Synkro

Manchester artist Synkro, born Joe McBride, first surfaced in the late 2000s as a dubstep and garage producer before shifting across the 2010s toward a somber, atmospheric fusion of drum'n'bass, ambient, and IDM. Through R&S sublabel Apollo he issued multiple EPs and albums, among them the wistful downtempo Broken Promise in 2012 and the ambient/new wave hybrid Images in 2019, while also working with ASC, Arovane, and Indigo, his partner in the Akkord project.

Synkro entered the late-2000s dubstep scene by releasing dozens of 12"s on labels including Smokin' Sessions and Dubbed Out. Tracks such as "Jah Love" refreshed dub reggae for the era after Digital Mystikz, while "Don't Know" and "Closer" adopted moody, melancholy tones built on swinging U.K. garage rhythms and Burial-like vocal sample manipulation. He began collaborating with Indigo (Liam Blackburn) in 2009, issuing joint 12"s on On the Edge and Mindset. In 2010 he moved into atmospheric drum'n'bass reminiscent of dBridge and Instra:mental, beginning with "Letting Go" on Blackout Music.

The 2011 Stop & Think EP incorporated deeper house elements, and further productions emphasized his ambient and IDM influences through intricate beat programming and fragile, wistful melodies. After appearing on Box Clever and Pushing Red, he joined ASC in 2012 for the "Borderline" 12" on Auxiliary.

Also in 2012 Synkro signed to Apollo, which released the downtempo Broken Promise EP, followed in early 2013 by the double EP Acceptance. That year the darker, more experimental Akkord project with Indigo joined Houndstooth, which issued both the Navigate EP and a self-titled full-length. Near year's end Apollo put out the Lost Here EP, containing two tracks featuring vocalist Robert Manos. Although Synkro maintained a busy touring schedule, his recorded output had slowed markedly from his earlier prolific dubstep period, rendering each new release a notable event.

Transient arrived on Apollo in late 2014, pairing two drum'n'bass tracks on the A-side with two downtempo pieces on the flip. In early 2015 he issued the handmade cassette single "Farewell," which carried a sad new wave character. His debut full-length, Changes, appeared on Apollo in September 2015. After the Changes Remix EP in 2016, Apollo released the double-CD compilation Memories 2008-2011. In 2018 McBride launched his own Synkro Music label with the EPs Luminous and Gagaku, and he collaborated with Arovane on the Apollo EP Refractive (Index). A third Synkro Music 12" in 2019 contained another Arovane collaboration plus a track with Marenn Sukie. Apollo released Synkro's second full-length, Images, in 2019.