Synth music has returned to the limelight. Today’s biggest names in pop such as Dua Lipa and The Weeknd sample 80s inspired synth sounds to enhance their latest singles and fans are embracing this display of nostalgia with open arms. There’s one slight problem. When traced back to its origin, the synth revival began in the underground music circuit.
Performative, visual, and recording artist Geneva Jacuzzi and other small acts making a name for themselves in tiny venues with minimal instrumentation of lo-fi sounds. Jacuzzi is back to claim what’s her with a reissue of her 2010 debut album Lamaze (via Mexican Summer). Even after nearly eleven years since its release, the album easily fits within the wide variety of synth music in 2021.
Jacuzzi’s sense of humor has always been reflected in her music without coming off as a parody of the 80s artists she’s influenced by. True to the time period she was emulating, the album is a collection of songs recorded between 2004 and 2009 on various multitrack cassette machines.
On tracks like “Nonsense Nonsense” and “Love Caboose”, listeners can hear the separate synths and voice tracks coming together to form the song, almost like hearing the gears turn in your old Sony Walkman.
The song “Do I Sad?” has an upbeat drum beat and a shimmering synth line that perfectly capture the spirit of classic synthpop while foreseeing the musical directions of artists that would debut in the years following such as Boy Harsher and Grimes.
The songs on the latter half of the album take a different twist. The song “Group Dynamic” is a dystopian song that Jacuzzi describes as having “…an AI-meets-armageddon vibe…” Lines like “this is no love boat, it’s a cannibal cruise” reflect Jacuzzi’s darker side, all wrapped up in her signature funky synth sound reminiscent of 80s underground electro acts such as Krisma and Fashion.
While Jacuzzi’s later output would evolve into a brighter sound as well as fascinating remix work on other artists’ songs, Lamaze stands as a fresh take on the minimal synth popular in the European underground of the 80s as well as foreshadowing the wave of nostalgia that would permeate electronic music in the next decade.
To purchase your copy of Geneva Jacuzzi’s reissued 2010 album Lamaze, click here to be redirected to Bandcamp.
Want more of Geneva Jacuzzi? Be sure to connect with her across your favorite social media sites including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
