The resurgence of 80s music tropes has coincided perfectly with my recent transition to life on the coast. Something about the combination of modern synths and stripped-down drum machines taps into the opposition of dry heat and cool breeze during the summer. In the past month, ABRA’s “CRYBABY” and Autumn In June’s “HEROin KIDZ” in particular have soundtracked moment after hazy moment.
A new addition to my sun-drenched rotation comes from Blu J’s remix of A-Trak and Phantogram’s summery house explosion, “Parallel Lines.” It reminds me why I’m so happy the classic 808 sound has regained popularity at 128 BPM as the crisp, kick-to-hat beat is timeless. When tracks like the “Parallel Lines” remix are pulsing through the speakers and pink-and-purple neon signs dot the landscape around me, the essence of today’s time and space fades away until the blinding light of my phone receiving a Twitter notification smashes the reset button.
That reminds me, I have a nice view of neon-lit buildings from my balcony…you can find me out there listening to Blu J’s “Parallel Lines” remix til that notification comes.
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