Oceanside85 - GLOW

(Self-release 2018)

Remember G.L.O.W. (Glorious Ladies of Wrestling)? Of course you do. There was even a Netflix show about it! Sadly, fan favorite Matilda the Hun has a severe form of Lupus, and thanks to the ridiculous health care system in the USA, she can't afford treatment. For this reason Synthwave producer Oceanside85 has created the album, GLOW--the proceeds for which go to Matilda's fundraiser (link directly to her fundraiser here).



GLOW is a solid release in the "aerobics video" style of synthwave. The opener, "Tina Ferrari," defintiely has that legwarmers-and-lycra feel to it. "Soul Patrol" brings the retro electro vibes--reminds me a little of Damokles or Robots with Rayguns. My favorite track is "Roxy Astor," which has a great sense of space and atmosphere. All the tracks are upbeat and fun, and the mix feels solid with good balance and a nice crispness to it.

My main issue is that there often seems to be something missing from the tracks--even the good ones. This is a frequent problem I find with the new generation of synthwave producers, that there's either a bit too much going on or not quite enough. It's an editing thing, really. If you are going minimalistic, then everything needs to be perfectly economical. But if minimalism is not your goal, then you need to fill the gaps and voids with the stuff that wants to be there. Just enough stuff, that is. It is a balancing act, and while Oceanside85 comes close to finding that balance, I think she can do better.

Overall, though, this is a fun release for a good cause. Definitely worth checking out.

Score: 8.0