Rich Aucoin - Synthetic Season 4 (2025) [Hi-Res]

Musician and musicologist Rich Aucoin explores the significant role of the synthesizer in modern music through his four-album, 43-track series, Synthetic. Recorded between 2020 and 2025 at the National Music Centre and Vintage Synthesizer Museum, these releases showcase the vast range of the synthesizer's capabilities and its impact on musical creation. While the first three seasons featured well-known instruments like Moog and Roland, Season 4 digs deeper into history by including rare synthesizers such as the Buchla 200a, E-mu Modular System, the historical 1928 Ondes Martenot, and the McLeyvier. The latter, a rarer instrument that was a precursor to the CMI Fairlight and had never before been used in recorded music, is featured on its titular track in a bold combination of grandeur, reminiscent of Air and Moby, with an unexpected drum n' bass finale. Aucoin's project is not just a technical exploration but also a reflection on the history of modern pop and dance music, paying homage to artists like Daft Punk, Justice, Squarepusher, and Goblin, who used synths to realize musical visions. Overall, Synthetic delivers a joyful, enjoyable record that serves as a "labor of love" for the synthesizer's potential.

Tracklist:
1-1 Rich Aucoin - Drone Day [0:51]
1-2 Rich Aucoin - The Electric Music Box [3:39]
1-3 Rich Aucoin - 303 [2:12]
1-4 Rich Aucoin - E-mu [2:46]
1-5 Rich Aucoin;Cloverdale - E-mu Pt. II [2:52]
1-6 Rich Aucoin - Spirit [3:16]
1-7 Rich Aucoin - Spirit Pt. II [1:57]
1-8 Rich Aucoin - Giallo [2:23]
1-9 Rich Aucoin - McLeyvier [4:15]
1-10 Rich Aucoin - Ondes Martenot [3:31]
1-11 Rich Aucoin - Frequency Modulation [3:12]
1-12 Rich Aucoin - Amplitude Modulation [3:30]
1-13 Rich Aucoin - Chroma [3:07]
1-14 Rich Aucoin - Pentaphonic [3:17]
1-15 Rich Aucoin - Anemoia [1:15]