Plastic Horizon: Hex – A Slow-Burn Horror Synth Anthem

February 9, 2024

Plastic Horizon: “Hex” – A Slow-Burn Horror Synth Anthem

Plastic Horizon delivers a mesmerizing blend of retro nostalgia and eerie ambiance inspired by late 70s and early 80s horror films.

Step into the haunting world of synthwave with Plastic Horizon’s single, “Hex.” This track represents a distinct shift in tone for the project, moving away from high-speed chases and neon sunsets to explore the darker, grittier side of the genre. It delivers a mesmerizing blend of retro nostalgia and eerie ambiance, directly inspired by the golden age of late 70s and early 80s horror films.

The Inspiration: Carpenter, Frizzi, and Sabbath

Drawing influence from iconic musicians like John Carpenter, Fabio Frizzi, and even the doom-laden riffs of Black Sabbath, “Hex” immerses listeners in a slow, brooding soundscape.

The goal was to capture the feeling of those quiet moments in horror cinema. Think of the long drive to an isolated cabin, the shadow moving in the background, or the tension before the jump scare. It isn’t about the release of terror. It is about the anticipation of it. The track utilizes heavy basslines that plod forward with a zombie-like persistence, overlaid with sharp, crystalline synth leads that cut through the mix like a knife.

Sonic Architecture

“Hex” is built on simplicity. Unlike modern electronic music that often clutters the frequency spectrum with hundreds of layers, this track exercises restraint. It relies on:

Cold Digital Precision: The synthesizers are sharp and icy, contrasting with the heavy low-end to create a sense of unease.
Minimalist Composition: By leaving space in the mix, the silence becomes just as important as the notes, allowing the ominous atmosphere to breathe.

Part of the 2024 Weekly Series

As the sixth installment in Plastic Horizon’s ambitious weekly series of releases for 2024, “Hex” showcases the artist’s ability to captivate audiences with evocative melodies and spine-chilling compositions. This weekly challenge has pushed the project to explore new sub-genres, from high-octane Outrun to this slow-burn Horror Synth.

Dive into the depths of that long, dark drive home, crank up the music, and experience the sinister allure of “Hex.” It is the perfect soundtrack for your next midnight drive. Just make sure you check the backseat first.

Stream “Hex” Now

You can listen to “Hex” on all major streaming platforms. Support independent horror-synth by streaming on Spotify or purchasing the high-quality download directly from Bandcamp below.

#HorrorSynth #JohnCarpenter #Retrowave #Darkwave #PlasticHorizon

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Music, News, Records

Welcome to the New Overlook Hotel Records Website!

February 6, 2024

Thank you for stopping by the new home of the independent record label Overlook Hotel Records! Overlook Hotel Records was founded in 1999 in Cincinnati, Ohio by Kevin Hartnell and features over 50 releases and counting.

Synthwave (Plastic Horizon)
Post-Punk (Cambium)
Darkwave (Before After Again)
Progressive Rock (NGC 891, The Antoni Tashev Project)
Pop/Indie (Dronefly, Mothsounds)
Disco (Future Circuit)
Psychedelic Rock (Trinity & Triage)
Giallo (Alchimia Sonora)
Sludge/Doom (THAL, Ironleaf)
Glam Rock/Metal (V1CTOR, Plassgard)
Dark Ambient (Kevin Hartnell)
Classic Rock (The Three Minstrels)
Folk/Traditional (Trakia)
Industrial (Sinistrad)
Instrumental/Soundtrack/Score (Kevin Hartnell)

Check out the discography and find something new to listen to today!

https://overlookhotelrecords.bandcamp.com/

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Music, News

Cover art for Hell of a Friend by Before After Again

Hell of a Friend: New Industrial Darkwave from Before After Again

February 5, 2024

Before After Again turns up the grit with “Hell of a Friend,” a track that leans heavily into the industrial side of the darkwave spectrum.

Demons Within

“Hell of a Friend” is driven by a distorted, mechanical beat and aggressive synth textures. It explores the darker corners of the psyche, specifically the “demons within” that we run from, only to find them waiting for us again. The lyrics paint a picture of a cyclical struggle, where the darkness isn’t just an enemy, but a familiar, albeit destructive, companion.

With influences ranging from early industrial rock to modern dark synth, this track is dense, heavy, and perfect for those who prefer their electronic music with a bit of an edge.

Lyrics

Don’t say a word they won’t understand
Everything ends and it starts again
Everyone runs from the demons within
Then we go back to bed it’s a hell of a friend

Take what is yours and break while you bend
Fading away while the past comes again
Falling on down on the darkness within
Never coming back it’s a hell of a friend

Don’t stop running you’ll find out for yourself
The time heals wounds and the scars that you felt
Everyone knows that you’re out of your mind
If you found something else now there’s nothing inside

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“Hell of a Friend” is available now on all major streaming platforms. You can support the artist directly by purchasing the track on Bandcamp or streaming it on Spotify using the players below.

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Aeon: New 80s-Inspired Synthpop from Plastic Horizon

February 2, 2024

Plastic Horizon delivers a dynamic listening experience with “Aeon,” a track that takes the listener on a journey through the sounds of the early 80s.

Big Energy, Classic Vibes

“Aeon” doesn’t ease you in; it opens with a bombastic, larger-than-life intro that immediately grabs your attention. From there, it shifts gears into an uptempo, New Wave synthpop rhythm reminiscent of bands like Berlin. The driving bass and shimmering synths create a sense of urgency and excitement that defines the golden era of the genre.

The Breakdown and Outro

Just when you settle into the groove, the track returns to the massive scale of the introduction, creating a powerful peak before fading out. The song wraps up with a soft, gentle arpeggio sequence, a perfect “cool down” after the high-energy ride.

Listen & Support

“Aeon” is available now on all major streaming platforms. You can support the artist directly by purchasing the track on Bandcamp or streaming it on Spotify using the players below.

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Cover art for Black Screen by Before After Again

Black Screen: New Industrial Darkwave from Before After Again

January 29, 2024

Before After Again turns up the tension with “Black Screen,” a track that channels the aggression of industrial rock through a post-punk lens.

A Driving Industrial Groove

“Black Screen” is built on a relentless, mid-tempo groove that feels like a march toward the inevitable. The vibe is undeniably angry, yet the vocal delivery remains deceptively smooth, creating a chilling contrast with the bite of the lyrics. It touches on themes of obsolescence, media saturation (“teleprompter weapons”), and the surreal feeling of being trapped in a loop.

With its gritty textures and driving bass, this track is perfect for fans who prefer their darkwave with a heavier, more aggressive edge.

Lyrics

You know it’s right
I can’t partake
In this constant push and pull
These empty streets
Are fully charged
Intake the soul off the floor

Television black screen fault
Teleprompter weapons out
Militants entrenched it’s all wrong
Tell me something I don’t know
Give me everything I want
I just don’t want this anymore

So please don’t fight
It makes you weak
We want you down on your knees
It’s so surreal
When we look back
At all the pain that you bring

Television black screen fault
Teleprompter weapons out
Militants entrenched it’s all wrong
Tell me something I don’t know
Give me everything I want
I just don’t want this anymore

Don’t shed those tears salty

Now face the fact
You’re obsolete
It’s time you’ve taken your bow
Hide if you like
We’re close behind
Oh can’t you taste this disease?

Television black screen fault
Teleprompter weapons out
Militants entrenched it’s all wrong
Tell me something I don’t know
Give me everything I want
I just don’t want this anymore

Listen & Support

“Black Screen” is available now on all major streaming platforms. You can support the artist directly by purchasing the track on Bandcamp or streaming it on Spotify using the players below.

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Mirage: New Cinematic Dreamwave from Plastic Horizon

January 26, 2024

Plastic Horizon slows the tempo and deepens the mood with “Mirage,” a short but evocative track that drifts into the territory of dreamwave and chill synthpop.

A Melancholic Waltz

“Mirage” stands out immediately due to its time signature. Written in 12/8 time, the track has a swaying, waltz-like feel that separates it from the driving 4/4 beats of typical synthwave. This rhythmic choice, combined with lush pads and a gentle melody, creates a distinctively melancholic vibe, like a memory fading in the heat.

From the Score of “Gerald”

This composition has dramatic roots. It was originally composed as a theme for the Campfire Radio Theater episode “Gerald,” serving as part of a larger score featuring around 30 pieces of music. While it works perfectly as a standalone single for late-night listening, its cinematic origins are clear in the way it builds atmosphere and emotion in a short runtime.

Listen & Support

“Mirage” is available now on all major streaming platforms. You can support the artist directly by purchasing the track on Bandcamp or streaming it on Spotify using the players below.

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Cover art for You Are a Machine by Before After Again

You Are a Machine: New Dub-Industrial Single from Before After Again

January 22, 2024

Before After Again pushes the boundaries of their sound with “You Are a Machine,” a track that blends the echo-laden space of dub with the grit of industrial post-punk.

A Shift in Groove

This composition is defined by its rhythmic instability. It vacillates between a hypnotic, dub-inspired half-time groove and a more driving, mid-tempo post-punk beat. Buried underneath layers of delay and stuttering effects, the vocals act more like another instrument in the mix rather than a traditional lead, adding to the mechanical, disoriented atmosphere.

Lyrics

The ocean
Just close your eyes

Chances you’re not falling forward
Chances you’re not falling forward
Chances you’re not falling forward
Chances you’re not falling forward

The ocean
Just close your eyes

Chances you’re not falling forward
Chances you’re not falling forward
Chances you’re not falling forward
Chances you’re not falling forward

Listen & Support

“You Are a Machine” is available now on all major streaming platforms. You can support the artist directly by purchasing the track on Bandcamp or streaming it on Spotify using the players below.

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Dark Matter: New Southern Rock Single from V1CTOR

January 20, 2024

V1CTOR returns with “Dark Matter,” a track that marks a gritty departure from the project’s usual theatrical and glam rock output.

A Grim Tale

The song opens with the chilling sound of wind blowing and a rope creaking under weight, immediately setting the scene for a classic murder ballad. Trading the makeup for dust and grit, “Dark Matter” leans heavily into Southern Rock territory. The narrative follows a man haunted by his own violent actions, running from a “spectre with a gun called Death” under a desert moon.

Collaborative Firepower

While the music was written by Vic Bonato (also of Cambium) and lyrics by Kevin Hartnell, the track features a standout guest performance. Friend and fellow Overlook Hotel Records label mate Andrew May (The Three Minstrels) contributes lead, rhythm, and slide guitar work that drives the song’s swampy, blues-infused energy.

Lyrics

Under the desert moon,
I took another man’s life.
Didn’t give a damn if he lived or if he died.

But, I should have known better,
’cause there’s always a price to pay.
And now I find myself always running away.
‘Cause there’s a very dark matter hanging over me.

He didn’t need his gold.
Was more than he could spend.
He hid it under the floor,
where he met his bloody end.
And now a god damn spectre,
with a gun called “Death,”
will surely lead me to my very last breath.
‘Cause there’s a very dark matter hanging over me.

Under the hanging tree,
the Devil’s waiting for me.
Under the hanging tree.

Live by the gun, die by the rope
in another man’s hand.
You can pray to your god, it won’t do no good.
This is your final stand.

Under the hanging tree, the Devil’s waiting for me!

Listen & Support

“Dark Matter” is available now on all major streaming platforms. You can support the artist directly by purchasing the track on Bandcamp or streaming it on Spotify using the players below.

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Killer: New Horror Synthwave from Plastic Horizon

January 19, 2024

Plastic Horizon pays homage to the golden age of slasher films with “Killer,” a tense, cinematic track inspired by 1980s horror.

A Carpenter-Esque Beginning

The track opens with a slow, ominous build that is instantly reminiscent of early John Carpenter scores. It sets a scene of dread and anticipation, lurking in the shadows before revealing its true nature. This slow burn eventually explodes into a driving synthwave groove with heavy metal undertones, ramping up the energy like a chase scene in the third act.

The Christine Connection

As the adrenaline fades, “Killer” returns to the calm of its beginning. It fades out on a melodic line that feels like a lost outtake from the soundtrack to Christine, cold, mechanical, and hauntingly beautiful. It is a perfect closer for a track that wears its horror influences on its sleeve.

Listen & Support

“Killer” is available now on all major streaming platforms. You can support the artist directly by purchasing the track on Bandcamp or streaming it on Spotify using the players below.

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Cover art for Vice Grip by Before After Again

Vice Grip: New Uptempo Synthpop from Before After Again

January 15, 2024

Before After Again picks up the tempo with “Vice Grip,” a track that wraps dark lyrical themes in a bright, energetic package.

A Study in Contrast

“Vice Grip” is defined by its sparse instrumentation and a snappy, driving drum track that immediately induces movement. Musically, the chorus feels uplifting and anthemic, a classic synthpop earworm. However, digging into the lyrics reveals a narrative of distress, brokenness, and a toxic dynamic described as a “siege.”

This juxtaposition, dancing while “falling apart,” is a hallmark of the best coldwave and synthpop. It suggests that sometimes the only way to handle the “fracture” is to move through it.

Lyrics

I can’t believe you’re broken now
It’s pitiful
Such distress it tears us all apart
No shame no blame no reckoning
Just look at you
A fractured piece will lie away in waste

She swings a delightful
Comatose no breathing
Don’t fight it now it hurts you in the end
A fall from where she’d thought she’d been forgiven
For all the things she never should have said

Under your siege now
Your vice grip it pleases
Screaming but nothing
It sounds so enticing

I like the way you look at me
It tears into
Seeking trust in eyes you know that lie
So please decide what’s right
What’s wrong it matters none
The end it comes in every way you know

She swings a delightful
Comatose no breathing
Don’t fight it now it hurts you in the end
A fall from where she’d thought she’d been forgiven
For all the things she never should have said

Under your siege now
Your vice grip it pleases
Screaming but nothing
It sounds so enticing

Listen & Support

“Vice Grip” is available now on all major streaming platforms. You can support the artist directly by purchasing the track on Bandcamp or streaming it on Spotify using the players below.

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