Plastic Horizon: “Memory Waves”

Kevin Hartnell presents “Memory Waves,” the most popular track from the self-titled Plastic Horizon album. Recorded between May 2020 and June 2020, this slower-paced synthwave ballad captures a specific, melancholy vibe, a strong sense of nostalgia for growing up in a small town in the 1980s.

“Recently, my daughter was describing how she felt a wave of great memories flooding her mind. It was a bittersweet observation from the point of a child in the middle of a pandemic, closed schools, and being isolated from her friends. It inspired me to create this track and recall quite a few great memories of my own. Writing this track was an emotional journey for me, and I hope it is for you as well.”

Insights

“Memory Waves” functions less as a retro pastiche and more as an emotional recollection filtered through synthwave aesthetics. Rather than leaning on overt genre signifiers like aggressive arpeggiators, the track adopts restraint and patience. The title is well chosen; the music unfolds in gentle swells rather than linear development, mirroring how memories surface unpredictably and recede just as quietly.

The melancholy here is subdued and sincere. It suggests quiet streets, late evenings, and small-town stillness rather than neon skylines. Sustained synth pads and gently voiced melodic elements carry the emotional weight, creating a polished piece of “Dreamwave” that feels personal and introspective.

Credits:

• Written & Produced by: Plastic Horizon
• Mixed & Mastered by: Hector the Rat
• Catalog: R237-027 ©Overlook Hotel Records
• Released: February 13, 2021

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