“Lifetimes” is a Synthwave Anthem for an Anti-Dystopian Future

Zaxcess2_sm — Zaxcess, photo courtesy the artist

A lot of synthwave sounds like it’s reflecting the dystopian end of 80s science fiction and crime drama, as it should, as the 80s had more post-apocalyptic cinema per capita than any other decade unless you count the whole zombie thing. But “Lifetimes” by Zaxcess, the fourth track from its new The Takeover EP, sounds like what a sequel to Blade Runner soundtrack might be like if things worked out with Deckard and Rachael. Roy Batty’s expiration date turned out to be a false alarm and they all hung out in a tropical paradise with Gaff who decorated the landscape with even more elaborate and fanciful origami creatures. The melodies are bright and effervescent, the dynamic expansive and filled with a sense of joy and wonder. And hope, which is the antithesis of the cynicism that informs the dystopian aesthetic. Now that we live in fairly dystopian times, Zaxcess is offering the sound for a divergent vision of our future. Listen to “Lifetimes” on Soundcloud and follow Zaxcess at the links below.