The #neonretrofest2023 spotlight is on Sferro! One of the #synthwave artists who started it all in 2010, he's bringing a special DJ set of his own legendary releases to Neon Retrofest 2023. Hold on tight, because tickets go on sale this week and there's lots more to reveal!

The founder of Girlfriend Records, one of #synthwave's first music labels, Sferro's foundational sound helped to define the fledgling scene with EPs New Output and Wetware Computer, giving us some of the earliest #retrowave jams of a rad new genre.

And Sferro hasn't stopped. Remaining active throughout the years with numerous singles, albums, and collaborative releases, he'll be part of an evening showcasing some of the classic legends of retrowave at #neonretrofest2023. Listen more at https://girlfriendrecords.bandcamp.com/

Bringing a blistering Powerwave sound to the NEON stage, Megatronix is a Maryland-based duo consisting of Power Rob and Robbie Whiplash who will satisfy your lust for guitar-driven #Synthwave at #neonretrofest2023 in April!

Their first album, aptly titled Powerwave, exploded onto the scene in late 2019 to critical acclaim. Blending retro sci-fi aesthetics, expertly arranged synths, epic vocals, and slashing metal chords, @MegatronixMusic's power rock style is everything you want in a live show.

In 2021 they dropped the Limitbreaker EP, complete with a rad cover of the Rocky IV classic "No Easy Way Out" that has been spinning in our daily rotation as we scale the mountain that is planning a festival of this magnitude! Check them out NOW at: https://megatronix.bandcamp.com/music

Florida producer MAX OVERDRIVE 1986 is in the spotlight as he joins the growing NEON Retrofest Lineup

Great Outrun is hard to find these days, but Max Overdrive 1986 knows how to push the redline with brutal synthwave hooks that will get you on your feet!

Blending fearsome, pavement-tearing Outrun-style beats with cyberpunk-inspired samples that evoke the genre's earliest Darksynth vibes, Max Overdrive 1986 is part Miami Beach sunset cruise and part neon-noir dystopian skyline. Is this the sound of Florida Synthwave? We say: Yes.

Catch Max Overdrive 1986 in April as we take over #Tampa with the largest retro convocation in the universe. Until then, give his music a listen here: https://maxoverdrive1986.bandcamp.com/

It's time to put the pedal down. Synthwave's hottest rising star Power Rob from Aztec Records is now part of the NEON Retrofest lineup, bringing some of the best vocals in the genre to the NEON stage in April. We can't wait for this! Typically performing as part of the Megatronix duo, Power Rob's solo project seamlessly fuses addictive #80s #synth anthems that would not be out of place in 1987. His out-of-this-world vocals send us back in time to when electronic rock ruled the airwaves.

Power Rob's first EP, Runaway, hit in 2020 to critical acclaim, proving that he is paving the way for a new era of vocal-driven synthwave. We agree and know that you will too when you catch him at NEON Retrofest this year. Listen here: https://powerrob.bandcamp.com/

We’re kicking off a week of NEON Artist Spotlights! Today we're pumped to announce that Orlando-based synth powerhouse ACP Pro (http://acppro.net) is in the lineup. Combining an assault of synthwave on the darker side with 80s cold war aesthetics, you don't want to miss this act!

Vlad has begun a new solo chapter of the ACP Pro project with the recent release of Able Archer 83, a full album that bleeds Carpenter-inspired tension that injects a much needed fresh take into the horror synth side of the genre with vicious beats and razor-sharp arps.

We can't wait to see what ACP Pro brings to the stage at NEON 2023! If you want to hear more of what you're in for, check out https://acppro.bandcamp.com 🎹😎

We're thrilled to announce that Starfarer has joined the NEON Retrofest lineup! Since 2017, Starfarer has brought an awesome sci-fi edge to the #synthwave scene, dropping his self-titled first album in 2018 to excellent reviews and multiple featured tracks on NewRetroWave. Miguel of Starfarer kicked off live shows in 2018, bringing an undeniably rad presence to the stage mixing his iconic futuristic persona with laser-sharpened synth assaults. Since then he has been busy, releasing a flurry of top shelf synth from the outer reaches of space.

Catch Starfarer in April along with some of the best live #synthwave in the universe at #neonretrofest, and check out his music at https://starfarer.bandcamp.com/ - we know you won't miss this!

 The duo of Eric Garwood (Iterations) & Jonathan Lim formed Velocity 128 in 2017 for their monthly synthwave performances at Betamax Video Club in Washington, DC. The music being released through Jade Anvil Collective (as well as remixes for other labels) are studio versions of their live production and improvisational performances. Influenced by new wave, italodisco, and postpunk along with shoegaze and electronica, Velocity 128 performs a cinematic style of synthwave influenced by the 80s and 90s using hardware and software with modern production techniques.

Check them out at https://jadeanvilcollective.bandcamp.com/merch

Our next spotlight is on Von Kaiser! Founded in 2018, the band's blend of David and Kaylin's vocals mixed with smooth synthwave arpeggios consistently brings us back to a time we wish existed, but may never have. You do not want to miss them at NEON Retrofest 2023.

Hitting the scene with the release of "Landline" in 2019, Von Kaiser shook up what we expected from vocal-driven synthwave. Lyrically exploring rain-slick cyberpunk dystopias to vistas of 80s nostalgia, it's clear that Von Kaiser knows what makes this genre so compelling.

Their 2020 album "Ghosts of Miami" sonically painted faded tropical sunsets during the time that NEON was relocating to Florida. Hits like "Wavelengths" put Von Kaiser on the map as a force in modern vocal synthwave, leading to two more full length releases; “Animals" in 2021, and the outstanding "The End is the Beginning" in November of this year, explore addictive 80s synthpop beats and top-tier layered vocals. Listen to their tunes at https://vonkaiser.bandcamp.com and see them live at NEON in April!

We're thrilled to announce our next featured musician: MARVEL83' - A Prague-based producer, Jan (Marvel83') draws influence from the iconic synth scores that defined #80s film and the early Synthwave scene itself, mastering the now elusive sound that gave rise to the genre.

His first album, Genesis, hit in 2019 and marked a return to the foundational Retrosynth sound pioneered by MPM Soundtracks and Noir Deco. The spirit of Miami Vice effortlessly pervades each note of his work, evoking night drives, speedboat chases, and neon-drenched danger.

Since then, Jan has remained busy, releasing three more full length albums including the extremely nostalgic "Arcade Dreams," while also collaborating with Back in the Future, Kiile, bunnyX, RoxiDrive and other notable producers. Listen at https://soundcloud.com/marvel83 🌴🎹🌃🕶

We think it's fitting to kick off our artist spotlights with NEON 2018 performer Let Em Riot. Defining the distinctive LA Dreamwave sound, Alan Oakes is nothing short of a pioneer in the genre and one of the first Synthwave artists we discovered a decade ago. His first full length album on the NewRetroWave label, The Futurist, evokes hazy California liminality in a way no one else has. The faded nostalgic vibes of his follow up release, Years Later, hit in 2020 with a heavier synthpop edge that was undeniably Let Em Riot.

In 2021 Alan surprised us with Jetty, an instrumental Chillwave EP that feels like home to us here on the Gulf Coast of Florida. It dips its toes into modern vaporwave genres with tropical synths and sun-kissed beats.  

Check out his music at https://letemriot.bandcamp.com/. Welcome back, Alan!