Welcome back, synth-heads! Coming in just under the wire with this month’s post, and if it seems a tad rushed… well, it is! Ya boy’s leaving for vacation in a couple days and needs to feed the #content beast before then.
Fortunately, June gave us no shortage of great synth stuff to dig into in this edition. We lead off with LukHash, who’s having himself one helluva 2023. The Edinburgh producer (via Wroclaw, Poland) returned on June 16 with “Cyberpunx“, having already dropped four previous singles throughout the year. Now, three of said previous singles had featured in the “More highlights” section here in Retrocution, but “Cyberpunx” made clear it was time to give the dude top billing. Let’s check it out.
The Song:
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The “Analysis”:
In a scene oft-beloved for its cyberpunk and classic sci-fi and video game aesthetics, LukHash — the stage name of producer Lukasz Polkowski — feels like a particular adept. His sound goes beyond just your typical retro synthesizers; a particular affinity for chiptune music means LukHash’s sound rig also incorporates everything from custom Commodore 64 computers to, uh… hacked Game Boys?
(Shit, man, I didn’t even know one could hack a Game Boy, or to what end you’d do so. This dude not only has done so, but now he’s making music with one? I’m in awe.)
Anyway, as he’s honed his craft over multiple decades, Polkowski’s released nearly a dozen LukHash full-lengths and [goodness-knows-how-many] singles, both independently and, more recently, on NewRetroWave. He also posts semi-regular “jam sessions” on his YouTube channel, which you can and should watch. It’s kinda awesome watching him add new layers to both darksynth and chiptune in real time.
Anyway, in March of this year, LukHash released the single, “Amiga,” a lively burst of adrenaline that I said at the time was one of my favorite thing’s he’d ever done. And man, does that statement ever hold up. It’s an absolute gem of a tune that will almost certainly qualify as “year-end list material”. Now, why bring that up in a post that, ostensibly, is about the new single, “Cyberpunx”? Well, because in a lot of ways, “Cyberpunx” kind of feels like “Amiga, Part 2”.
When you line it up against its predecessor, “Cyberpunx” has a similar rhythm, unfolds at a similar tempo, and is even in the same key. But this time out, things feel a little more streamlined. If “Amiga” was the VHS copy of your favorite ’80s flick, “Cyberpunx” is the Blu-Ray reissue. The bass feels more dominant and the drums a little crisper. The bridge section makes great use of a filter effect, creating a kind of sonic tug-of-war with… what sounds like a guitar [but I’m sure isn’t]. Sonically, there’s a ton going on here that makes the track worth your time.
On a knee-jerk level, the mere existence of a spiritual successor to something you enjoy feels like an absolute rush — Sweet! More of that thing I absolutely loved! — but in the end, it’s hard to replicate the pure, out-of-nowhere surprise the original generates.
And ultimately, that’s kind of where I land with “Cyberpunx”. It can’t quite match “Amiga”. But if that’s its only sin, it’s doing pretty well for itself. It’s still a solid track in its own right, and well worth a listen and then some.
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“Cyberpunx” is available now via LukHash’s Bandcamp page. For more information on LukHash, visit his website.
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More June synth highlights:
- Bino Biscotti returned with an incredibly fun new single called “Disco Galactica“. That’s on Rosso Corsa, so… you should know what to do.
- The man, the myth, the legend Mitch Murder dropped Pit Stop Hero, an EP “soundtrack” to a fictional, never-actually-made Sega Saturn racing game. It’s great. Get on it.
- Ukrainian producer Earmake returned with his fifth full-length, Lost Passion, featuring collaborations with Dynatron and STARFORCE, among others. That’s out on NewRetroWave.
- If you’re looking for something a bit more cerebral, check out Sleepless Stars‘ immersive new EP, Arcadia 88, available via NYC-based label Stargazing at Blank Skies.
And that’ll do it for this month! I’m off to New Orleans to melt. Literally. Check back this time next month for our recap of the best synth releases of July! Until then…
Keep it synthy,
—Dan
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