Joy Electric was truly unlike anyone or anything in '90s and '00s synth-pop: an all-analog eccentric in every way, from his hardware and fashion sense to his pouty falsetto and high-fantasy (but also very Biblical) lyrics. Ronnie Martin (brother to Starflyer 59's Jason Martin) dropped the moniker long ago, and returns to the Electric vibe under his given name in a reclamation of sorts.
"From the Womb of the Morning, The Dew of Your Youth Will Be Yours," a title and chorus taken directly from Psalm 110, nods at the heavy synthwave textures that have become so popular in the past decade, not to mention a heightened sense of M83-style pop drama. But spend any time with 1994's Melody or 2001's Legacy: The White Songbook and there's a clear through line from Martin's inquisitive synth reveries to the neon-lit profiles that litter Bandcamp with '80s nostalgia. Dazzlingly complex in its glittering arrangement, pushed to the edge by hard-hitting drum machine beats, and featuring a vocal delivery both aged and sure, this is a fabulous reintroduction and discovery.
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