Corsair Hyperlane, the latest release from Ionstar, is not unlike a righteous journey through a distant galaxy.  Hang on tight and don’t look back seems to be the message.  With 6-tracks only, the mad skills of this producer demonstrate both purpose and pleasure in what is being created.  We MOVE forward with this release and, as a result, so too does the genre.

With searing synths and waves upon waves of driving basslines, we get an epic release from Ionstar that blends synthwave sonics into an electro-funk look back at a future that has yet to be experienced.  It is oh so very Alex Rogan and that, to me, makes it essential listening for all you synth fliers out there.

The minute the very first song hits, with its driving rhythms, we are transported to the place where only conquerors of The Last Starfighter video game dare fly.  As the lead track, “Corsair Hyperlane”, is both ominous and battle-ready, preparing our ears for the imagination and the mood of things to come. {googleads}

It makes sense then that we are rewarded so early.  “Gunboat Recon” is a blistering assault of mood and melody as synths come crashing down upon a pulsating beat that simply hits hard with a retrowave canvas of melody.  The solos here are damn impressive, painting the colors of all the different stars and planets that go past our spaceship’s cockpit.  Alone, not alone; out here, there is but light.

The production on Corsair Hyperlane remains galactic as we press on with “Seven-Niner” and “Deathmachine”.  These two songs, offering the album’s first use of vocals – no matter distorted and conversational they are – and deliver amazingly haunting tracks that invite madness and movement.  Hard to sit still through these two tracks as they celebrate B-movie shenanigans and nighttime drives.  For my ears, “Seven-Niner”, inviting more time for reflection, is the standout track here. 

Yet, with “Cybernetic Warfare”, Ionstar brings the sweat-filled and souled-out sounds of a skull-crushing future funk apocalypse.  The landscape here is filled with a vision that is both gritty and slightly mad.  And just when you get comfortable with the spacey sonics, the producer takes it next level with the stellar synth antics of “Psychodeathbot”, a song that brings the entire journey to a bubbling conclusion.  Featuring Simon the Wave, the track is endlessly giddy, bursting with dialogue and cinematic fun. 

From beginning to end, Ionstar’s Corsair Hyperlane remains a fun and often blistering ride through the Star League.  Emotional and Starfighter-ready, this release comes highly recommended. 

Buy here: https://ionstar.bandcamp.com/album/corsair-hyperlane-album-2019