Counting down my favorite synthpop, futurepop, and darkwave songs of the month.
Written by: Chris Brandon
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Here are my favorite songs of the month in synthpop, futurepop, darkwave, and adjacent genres. If you want to follow my music discovery this year, subscribe to my 2025 playlist on Spotify. New songs are added every Friday. Sort by “Date Added” to see new tracks appear at the top of the playlist.
10. Alex Braun – “Zeitfresser”
Former !Distain singer Alex Braun delivers a playful synthpop track that opens with a cuckoo clock and the words “Tick tock, tick tock.” The title “Zeitfresser” translates to “time eaters,” making the sly nod to TikTok all the more fitting. Beneath its bouncy beat and slick production from uber-producer Gerrit Thomas lies a subtle commentary on digital distraction. It’s catchy, clever, and bound to get stuck in your head.
9. Lucy Dreams – “Be Here Now”
Austrian band Lucy Dreams makes dreamy synthpop that sounds absolutely spacey. “Be Here Now” floats on whispery vocals and starry synths, but what really makes it stick is the clever, knob-twisting synth squiggle that launches each bar. It’s hypnotic and atmospheric—a soft, strange little beauty.
8. Circuit Preacher x CZARINA – “Fall Damage”
“Fall Damage” takes two charismatic artists far outside their comfort zones. CZARINA’s otherworldly, orchestral production blends beautifully with deeper male vocals. Circuit Preacher, who normally warps his gravelly voice into an electrified menace, offers a clean, grounded vocal that feels surprisingly vulnerable. The result casts a dramatic spell with the presence and scope of an alt-darkwave anthem. I could listen to an entire album of this.
7. Propter Hoc – “Lonesome Vampire”
Comparing late-night clubbers to bloodsucking vampires is a well-worn trope, but Propter Hoc brings warmth and wit to the concept. “Lonesome Vampire,” from the new album Seduction and Betrayal, is a song about dancing alone in a club. Like other tracks on the record, it mines charm from analog synths—including impressive bongo-style percussion—that give it a warm, vintage palette.
6. Hatif – “Direction”
Hatif continues to create some of the most inventive sounds in modern synthpop. “Direction” is the Swedish duo’s second single this year and the fourth in the lead-up to what’s shaping up to be a fantastic album. It’s built on a rubbery synth rattle that creates unsettling tension, then topped with their trademark Middle Eastern melodies that swirl with emotion.
5. Lizette Lizette – “Work”
“Work” is a mid-tempo anthem for the overworked and underappreciated. Over a steady-thumping beat, Swedish artist Lizette Lizette laments the working life, channeling the same desk-job disillusionment that Fever Ray explored on their most recent album. There’s a sadness here that’s deeply relatable—especially for anyone who’s felt let down by their job.
4. Pixel Grip – “Split”
Chicago trio Pixel Grip takes a more melodic route on their follow-up to last year’s filthy, absolutely ridonculous club banger “Stamina.” “Split” leans into a more traditional structure, but it’s still full of menace and bite. The song’s lilting verses smoothly transition into a progressive chorus that peaks with Rita Lukea screaming the word “SPLIT!”
3. BLACKBOOK – “Suffer in Silence”
Another month, another BLACKBOOK banger. The unstoppable Swiss duo generates emotional weight out of dynamic tempo shifts, shimmering piano arrangements, and soaring melancholy. “Suffer in Silence” is moody, melodic, and packed with feeling—my favorite kind of BLACKBOOK song.
2. CYLiX – “Devotion”
Greek duo CYLiX delivers a dark electronic banger with “Devotion,” from their just-released sophomore album Beta Life. Over a heavy thumping beat, they slice through the mix with a big, sinister synth riff that builds tension in the verses before exploding into a huge chorus. It’s got that mid-2000s club energy that would slot perfectly alongside VNV Nation or Rotersand.
1. SJÖBLOM – “Weirdo (Universe Mix)”
I rarely include remixes in my end-of-month countdowns, but Swedish project SJÖBLOM has done more than just remix “Weirdo”—they’ve reimagined it entirely. Gone is the jangly guitar from the 2024 original, replaced with lush electronic arrangements and a vibrating synth riff that hits hard in stereo headphones. The result is a shimmering synthpop confection and a romantic ode to the weirdo in your life. Don’t let them go.
