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An Engulfing And Classic Synthwave Record from Valley Lights

Growing up in the '80s and '90s, I was exposed to some outstanding movies. During that time, movies had a very specific soundtrack. Whether it was sci-fi, action, drama, or anything else, there were always soundtracks that served as a sign of the times.


I rarely hear a record that's able to harness that kind of semi-nostalgic and rich, full-bodied synthwave vibe the way that the new record from Valley Lights does.


The album is called Devil May Care, and it absolutely captures the filmic, cinematic, and vast soundscapes that drip neon lights and feed into our inner child.


This is a brilliant record with a lot of attention paid not only to arrangements, but the tones of those synthesizers, the drive of the beats, and the way the vocals come across in the same style of classic robustness that you itch for when you hear songs like these.


So, without further ado, let's dive into this record.


The whole thing opens up with the track called "Giving Up On You", which comes in with a great synth, bright, colorful, catchy, and some overlapping guitars that play melodic hooks, single note, almost like solos.


Underneath all of that, you have a massive spaciousness that happens. And float through the song's ether, thickening everything up and giving layers of depth that let the whole track sort of engulf you.


When I say cinematic, this is exactly what I mean.


The vocals go from verses into massive choruses that are boisterous and very memorable, along with the beat going full swing and giving not just drive, but this massive amount of beautifully approached honesty.


"Fading Light" is another track that really hit me hard. The synth work on this one was absolutely outstanding, blending in the edginess with the flavorful melodies as the record does consistently, and the vocals were just passionately performed. You can feel certain levels of intensity rise when you listen to tracks like this one, and I love how it never lets go of the pop sensibility, or the air of neo-sci-fi cinema from the '80s that likely inspired most of this stuff.


With records like this one, you have a lot of branching out. New Wave, post-punk, indie-pop, straight electro pop, and so much more, but it's bundled into this wonderfully packaged aesthetic that you can tell this artist holds close to his heart.


This is absolutely an album you listen to all the way through, in one shot. There are more than a few surprises around, and songs have this unique way of almost interconnecting, similar to what you might hear on a concept album.


Now, I'm not saying this is a concept album because I don't think it actually is, but the songs do have a confluent feel in terms of intertwining and being able to deliver stories, which is another thing the record boasts a lot of.


This album has loads of storytelling, and for me, it was a big selling point. This is mostly because when you hear songs like this, they are actually so cinematic that you know they have to have a story behind them.


"Boomerang" is another one that really stands out for me, mostly because it's got probably the most radio-friendly and catchy set of attributes out of the record.


The verses, riffs, and choruses all have memorable hooks and melody lines running through them.


This was such a big record.


It's got a wonderful blend of that sonic drive, breeding these gigantic, almost fantastical atmospheres, and a tasteful melodic approach, along with that attention to detail. The way each synthesizer is layered on top of the other. The tones of the instruments. The way everything is put together so that you have songs that build up and out.


Most of all, the album has character. I think this is one of the biggest things you end up sort of attaching to. The records got a lot of character to the point where it's almost like chapters in a book.


You wouldn't skip chapters in a book, so I wouldn't suggest skipping songs on this record either.


This is a driving and blissfully perfected, heartfelt classic synthwave record that nails the sound it's going for.


I'm absolutely in love with this album, and I already explained why earlier.


Being able to capture that nostalgic sense of the way things felt when you watched classic films for the first time is not an easy thing to do.


Valley Lights pulls it off seemingly without a hitch.


I'm definitely impressed by this, and if you're a fan of any kind of electronic, synthwave, synth-pop, indie pop, retro wave, whatever you want to call it, you're going to love this album.


You don't want to miss it.


So, for example, I love artists like Timecop1983, Gunship, and others like it. Valley Lights falls right into this category.


It also brings a breath of fresh air along with it.


The album is 10 tracks in length and worth every minute.


So, put on some headphones; that's absolutely the best way to listen to this album, and dive into it. Do not miss this one.

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