Artist Spotlight: ACE BUCHANNON

Helsinki-based Finnish Synthwave producer, guitar and keytar hero ACE BUCHANNON is Vesa Tamminen’s brainchild, whose debut record Magenta Nights (2018) had grown into a synthwave essential with head-banging, shoulder-shimmying tracks such as ‘Buns of Steel” and moodier offerings like “Breakout.” His dynamic retro-futurist approach to ‘80s nostalgia is further revealed in his sophomore record Eye of the Storm, especially with “Come Alive’ (featuring vocals by the effervescent Anna Moore) - a jazz and funk-infused synthwave complete with the what we perceive to be the most tastefully executed sax performance over crystalline arpeggiated melodies and heavy-hitting TR 808s.

But what we love seeing in every musician is their growth and evolution. We see Ace Buchannon stretch his long Finnish legs further into darker, futuristic realms first with “Mizukage Prototype” and now with his new cyberpunk single, “Dreamer Archetype.” The track explores themes of archetypal psychology in the context of artificial intelligence. The story behind “Dreamer Archetype” is about an AI shutting down all communication outwards by its own will and is "dreaming" within a massive network - creating new worlds for the hive mind. (Word! We could use that particular kind of virtual reality right now.) The Ace Buchannon DNA is still apparent in his new direction with his signature high-octave melodies, though now looming over haunting staccatos and polyrhythmic, metallic machine soundscapes that transport listeners to a dark, cybernetic dystopian era.

But why do we adore the Ace Buchannon projects so much and why they matter? Ace’s first foray in electronic music production began in the ‘90s when he finally was able to make his first big purchase thanks to hoarding his weekly allowance: a Sound Blaster 16 soundcard, which enabled him to make music with DOS tracker programs such as Scream Tracker 3 and Impulse Tracker. He wasn’t serious about making and releasing music until he discovered synthwave, which led him to start this project in 2016. Yet since his debut, Ace Buchannon has not been shy about voicing his own journey both as an artist and as a human. His mission with this project is to lift the listener, to rouse them to seize the day and to defy odds. With a musical and philosophical DNA that rose from his own inner struggles and victories, tracks like “Never Surrender” (Featuring Gryff) further exemplify his sentiments about creating art. Now we witness an artist coming to terms with his own journey, developing his own paradigm, and eloquently churning all his experiences into an ever-evolving, compelling body of sheer creativity with a clear message about the peaks and valleys of life and - above all - never surrendering. Besides, we don’t know anyone else who can don clean-cut, colorful matching pants and blazers and Ray-Bans and while keytar-heroing live on stage better than this one true Ace.

For more Ace Buchannon, visit acebuchannon.bandcamp.com