This is music that comes from one of the most resilient sub-genres of alt-rock. For those operating now who are taking leads from mid-Eighties Depeche Mode and New Order, synth-pop continues to offer a way for artists to serve up wonderful music, sometimes needing nothing more than a set of hands to push the keys and start the samples. My comments are not meant to be dismissive. What I'm trying to highlight is that 50 years ago, it was a guitar and a few chords, and yet after that, the New Wave boom also created a legacy ever bit as inspiring as that of punk. And one which could be joined with the right equipment.
Sweden's Azure Blue, taking cues from those pioneers like New Order, Depeche Mode, The Associates, The Beloved, and so on, are here with a new record. The Night of the Stars features tracks which are sleek and lean, with an approach which is precise in emotional impact. Tobias Isaksson is Azure Blue and he's been making music like this for more than a decade. The material wastes no time in defining exactly how synth-pop should be done. Single "Rise", a favorite of ours from 2023, kicks things off. The track, a highlight here, has an energy which is engaging, as does the fine "Under the Stars", another number with real momentum. Elsewhere, the down-tempo "Three Times the Drama" is affecting in a dramatic fashion, while "Define Your Dreams" mines a similar brand of synth-rock.
There's a kind of uniformity to the tunes of Azure Blue, but a careful listen reveals twists and turns in mood which are quite subtle. Fans of any of the bands I've mentioned should find something here that has resonance. The Night of the Stars is full of slick keyboard figures and supple lines of rhythmic underpinning, but it's also a warm record. There's plenty of emotion here too, making this the best kind of synth-rock.
The Night of the Stars by Azure Blue is out now via Matinée Recordings.
[Photo: Daniela Gullström]