Synthpop duo Brighter Than A Thousand Suns have their sound perfectly dialed in on their most recent release.
Release date: April 7, 2026 | Independent | Instagram | Bandcamp
I have a bit of a fascination with the genre of media I refer to as ‘fake retro.’ I don’t mean in the way that people refer to 2010s synthwave as retro, I mean music that is convincingly aiming to sound like it wasn’t made in the last few years. Some great examples are the Everly Brothers-esque crooning of the Cactus Blossoms, or Twin Temple‘s ‘Satanic doo-wop.’ Even Los Angeles Power Disco has tapped into some sort of power ballad energy that feels like it could have been on the radio in a salon in Texas in 1986. But a lot of groups that try this tactic, specifically with electronic music, don’t quite hit the mark, aiming for a vague sonic aesthetic of mushy arpeggios and a half-assed vocoder on the chorus. That’s not fake retro, that is just boring contemporary electronica wearing a nostalgic hat.
North Carolina spousal duo Brighter Than A Thousand Suns are breaking this genre curse with the most authentically throwback synthpop I have ever heard. Their most recent full-length release, titled Private Faces, manages the impossible task of creating an accurately ’80s sound while still feeling unique and modern.
Album opener “One Touch” gives you a good glimpse into the overall palette of Private Faces; the synth horns and slap bass would be right at home on the old Weather Channel. The next two-and-a-half minutes are chock full of upbeat hooks that will leave you dancing and waiting for more. I sent Private Faces to a few people, and the reaction upon hearing this opener were identical – ‘you’re telling me this came out this year?‘
There are an enormous amount of sounds in the songs on this record. I know that’s probably a bit obvious, but I am very impressed by Brighter Than A Thousand Suns‘ ability to intricately layer an absolute boatload of synths and drum machines. The result is an album that feels extremely complete, with a ton of textures to sift through on repeat listens, like little Easter eggs for giant nerds. The sheer variety of instrumentation also pairs nicely with singer Angelika Roswell‘s voice, which is crystal clear and soaring throughout.
While I liked every single track of Private Faces, the standout both conceptually and musically for me is “God For Hire”. You can tell by the central conceit of the title that this one is going to be a banger, and the opening verse delivers on that promise:
‘I can hear your true confessions
I can be your next obsession
I can be your true identity
‘cause faith is cheap when you can buy belief
In a god eat god economy‘
Awesome. “God For Hire” shows Private Faces‘ trademark cleverness and mildly horny nature, with the chorus demanding you to ‘kneel before your god for hire.‘ It’s an unbelievably catchy track that encapsulates a lot of what I love about this album – super fun and cerebral at the same time.
Relatedly, I think Private Faces has the most cutting and heady lyrics I’ve heard in a long while. This puts it at odds with a lot of other synthpop, which can veer into the vapid realm. The contrast between the up-tempo music and lyrics that bemoan the political and educational degradation of the United States makes for a gripping ride, and I found that I had a much deeper listening experience than the average electronica album.
“Incurious” expresses the unique frustrations of dealing with someone who just does not use their fucking brain: ‘Myopia’s gotten serious/You make me furious/You’re so incurious.’ “Linguicide” explores increasing censorship online, both self-imposed and demanded by the algorithm: ‘Speak in code to be compliant/Integrity is much too quiet.‘ And “Break Through the Noise”, another favorite track, takes the most direct aim at the utterly decrepit state of US politics:
‘If we give another voice
Another catastrophe
We can simulate the choice
And normalize insanity‘
That’s the good stuff. You don’t get juicy shit like this from, say, The Midnight, or other more mainstream groups in this zone. That’s not a dig, but it is an accepted genre norm, and I’m pleased that Brighter Than A Thousand Suns are strutting their stuff and setting themselves apart in the process. And while this may show my misandrist side, I think that the fact that the songs are sung by a woman (written by both Angelika and her husband Randy, who splits synth duty and mans the guitar) makes it feel less pretentious. If I heard these lyrics from a prog rock band fronted by a dude who looks like a wizard, I’d scoff. Here, the words are earnest to a fault, and the sadness and anger comes through completely devoid of detached irony or cynicism.
Private Faces is short, with just eight tracks over about a 25-minute runtime. I don’t hold that against it, but I do find the ‘waterfall release’ method – where an artist releases a series of EPs that build into the LP – to be kind of annoying. It’s not Brighter Than A Thousand Suns‘ fault that they did it this way, as a lot of music marketing whiz kids say that’s the best approach for various Spotify algorithm hacks. La Dispute infamously released 12 out of 14 tracks using this method last year, which I think is insane. For Private Faces, I found hearing over half of the songs prior to a release took the wind out of the sails a bit, but the reality is that I simply liked this album so much that I selfishly wanted more.
Brighter Than A Thousand Suns are clearly cooking with gas these days, dialing in their niche and sticking the landing. If you’re looking for music that is highly danceable, charmingly intellectual, and, of course, a little bit sexy, here’s your ace in the hole. See you at the leather club.
