Today on the best synth wave chat show there is Andy catches up with longtime pal and synthwave OG Mike Mendoza—aka Who-ha, Modern Knight, and the man behind Retro Promenade—for a sprawling conversation about creativity, nostalgia, and whether synthwave is dead or merely “no longer culturally ascendant.”
They discuss Mike’s return to making music, the satisfaction of learning your tools, AI-generated slop versus genuinely useful AI, and how new technology is helping them resurrect old projects. And it wouldn’t be an episode of Beyond Synth without a bunch of complaining, video game talk, and general off topic silliness. The gentlemen also try and eulogize Tim Curry and Peter Cullen, but then that just becomes Andy talking about King Willy from Predator 2 which has nothing to do with anything.
If you like what you’re hearing you can support Beyond Synth on Patreon: www.patreon.com/beyondsynth or PayPal: www.paypal.com/paypalme/beyondsynth
Check Out MODERN KNIGHT here:
https://soundcloud.com/modernknightly
https://modernknight.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3qbXYP5qPi1Sd0XrP8cnCN
https://www.instagram.com/modernknightly/
https://www.youtube.com/user/thetheWhoWhoHaHa
Today’s Playlist:
Who Ha & STARFORCE - “My Fantasy”
https://soundcloud.com/starforce
https://starforce.bandcamp.com/
http://aphasiarecords.bandcamp.com/album/omniversal-oscillations
Magic Sword - “Side Quest (Droid Bishop Remix)”
https://soundcloud.com/magic-sword
https://magic-sword.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6PzFRXjgGHQw6K4WeERMK1
Droid Bishop:
http://droidbishop.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0HPVHsbV2yIYPp2Pk4kdHe
https://www.instagram.com/droidbishop/
PULSITHER - “Space Dream”
https://neonretrorecords.bandcamp.com/album/space-dream
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1TKEbmEiwhqeigZMfqPFcg
https://www.instagram.com/neonretrorecords/
DAN TERMINUS - “Live Is To Haunt”
https://soundcloud.com/dan-smith-terminus
http://dan-terminus.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/danterminusindustries/
Emil Rottmayer - “Departure”
https://soundcloud.com/emil-rottmayer
https://emilrottmayer.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2UuvaSzB0VNumArR71ReMT
Roger Raw - “Bliss”
https://soundcloud.com/rogerraw
https://rossocorsarecords.bandcamp.com/album/neon-sunset
https://www.instagram.com/rogerraw/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/69c8xGWEjlFr47o2VMtS7N
Hideotronic - “People Machine”
https://soundcloud.com/hideotronic
http://hideotronic.bandcamp.com
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2fbKUtuqbMy9695ieFtFcX
GEORGE ERGEMLIDZE - “Psycho”
https://soundcloud.com/georgeergemlidze
https://ergemlidze.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/38LvPFlgQ19IPv07bvI32H
jacket. & New Arcades - “Hold You Up”
https://soundcloud.com/jacketsynthwave
https://jacketsynthwave.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7dBdh9JWiaj8RanPakxQ6d?si=-3D0w7kTRD6unPoUKhamUg
New Arcades:
https://soundcloud.com/newarcades
https://newarcades.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/newarcades/
Mild Peril - “Pure Reality”
https://soundcloud.com/mildperil
https://mildperil.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/mild.peril/
Young Empress - “Heart Attack”
https://soundcloud.com/young-empress-725718952
https://open.spotify.com/album/42fSZHGm9KWBvymIN9ye0M
https://www.instagram.com/yngempress/
Caspro & Decisive Koala - “Come Cruise With Us”
https://soundcloud.com/caspromusic
https://caspromusic.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2jtjyIKx9XY1wuIc5UKwSp
Decisive Koala:
https://soundcloud.com/decisivekoala
https://decisivekoala.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4WWpuWvJQum5ylWMjvDPHT
Cassetter & CONNÖR - “No Remorse”
https://soundcloud.com/cassetter
https://cassetter.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6rzOP8pWzUuXlniCGCtrcE
CONNÖR:
https://www.instagram.com/connor_retro/
https://connoer.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6WFKMDluecw7Yy9PS4t0lI
