Orlando post-punk outfit The Synthetics release shimmering new collection 'Glimpses of Heaven'

The Orlando music underground has seen a post-punk renaissance in recent years with the emergence of a crop of stylish new bands, and young duo The Synthetics have sprung from the very heart of all this fertile activity.

Between vocalist Nathan Munizzi and guitarist Sean Labree, their collective résumé sports homegrown names of the genre like Daisy-Chain and RV. As The Synthetics, Munizzi and Labree continue to carry the torch as devout and true disciples of 1980s post-punk.

Shortly after forming The Synthetics, however, the two players were scooped up by Teen Suicide — the notable formerly Baltimore band of Sam Ray and Kitty Ray (whom many will know as Daytona breakout star Kitty) that’s now Orlando-based. Being the rhythm section for that nationally known touring group has occupied much of the past two years.

But now, at long last, The Synthetics are finally back to follow up with the new Glimpses of Heaven EP, their first release since their 2022 debut singles (“Assume the Position” and “Sin City”) and their first collection ever.


Like the moody, broody tone set by those two introductory songs, The Synthetics’ new work is a faithful portal back to the shadowy underground that first began to branch off and find its own legs after punk irrevocably changed everything. In that sprawling post-punk spectrum, The Synthetics draw direct inspiration from the darkly melodic headwaters that spawned the early sounds of The Cure and New Order. While their first singles were an exacting flashback to the dawn of post-punk, The Synthetics’ latest, more developed work evokes the moment when that era began to become something cogent and entirely its own.

All four songs here, without exception, are an evolution for them. With even more dimension and aesthetic, Glimpses of Heaven is a tight compendium on the eternal gothic-pop alchemy of shimmering melodies and dark sensibilities.

Glimpses of Heaven now streams everywhere and sits atop TLU's Spotify playlist. But the EP is also available on Bandcamp as a name-your-price download.


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