origins and early experiences as a progressive house producer. They also discuss Sequenza’s new musical directions and premiere two brand new never before heard tracks from his upcoming TBD album. Finally, Dennis and Jules jam out on […]

Dennis and Jules have a fun chat with LA artist Davey Oberlin, AKA All the Damn Vampires. They discuss his music, his songwriting processes, and his experiences as a touring member for Five Finger Death Punch and Korn. They also get to drop a brand new All The Damn Vampires track featuring Pensacola Mist. Get […]

Dennis and Neon Fawkes sit down for a fun chat with French touch/synthwave legends LIKELIKE and Yota. They discuss LIKELIKE’s significant contributions to the synthwave scene and delve deep into Yota’s new album, ‘Room 412.’ Dennis also has his future told.

Dennis and Jules chat with Starcadian, their favorite martini-drinking, space-hopping producer who also happens to be 20% Italian. Starcadian shares some views on AI, producing tools, answers some listener questions, and drops some news about his anniversary release of ‘Sunset Blood.’ Smash, reply, don’t forget to subscribe!

On this season premiere of The State of Synth, Oceanside85 joins Groot and Neon Fawkes to discuss her music, various collaborations, and how she found her zen through synthwave. Dennis openly shares his fascination with the PA manhunt.

On this season finale, Dennis and Jules chat with the Aussies. Reinhold goes hunting and ends up tripping balls. Thanks for listening, it’s been a great season! We’ll see you in the fall!

In this episode Groot and Fawkes chat with Daniel and Oliver from Pensacola Mist about they rad music, their live performances and how caught up they are on Black Mirror.  They play a bunch of rad tunes including a premiere from Aztec recording artist LAU.

In this episode, Fawkes and Groot chat with veteran producer Street Cleaner! They dive into Street Cleaner’s epic music legacy and his work on the upcoming sequel to Street Cleaner: The Video Game. The talk also covers topics like video game difficulty, the significance of phone booths in virtual worlds, and, of course, lots of […]