Daniel Deluxe
Ghostrunner (2lp)
For over a decade now, Daniel Deluxe has been a prolific force in the synthwave scene, especially focusing on the "outrun" subgenre where '80s sci-fi takes a noir turn. Across his work, he's exhibited a flair for cyberpunk, so it's no surprise that Deluxe has provided soundtracks for a number of video games. Of them, 2020's 'Ghostrunner' is perhaps his apex. Across its sprawling 20-track landscape, Deluxe explores atmospheres equal parts mysterious and murderous, with beats evaporating and kickstarting with sublime drama; everything feels tangible and indeed ghostly simultaneously. 'Ghostrunner' as a whole weaves a heady, heavy spell; while there are "hits" across that landscape, it's the totality of that sonic experience that makes the soundstrack such an engaging, idiosyncratic experience. With nods to the classic French electro on which he was raised as well as forerunners John Carpenter and Hans Zimmer, Daniel Deluxe's 'Ghostrunner' is truly titled!