Electrifying...mesmerizing....intoxicating...these are just a few words to describe the sound that defines Apex Zenith, the solo project of veteran music producer and recording artist, Juan “Punchy” Gonzalez.
Although Punchy is best known for his album production work with death metal / goth bands such as Morbid Angel, Diabolic, Christian Death, and Unholy Ghost, the producer extraordinaire takes a departure from the black metal lane with his latest solo endeavor, a dazzling 10-track album titled Pinnacle which features today's spotlight track "Turn Up Your Stereo".
Apex Zenith can best be described as a travel back in time to the reverberating sound of 80's pop music which Punchy masterfully combines with contemporary elements to form quite a unique sound that conjures up feelings of nostalgia and stirs up an unmistakable aural energy.
Apex Zenith will take you back to a time where parachute pants were comfortable and cars got really bad gas mileage. Heavy synth-pop for the masses is the best way to describe this modern take on retro music.
Punchy Gonzalez aka Apex Zenith
That it certainly is! On the Apex Zenith project, Punchy was a literal jack of all trades as he played all the music, sang all the vocals, produced, engineered, and even created all the visuals. Now let's dive into "Turn Up Your Stereo" and why it resonates with us.
"Turn Up Your Stereo" is unbridled energy right from the opening note. When you hear the piercing electronic drums intro the song you can't help but be transported back to the 80's, especially once the multi-layered collection of rousing instruments come rushing in.
The song features a hard-edged electric guitar riff that permeates the track's soundscape that is so wonderfully complemented with a bevy of the prototypical synthesized melodies. Plus the undertone of a grooving electric/slap bass sets the tone perfectly for an upbeat/lively composition.
There's an aural excitement in the instrumentation that gravitates you to the song. As you absorb all the musical stimuli, it's like your music senses are on a high speed chase with reckless abandon.
Dance like nobody's watching
Like you have no care
Make a whole new reality
Turn up your stereo!
Excerpt from "Turn Up Your Stereo" : Apex Zenith
I found the sound design overall particularly intriguing as it's one thing to utilize instruments and sounds from a past era, but it's another to capture the exact sonics and style of production, "Turn Up Your Stereo" definitely meets that challenge as it is a bona fide chip off the block of the synth pop tracks that dominated the music landscape of the 80's.
And that not only goes for the sound, but it also applies to Punchy's vocal delivery that also brilliantly channels the spirit of the 80s. It has just the right amount of digital reverb and a very well placed vocoder in certain sections that add an extra dimension of appeal to the song.
"Cuz when the lightning's flashing
And the thunder claps
When your heart is racing
Turn up your stereo!
Excerpt from "Turn Up Your Stereo" : Apex Zenith
"Turn Up Your Stereo" is available on all streaming platforms (Spotify link below). Stream it! Playlist it! and share it on your socials! Also be sure to check out the other dazzling tracks off the Pinnacle album for a resounding listening experience. Take your mind on a voyage into the musical galaxy of Apex Zenith.
Listen to Turn up Your Stereo on Spotify. Apex Zenith · Song · 2021.
More about Punchy Gonzalez
Punchy is also noted as the creative mind behind music groups Diet of Worms, Cosmic Punch, The Synth Lord, and Lover of Sin.
He is a one-man wrecking crew/freight train! He is a proud endorser of Magix software like Vegas Pro and Samplitude Pro X, Positive Grid software (Bias FX), Brian May Guitars, and Music Group (Behringer/Midas).
Outside of his work as a studio engineer/producer, Punchy has also directed and edited music videos for Nile, Christian Death, and Krisiun as well as his own musical projects.
Follow Apex Zenith
- Website - https://www.apexzenith.com
- Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheSynthLordMusic
- Twitter - https://twitter.com/RealApexZenith
- Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiWS2nd-J8gUz0aRmhZv93g
Listen to the "Pinnacle" album
Listen to Pinnacle on Spotify. Apex Zenith · Album · 2021 · 10 songs.
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