Replacer has been on a roll this past year, producing banger after banger & showing us that after 10+ years of making music in the fandom, they are still going strong. Synthwave has always been one of those genres that doesn’t come up that often, but when it does it is a treat for the ears – and this track is no exception. From the out-of-this-world, “spaced out” (puns intended) melodies and almost atmospheric core, I can’t help but feel relaxed, yet stimulated at the same time. Anyone else up for a retro space adventure with this song as the soundtrack?
Audios
The Wilders – Monster Party (Acid Applejack Remix) | Hardpsy
“Monster Party” was already a banger perfect for any party, and then Acid Applejack comes in and makes it into a rave track! I love that Acid Applejack not only seems to see any sort of song and say “Let’s add a lot more energy to it,” but makes a song that you can’t listen to staying still. From the crisp handclaps to the dynamic bassline, this is the song that you want to add to all your Halloween party playlists going forward.
Skyshard – Stargazer | Orchestral
If there is one thing that Skyshard is well-known for, it is laying out a scene and emotion very early on in a song and growing from there without leading us astray. “Stargazer” immediately sets up a calming, atmospheric feeling with sounds meant to simulate a calm evening by a waterfront that immediately gets me in the mood to relax and reflect. It quickly changes to a feeling of wonder as the song goes on, simulating imagination associated with the act of stargazing. With all the hardcore styles of music that dominate the Brony music scene, it is always nice to come back to a gentle & calming track that is meant to give us that excitement without the high-energy feels.
MC-Arch x KingKlang – Still here… | Hip Hop
MC-Arch teases us with another track from the upcoming album, You Got Me I Got Us Part 3. “Still here” is an anthem about change, with nods to the transition from G4 to G5 as well as personal change and becoming a hero. MC-Arch’s flow and delivery are stellar, and mid song he throws down words so fast he must have set an academy record! KingKlang’s beat packs a punch while simultaneously feeling smooth and relaxed. The whole thing is accompanied by a lovely music video featuring epic shots of MC-Arch performing, clips from the show, and convention photos and footage. All in all, there’s so much thought put into this and many angles in which it stands out. Outstanding work!
SCR4TCHK4T – Euphoric Hoofsteps | Progressive House
SCR4TCHK4T’s “Euphoric Hoofsteps” is a slick house track that will have you grooving on your hooves! It begins minimally, just a smooth beat accompanied by organ and sweeping effects, growing into a fuller sound with synth arpeggios, splashes of piano, and ultimately a nice thick saw synth. It also make nice use of pony vocal chops, bouncing between different character’s voices as the tune swells into the drop. It’s quite a pleasant bop to take a listen to.
SpinScissor – Goodbye (2023 Remaster) | Liquid Drum & Bass
A little over two and a half years ago, SpinScissor graced the world with his song “Goodbye,” which was already a solid song. Now we get blessed with a new remastered version! Right off the bat, the percussion and secondary melodies hit us with a wave of energy & drive. I still can’t get over those elongated bass line licks in the middle of the track, shaping the tone of the overall song & driving the transitions between the unique sections. All in all, every instrument and sound melds together to create a wonderful experience for your ears.
Jyc Row – Molten Spike VS Ember & Thorax (Badlands Meltdown) | Orchestral
Jyc Row is back yet again with another incredible track for the Infinite Eclipse series, and like all the other tracks in the series it is full of epic orchestration and stunning storytelling through music. “Molten Spike VS Ember & Thorax (Badlands Meltdown)” is a direct sequel to “Wings of Destruction” and “Heroes Shall Vanquish Once again,” two other impressive narrative-driven tracks in their “Molten Spike” story from the “Prequel’s Finale” sub-series of Infinite Eclipse. Being the first track in a while to be fully instrumental, it brings out Jyc Row’s amazing talent creating his signature epic orchestral and highlights the celtic-type instruments that go into it. And don’t get me started on the male choir vocalization! I feel like I am immersed in a great dragon battle with a crowd of warriors backed behind me.
rawrity – PINKIE (SCR4TCHK4T REMIX) | Future Bass
SCR4TCHK4T released a remix of rawrity’s “Pinkie” this year, and the result is a lovely, upbeat take on the original. It adds bright, optimistic piano along with a thundering bass at the beginning, and a slick house beat in the middle. My favorite addition is an all new verse sung by SCR4TCHK4T about not giving up hope and continuing to search for the narrator’s love that gets paired with some powerful synth stabs and harmonies to make it really hit home. The remix is definitely worth checking out for any fans of the original.
RedWire – What Do You Believe In | Drum & Bass
The final and titular track of RedWire’s EP, “What Do you Believe in,” is a majestic and transcendental piece. It begins with minimal but haunting synths and crunched percussion, soon to be accompanied by piano. Don’t get too cozy though, because everything drops out, and you’re slammed as the bass comes in! It continues to be thoughtful and evolve over time, with orchestral plucks joining the mix, and highly stylized vocals joining well into the song. It’s an absolute treat to savor, and by the end, you may have achieved enlightenment!
GNG – A Dashie Anthem | Rap/Hip-Hop
Content Warning: Explicit lyrics
In this track, GNG symbolically conjures a mass of thunderclouds crackling with electric overdrive and dense to the point of sensory overload. Fascinating artistic use is made of the ethereally shifting tones which can result from running pure electric feedback through many layers of noise reduction.
Everything is distorted; You might not even know the lyrics were explicit if they weren’t provided, but the core message comes through clearly in this swaggering rap anthem for a pony who needs no introduction: You can clip the sound waves but you can never clip my wings!
Horse Music Herald 