PRIEST

One of the most hyped albumreleases this Friday came from PRIEST in "Altered State Police". 

PRIEST is a Swedish electronic synthpop and darkwave band formed in Linköping in 2015. 

The group is known for its dark, futuristic cyberpunk aesthetic, with members performing in masks, leather, and studs. The band garnered significant international attention from the outset, as it was founded by former members of the Grammy-winning hard rock band Ghost. 

While Ghost focuses on occult hard rock, PRIEST operates within an entirely different sonic landscape. Their music is rooted in 1980s dark synthpop, 1990s industrial and EBM (Electronic Body Music), as well as modern synthwave. 

The band describes their concept as a prophecy intended to guide humanity toward its next evolutionary step: merging with machines. Much like their parent band, Ghost, PRIEST keeps their identities hidden behind pseudonyms and elaborate face masks: 

• Mercury (Linton Rubino): Lead singer and frontman. He previously played bass live for Ghost under the name "Water." 

• Salt (Mauro Rubino): Keyboards. He previously played keyboards for Ghost under the name "Air." 

• Sulfur: Programming and keyboards. 

• Simon Söderberg (formerly "Alpha" in Ghost): Has served as the band’s producer and studio collaborator. 

The band’s fifth and latest studio album explores a cinematic, dystopian landscape, touching on themes of surveillance, AI, and human identity—all underscored by heavy 1990s-style breakbeats. 

Pressrelease: 

The Swedish androids give you a fresh, new take on the '90s synthpop and big beat era. With far greater depth and detail than before, Priest throws you on a journey through dystopian cityscapes, where surveillance and political distrust is on the brink to ignite a new revolution. 

The intent is to listen to Altered State Police as a whole, from start to finish — to completely immerse yourself in it. Questions may arise and find their answers on a later song, and if you have feelings and thoughts about certain subjects portrayed, think of the tracks as mental litmus tests taken over a decade of time. The writer moved on long ago, but this is the emotional ballast that needed to be exorcised. 

Memories and past experiences are the ultimate fuel for creativity — so if going back to another state helps you write a killer song, what's not to like? 

Altered State Police is uncompromising and written with the intention of being a classic album.

Produced and mixed by Leo Josefsson, known from Unify Separate and a former member of legendary Statemachine. Leo have produced the album together with Mercury (Linton Rubino) 

PRIEST @ FACEBOOK 

Supported by Muzik Mag Sweden

 

DJ Thessla / Tobbe P

VINTAGE VOLTAGE

Chris Leaf and Pete Branch of Vintage Voltage is finally back with new music. 

"If It´s What It Takes" came out this Friday through Progress Productions. 

Vintage Voltage is a Swedish synth-pop duo that blends classic analog synthesizers with a modern darkwave aesthetic. The duo consists of two masked figures: Chris Leaf (vocals) and Pete Branch (synths and programming). They employ pseudonyms and maintain an enigmatic, anonymous persona to ensure the focus remains entirely on the music itself. 

Both members were active in the alternative electronic music scene for several decades before launching this project. The duo is signed to the renowned Swedish label Progress Productions, one of the country’s leading electronic music imprints. Shortly after their debut, they were selected to feature on the label’s 20th-anniversary compilation, among other highlights. 

Their sound is often described as a fusion of retro-futuristic electronic pop and melancholic darkwave. The music is driven by pulsating analog synths, heavy drum machines, and evocative melodies that explore the contrasts between hope and despair. Since debuting in 2024, they have released a series of well-received singles through Progress Productions and their own Vintage Voltage Bandcamp page. Notable tracks include their debut single "I Hate to Love You," as well as "Catch Me If You Can," "Fade Away" (partially recorded at the legendary Hansa Studios in Berlin), and the latest single: "If It's What It Takes." 

*If It´s What It Take* describes as an infectious, classic electronic pop of the highest caliber, another masterpiece by the duo. 

Vintage Voltage @ FACEBOOK 

Supported by Muzik Mag Sweden

 

DJ Thessla / Tobbe P

PURWIEN & KOWA

One of the albumreleases this Friday is from the German/Swiss duo Purwien & Kowa with "Sechs"

Purwien & Kowa release their sixth album SECHS. A synthpop journey through love, loss and delusional grandeur, through Town And Towers Recordlabel. 

Some bands reinvent themselves with every album. PURWIEN & KOWA have other priorities. With SECHS, their sixth studio album, Christian Purwien and Thomas Kowa continue their journey through the world of electronic pop, combining classic synthpop sounds, personal reflections and a distinctly ironic view of themselves and the world around them. 

*SECHS* finds the German-Swiss duo balancing the melodic appeal of 80s-inspired electronic music with darker emotions, social observations and a healthy disregard for musical self-importance. 

Produced by Olaf Wollschläger, the album brings together new material and revisited songs from the duo's musical past, creating a collection that moves between nostalgia, introspection and tongue-in-cheek commentary. 

With SECHS, Christian Purwien and Thomas Kowa deliver another chapter in a musical partnership that embraces contradictions: serious themes and absurd observations, emotional songs and ironic commentary, classic synthpop and a willingness to poke fun at themselves. 

PURWIEN & KOWA remain committed to making electronic pop on their own terms. And if the album has a guiding principle, it might be found in the title of one of its tracks: WE'RE WRONG. 

At least they know it. 

Purwien & Kowa @ FACEBOOK 

Supported by Muzik Mag Sweden

 

DJ Thessla / Tobbe P

RYMDVERKET vs HAMSCH

If you like poetic verses goes electronic, you definitely should check out the new EP from the Swedish act of Rymdverket in collab with Hamsch.

"Enfant Adulte / Numb" was released this Friday. 

Rymdverket is a Swedish electronic and synth-pop duo from Karlstad, formed in 2024. 

The duo consists of Henric Byström (music production and keyboards) and Linda Ganters (vocals). Although they have been close friends for over 30 years, it was not until 2024 that they began making music together. 

Rymdverket’s sound is heavily influenced by the Scandinavian electro scene. Their music traverses a broad electronic landscape, combining: 

* Classic 80s synth-pop with atmospheric soundscapes and catchy choruses. 

* Dark undertones drawn from genres such as EBM (Electronic Body Music) and downtempo. 

* Unexpected elements of modern techno and melodic Nordic folk music. 

Byström draws much of his inspiration from acts such as Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, Röyksopp, and the Swedish band Kite, while Ganters contributes a vocal style shaped by years of choral singing and early influences, including the Eurythmics. 

The Debut (2024): 

They first gained attention with their debut single, "Stuck in the Reality." 

First Album (2025): 

In August 2025, the duo released their debut album, "Some Kind of Start," via platforms such as Bandcamp. The album was acclaimed within the synth community and highlighted by the international music blog *Synthpop Fanatic* as one of the best albums of the year. 

Live Performances (2026): 

In the summer of 2026, the duo made their notable debut performance at the *Synth i Molkom* festival in Värmland, an event also featured in a segment by SVT Värmland.

Performing Arts Collaboration (2026/2027): 

In the autumn of 2026, they released the singles "Numb" and "Enfant Adulte." These tracks mark the beginning of a larger collaboration with poet Patric Hamsch Furudal for an upcoming stage production, set to premiere in 2027. 

Pressrelease: 

**Enfant Adulte** is a collaboration between Swedish electronic duo Rymdverket and poet Hamsch, exploring the lasting impact of a childhood shaped by addiction and instability.

Through deeply personal poetry and atmospheric electronic soundscapes, the track tells a story of growing up in a world where adults fail to provide safety, and how those early experiences continue to echo throughout adult life. 

Blending spoken word with cinematic, emotionally charged electronic music, *Enfant Adulte* is the first of four musical chapters from the upcoming stage production *Jag har alltid varit som vackrast när jag är som fulast* (I Have Always Been at My Most Beautiful When I Am at My Ugliest), scheduled for 2027. 

Rymdverket @ FACEBOOK 

Supported by Muzik Mag Sweden

 

DJ Thessla / Tobbe P

SOFTWAVE

Well, I have now gone through some of the earlier releases in October, time now for some from this Friday, NEW SYNTHMUSIC FRIDAY and first up is SoftWave that released "things we´ve remixed" most recently. 

SoftWave is a Danish synth-pop duo formed in 2014, consisting of singer Catrine Christensen and keyboardist/producer Jerry Olsen. They have quickly established themselves as a prominent name in modern European electro-pop, often described by music critics as "Denmark’s answer to Erasure" due to their strong, catchy melodies and infectious choruses. 

SoftWave delivers melodic and energetic synth-pop rooted in the classic electronic pop of the 1980s. Jerry Olsen provides the analog and digital synth sounds, while Catrine Christensen contributes clear, powerful vocals. Their songwriting is characterized by bright, uplifting melodies paired with lyrics that frequently explore human relationships, existential questions, and our reliance on technology. 

The duo started the band with no prior experience in the music industry, driven by a clear and strong vision. In 2016, they independently released their debut EP, *Together Alone*, which quickly garnered attention from international synth-pop DJs and radio stations. 

Their first full-length album, *Game On*, was released in 2019 and received high praise from reviewers in both the United States and Europe. Tracks such as "Something Is Missing" and "Galaxy Of Stars" solidified their standing within the indie scene. 

Their major international breakthrough arrived in early 2020, when electronic pioneers Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) invited SoftWave to serve as the opening act for the Scandinavian leg of their *Souvenir* tour. In connection with this, the duo also released an acclaimed cover of OMD’s classic song "Souvenir." 

The group has built a strong network throughout Europe. Among other things, they have produced official remixes for Erasure singer Andy Bell and synth-pop icon Cicero. In October 2026, they released their compilation album *things we've remixed*, featuring interpretations of SoftWave’s music by artists from six different countries. 

The band’s success has resonated beyond the Nordic region as well. They have, for instance, gained recognition at the international music event ISSA Awards in the United States, where they won silver in 2024 and were finalists once again in 2026. 

Pressrelease: 

1 album. 6 countries. 9 remixes. 

A decade of connections. Danish synthpop duo SoftWave brings together international electronic artists from across the European synth scene on things we’ve remixed — a nine-track collection reimagining songs from their award-winning album things we’ve done. Moving between melodic synthpop, darkwave, electronic pop, atmospheric electronics and club-oriented production, the album features remixers from Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Scotland, Greece and Hungary. 

Featured collaborators include Scottish electronic artist Cicero, known for releases and collaborations connected to the Pet Shop Boys universe, ASPRA, the solo project of Sophia Sarigiannidou from Greek synthpop duo Marsheaux, and Hungarian dark synthpop duo Black Nail Cabaret. The album also features Swedish electronic artists Diskodiktator and Octolab, German duo Vainerz, Danish artists Antilles and SACKI, as well as a remix by SoftWave’s own producer Jerry Olsen. 

SoftWave @ FACEBOOK 

Supported by Muzik Mag Sweden

 

DJ Thessla / Tobbe P

ROTERSAND

We continue with music that have been released earlier in October. The new single/EP "Merging Oceans/Trains" from Rotersand came out October 16. 

Rotersand is an influential German music project founded in 2002 by musicians Gunther Gerl ("Gun") and Rascal Nikov ("Rascal"), along with producer and DJ Krischan J.E. Wesenberg. 

The band is strongly associated with futurepop, EBM (Electronic Body Music), techno, and progressive trance. They combine heavy, danceable beats—designed for the club floor—with melodic, atmospheric synth textures. 

Unlike many other acts within the genre, Rotersand is known for intelligent, critical, and often political lyrics. Their songs frequently address themes such as modern capitalism, the impact of social media on individuals, and the erosion of empathy in society. 

They made their breakthrough in 2003 with the EP *Merging Oceans* and their debut album, *Truth Is Fanatic*. Tracks like "Exterminate Annihilate Destroy" became massive club hits worldwide and topped the German alternative charts. 

In 2026, the band will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a series of new singles, following the release of their latest acclaimed album, *Don't Become The Thing You Hated*. 

Rotersand @ FACEBOOK 

Supported by Muzik Mag Sweden

 

DJ Thessla / Tobbe P

DEFLEXITY

One of my favourite tracks that have been released so far in October is "Confession" and the light version from Deflexity that release music through the label skyQode.

Deflexity is primarily known as a music project within the witch house and electro-industrial genres. Based in Saint Petersburg, Russia, the project is helmed by music producer Dennis (also known as Dennis Deflexity). 

The music is characterized by dark, heavy, and immersive soundscapes. The style blends electronic and industrial elements with the mysterious, languid aesthetic typical of the witch house genre. On its official channels, the project is described as a world of "demons" and dark vibes. 

Deflexity @ FACEBOOK 

Supported by Muzik Mag Sweden

 

DJ Thessla / Tobbe P