Synthetic 4

Over these four releases recorded during a series of visits to the National Music Centre in Calgary and Vintage Synthesizer Museum in Los Angeles from 2020 to 2025, Aucoin has trawled the depths of sonic history to demonstrate the incredible range and depth of what a synthesizer is and what it can be, and the tremendous, malleable impact its presence has had on musical construction, sound and song.

Seasons 1 through 3 saw famous synths such as Moogs, Rolands and ARPs take the stage, but Season 4 sees Aucoin digging even deeper with inclusions of the rare Buchla 200a Electric Music Box, the E-mu Modular System, an Ondes Martenot and especially the McLeyvier, the latter of which has never before been used in recorded music and of which only a handful exist.

A record featuring the history of synths is also one that reflects upon the history of modern pop and dance music itself–in addition to Air and Moby throughout we hear the echoes and tones of French filter (Daft Punk, Justice and Jean-Michel Jarre on “Chroma”); the IDM heroes of Warp/Rephlex (Squarepusher on “E-Mu Pt II” and Plaid on “Ondes”, among others); to the late 70s yellow Italo-horror film soundtracks of Goblin (“Giallo”). Throughout we hear homages to these artists and the role they played in using synths to bring musical dreams to life, and yet also, Aucoin manages to simply deliver an enjoyable and fun record to throw on while going for a drive or dancing in the moonlight. What could simply be a technical thought exercise is instead a labor of love, for the output is not just sounds but music, sweet, sweet music.