Week 34 - December 27, 2024
EPISODE 34 of Z-GR! Radio
Z-GR! Radio overview right from your Host:
- My name is Scot Apathy – I’m the lead singer for Zero-G Racetrack, and I curate the ‘Floating Around the Racetrack’ Spotify/YouTube playlist. It’s not a pay for play list; I personally choose what’s on it based on what I hear. True story.
- For Z-GR! Radio, I pull from tracks/artists on the playlist (current and archived) and include newer finds that might not be on the list yet (but likely will be).
- The artists included come from myriad genres, geographical locations and stage of growth. I stay away from mainstream established artists, but I will play artists that I’ve followed as they grow. I love it when emerging artists gain traction, and I like to celebrate it.
- I include a cover song each week, and highly recommend checking out MetroVeteran’s (Ruel Smith) ‘Synthwave Covers’ Spotify playlist. There are 900+ great tracks on that list.
- I post a page like this each week to help you find out more about the artists you heard on this week’s show and to make it easy to do so.
- I’m working with NEWHD on a Featured Artist program, and I’ll note those artists as they appear.
Have fun with the list below, enjoy the artists/music and…
PLEASE share the page out on your Socials!
Episode Thirty Four - On Demand
Z-GR! Radio Episode Thirty Four Lineup
Candy Apple Blue - Special Star (Matt Pop Mix)
I know. I know, it seems like Matt Pop is the opener each week, but truth to tell, his high octane mixes are a great way to get things jumping, and this will be the second time we’ve opened the show with his remix of a cover of ‘80’s dance-pop legend Dead or Alive’s ‘Special Star’ by Pittsburgh Pop sibling duo Candy Apple Blue.
Candy Apple Blue:
Spotify | Linktree | Bandcamp | Instagram | TwitterX | Facebook
Matt Pop
Spotify | Linktree | Bandcamp | Instagram | Bluesky | TwitterX | Facebook
Kulintronica - Bang A Gong
Episode 13 featured Guest artist Kulintronica incorporates traditional Filipino Kulingtang gongs into a modern electronic dance sound – Their clever choice of covering the T-REX classic ‘Bang a Gong (Get it on)’ resulted in a fantastic cover of the song, and it really is the perfect anthem for a band that literally bangs a gong on every song.
Robots With Rayguns / Carl Gershon - Need U Tonight
Australian 80’s band INXS released ‘Need You Tonight’ in late 1987 and the song became their biggest hit and most enduring classic. Robots With Rayguns have joined with Carl Gershon to deliver a really great version of the track.
Robots With Rayguns:
Spotify | Linktree | Bandcamp | Instagram | TwitterX | Facebook
Carl Gershon:
Jaguar Grace, Neon Wolf - Destination Unknown (Jaguar + Wolf Rock Mix)
Episode 5’s cover of Missing Persons’ ‘Destination Unknown’ set a really high bar – Jaguar Grace and Neon Wolf absolutely nailed this one, bringing the 80’s staple forward with their own touch while remaining true to the vibe of the original. There are multiple killer mixes available, so make sure you check them out as well.
Jaguar Grace
Spotify | Linktree | Instagram | TwitterX | Facebook
Neon Wolf
Spotify | Linktree | Bandcamp | Instagram | Bluesky | | Facebook
Zero-G Racetrack - Bad Romance
I am the lead vocalist for Silicon Valley’s Zero-G Racetrack, and we never expected but are always completely humbled by the positive response we continue to receive for our take on Lady Gaga’s monster hit ‘Bad Romance’. We did get a bit lucky; we released the track just as the PR machine for Gaga’s ‘House of Gucci’ kicked into gear, and the cover has been well received by Gaga’s fanbase. Fun factoid – the track opens with the German translation of ‘More Cowbell’ just prior to…more cowbell. Another fun factoid – we’ve got an in-house remix of the track in the works, and it sounds AWESOME.
Spotify | Linktree | Instagram | TwitterX | Facebook | Bluesky
Able Machines - No Rain
Synthpop duo Able Machines, out of Los Angeles, is made up of Tay Coliee and Linus Dodson – their cover of the classic Blind Melon song ‘No Rain’ was on Episode 26, and it is fantastic. I really like this band and I’m not the only one – they’ve broken a million streams on one of their tracks and 2023’s Digital Precision’ is an outstanding album worth checking out.
Spotify | Linktree | Bandcamp | Instagram | TwitterX | Facebook
Hitfakers - Wicked Game
TripleXMen / Ronja - Jolene
Dolly Parton’s arguably most famous song has been covered by some of the most famous artists on the planet with varied results – Truthfully, I usually just listen to Dolly’s original, but then I heard TripleXMen’s joint with Ronja and to my ears, this is the best cover of the track out there, and is one of the best covers I’ve heard, period.
TripleXMen
Ronja
BLAKTAI - Behind the Wheel
Depeche Mode is a legendary SynthPop band and ‘Behind the Wheel’ is a late-80’s fan favorite. Covering the song are NYC natives Whitney Tai and Kelsey Warren, aka Blak Emoji have been collaborating under the name Blaktai since 2018; along the way, Kelsey’s made a name for himself in the Big Apple, and has accolades throughout the industry. Whitney made the jump to L.A. and has been leaving marks everywhere she goes. She’s won multiple awards including ICMA’s best vocalist in 2021, she’s headlined NAMM which is super cool. BLAKTAI is a NEWHD Radio Featured artist, so make sure you check out their feature article linked on the wrapup page linked below.
BLAKTAI
Spotify | Linktree | Web | Twitter | NEWHD Feature
Whitney Tai
Spotify | Linktree | Bandcamp | Instagram | TwitterX | Facebook
Blak Emoji
Deco - Bitter Sweet Symphony
If you know anything about the history of the Verve’s ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ you know that it the centerpiece of one of the nastiest songwriting credit disputes on record – fortunately, things went the Verve’s way back in 2019 which is well deserved – simply put, the track is amazing, and Deco’s take on the song from Episode 22 is really, really fantastic.
Gunship - Send Me An Angel
Pop Noir - New Year's Day
Sophia's Mission-newhd
Sophia’s Mission, in collaboration with NEWHD Media, spearheads initiatives to promote mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Through dynamic digital campaigns, community outreach events, and strategic media partnerships, they provide vital resources and foster open conversations. Their joint efforts aim to destigmatize mental illness, empower individuals to seek help, and advocate for policy changes. Visit Sophia’s Mission and NEWHD Media to learn more about their impactful work in saving lives and promoting mental wellness through innovative approaches in media and community engagement.
