New Wave was always a little weird - and that’s why it’s wonderful. Synth & Swagger is your home for deep dives, fun facts, and collectible guides that celebrate the music, style, and spirit of the new wave era. Whether you grew up glued to MTV or stumbled onto these bands through Spotify, this is the place to rediscover the sound that defined a generation.

What You’ll Find Here

Articles

Every Tuesday, we post a free article about the songs, albums, and artists that made new wave unforgettable. Also, an unlocked article from my previous podcast every 1st and 3rd Thursday. Themes include:

• Artist Spotlight: Focusing on one of your favorite new wave artists or bands
• Multi-artist: Discussing and comparing related artists
• Theme: Songs that fit a particular theme
• Album Deepdive: Track-by-track analysis on a particular album

Video Commentary

Every 4th Thursday, watch for free popular new wave music video's with Synth & Swagger's brand of quirky commentary, with remarks about:

• the video's narrative
• song and artist legacy
• vocals and instrumentation
• counters (sunglasses put on, shouts)
• emoji reactions to the video

What’s Next

Read our artist spotlight on A-Ha
Watch our latest video commentary on Rock Me Amadeus (by Falco)

Who I Am

I’m Jason D’Orazio — a lifelong music obsessive with a particular love for New Wave and ‘80s sounds. My earliest memory of the genre was hearing Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Wanna Have Fun in 1984, back when I was just a kid. From sneaking my big sister’s cassettes to late-night Napster deep dives in college, New Wave has always been part of my soundtrack. Synth & Swagger is where I get to share that passion — through stories, analysis, and creative projects that bring the era back to life.