Join Us

By the time Montreal-based synthwave group Le Matos released their debut album, Join Us, in 2013, they'd been producing tracks, remixes, and music videos for about seven years. By this point, their sound (which they refer to as "outrun," similar to Kavinsky's debut album, which also finally arrived in 2013) was as complete and developed as possible. Le Matos mine numerous elements of '80s action movie soundtracks and synth pop -- glossy synths, racing beats, heart-tugging melodies -- but they do so without going over the top into kitsch. Their tracks are lengthy and almost entirely suited for the dancefloor. There are similarities between their music and French electro-house artists like Vitalic or any number of producers signed to Ed Banger, but Le Matos aren't quite as rough or bass-heavy. There's something smooth, sleek, and nuanced about what they do. More so than any other artists associated with the synthwave scene, Le Matos seem like an act who could cross over to fans of trance and progressive house, thanks to their epic, sweeping, perfectly paced tracks. The album opens with "King's Filth," which takes its time to build up suspense with slower rhythms and sparkling arpeggios before the 4/4 thump brings everything together a few minutes into the track. "Overdog" is the most immediately memorable tune, placing a simple, wistful melody over a chugging beat and continuing the cycle until it's thoroughly washed. On the album version of previously released single "58 Minutes Pour Vivre," they pick up the pace and add guitars and film dialogue samples that speak of seeking information in order to prevent world destruction. Later in the album, Drive soundtrack alumni Electric Youth pop up, joining Le Matos for the ecstatic electropop anthem "Light Again." Following the release of this album, Le Matos would go on to score the acclaimed post-apocalyptic thriller Turbo Kid, exposing a larger audience to their synth mastery, but Join Us remains their mission statement. ~ Paul Simpson