Rounding the bend with their tribute to ’80s synth pop is Saskatchewan. This quartet of Floridians headed by Chandler Strang is hitting the synth extra hard, sending out morose, ambient vibes to the masses. Pretty fitting for a band that places itself into a genre called “nostalgic pop.” The band released their debut album titled Occasion in April of this year. Full of moody, atmospheric sound, this album is certainly nostalgic for the heyday of synth pop, painting a watercolor of sound with electronic brushes.
One track from the album is titled “Spellbound,” and rightly so. This sleepy song will have you hypnotically swaying before you even know what’s happening. A dreamy amalgamation of noises, it dances along a never-ending path of tranquility and never gets above a possible 5 on an energy scale of 1 to 10. The sound is so synthy that even the vocals sound like they were computer generated, floating above the electronic bass like the lightest brush strokes of a painting. If you let it, “Spellbound” may just transport you to a new state of consciousness.