The State of Synth

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 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 Vancouver-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.