Described as a collaborative project with her long time musical partner Laura Fares (or LAU as she is credited across the album), ‘Synthian’ is Nina’s long awaited 2nd album. Following up the delightful ‘Sleepwalking’, which gave rise to Nina’s ascension to the Queen of Synthwave throne, should have been difficult but there is no sophomore slump here. The album stays true to the synthfam, the growing collective of artists and fans enjoying an 80s synth music surge (we won’t call it a revival because for most of us it never went away!) but also shows considerable growth.
Several collaborators from ‘Sleepwalking’ are still apparent including producer Oscillian who seems an integral part of Team Nina. His production and songwriting are attached to the bulk of the record. Pop enigma Richard X also reappears. The real revelation here is the introduction of legendary writer and producer Ricky Wilde (brother of Kim and responsible for some of the best pop music from the 80s to today). Nina herself has a co-write on every track so be very clear this is someone very much in control of their sound and development.
The album opens with the title track – very much a statement of what to expect across the record. The synth lines are crisper and cleaner than ever and it’s an anthem for every synth nerd boy/girl out there. It’s the song that should make girls want to program, produce and generally get familiar with synths whilst simultaneously letting boys (and men!) know it’s OK not to like every generic male fronted guitar band of the moment. Synths rock too!
Recent single ‘Automatic Call’ sounds even better in the context of the album and remains a standout. This one takes us very much into ‘Drive’ Soundtrack territory (see the video!) and indeed rumour has it Nina has an exciting project relating to that very movie and score on the neon lit horizon.
‘Runaway’ marks the first appearance of Ricky Wilde on co-production and co-writing duties. It’s a beautiful collision of the Nina sound with something undeniably Wilde in style. Who better to give Nina an authentic 80s sound than one of the most underrated talents the UK has ever produced (folks seem to forget that Ricky’s work with Kim contributed to her being the most charted UK female singles act of the 80s -fact!)? Written prior to lockdown it takes on an accidentally poignant note, a song of hope and positivity in troubled times. The “we gotta try” lyric is a punch the air moment if ever there was one.
‘Unnoticed’ is the power pop Eurobop moment on the album. Richard X extracts Nina’s best vocal across the collection – managing to channel both Laura Branigan and Robin Beck with a new found emotional wallop. Whilst listening to the track we couldn’t help but think that a Nina and Ollie Wride dark synth take on Boy Meets Girl’s ‘Waiting For A Star To Fall’ would be quite a treat!
The album’s first single, ‘The Calm Before The Storm’ hasn’t aged a bit and remains the truest synthwave track on ‘Synthian’. If ever a song made you visualise it in colours, it’s this one – we see pinks and purples every time.
Earlier this year synth newcomer They/Live released an album (‘Ablation’) where, in part, they suggested they are playing the character of an alien. This comes hot on the heels of Grace Lightman’s outstanding concept record ‘Silver Eater’ about an alien on the run from NASA. Nina has her other worldly human skin-shedding moment on ‘The Wire’ but rather than suggesting she has arrived from outer space she seems to be masquerading as a machine. It’s the deepest electronic cut on the album and fittingly Nina sings “digital…there’s a connection, when we’re fusing, analogue….never forget I could be human” before stating her time may expire.
Dana Jean Phoenix collaborator Till Wild (no relation to Ricky!) helps ‘Love Is Blind’ come over like a lost cut from Olivia Newton-John’s ‘Xanadu’ film before ‘Never Enough’ shows the most subtle and sensitive side of Nina. The track opens with a gorgeous sax intro from Frank Mead. It’s a lush and hypnotic track which swells into a John Hughes movie love theme making you yearn for a Molly Ringwald and Judd Nelson reunion. It’s handled so tastefully and the sound is rich and mature.
‘Gave Up On Us’ is the 2nd Ricky Wilde/Oscillian production and hardcore Kimmy fans might notice a fleeting nod to ‘House Of Salome’ in the intro before the track takes on a new direction – and indeed it’s one of Nina’s most upfront pop songs on the album – complete with a thumping finale.
‘Synthian’ closes with the dramatic and cinematic ‘The Distance’. Unlike anything else on the album it begins as an electronic lullaby before morphing into an epic soundscape and one which her beloved M83 would be proud of.
So, in summary, this is one of the pop albums of the year. An artist at the peak of her form and going from strength to strength, pushing the boundaries and pre-conceptions of the synthwave genre.
‘Synthian’ is out on Friday 5 June on Aztec Records with download, limited edition CD/vinyl – previous singles are below
https://soundcloud.com/ninasounduk/automatic-call
https://soundcloud.com/ninasounduk/the-calm-before-the-storm
Teases and Dares 
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