May 25, 2025

Aileron: Airy Chill-Synth Flights Across Retro Skies

Somewhere between the fluorescent sunset of an '80s dreamscape and the frosted peaks of Whistler, Canada, there's a sound rippling through the air like neon heatwaves. That sound? It’s Aileron — a name that might remind you of airplanes (which is fair), but it’s also the moniker of an Australian-born, Canadian-based musical force flying high on synths, groove, and heart. If you’ve never heard of Aileron, buckle up. We’re going full retro-turbo into the story of a man who swapped electrical engineering for electric vibes — and no, this isn't one of those metaphorical stories. He literally went from building circuits to building tracks.

But let’s rewind a bit. Think of Aileron as the perfect blend of a ‘Top Gun’ pilot and a synthwave wizard. A musician with a deep love for vintage synthesizers, his tracks ooze with lush pads, smooth basslines, and those crispy drum machines that sound like they just finished a kung-fu battle with a VHS tape. The result? A sound that doesn’t just bring nostalgia — it airlifts you straight into a daydream of retro-futurism. And oh, he’s not just any artist on the block — he's signed to Lazerdiscs Records, one of the go-to synthwave labels that curates some of the most shimmering digital nostalgia out there.

So, who is the guy behind the dreamy airwaves?

The Engineer Who Plugged Into the Past

Before the synths, Aileron was a trained electrical engineer. And we’re not talking about the “I built a synth from scratch once” kind — we’re talking career path. But like many of us haunted by the glow of CRT screens and the scent of rewound cassette tapes, the pull of the retro-future was too strong to resist. He left the world of formulas and frequency analysis and threw himself into music production, relocating from Australia to Whistler, Canada — presumably for the fresh air and perhaps the snow-covered vibes that echo in his colder tracks.

Armed with vintage synths and a solid sense of melody, Aileron started crafting music that felt both airborne and grounded in emotion. And trust us, this isn’t background-mall synth. It’s movement music. It’s the soundtrack to your midnight drive or that moment you stare dramatically out the window for no reason at all.

Let’s Talk Tracks (Because They Deserve It)

His breakout moment came with the ‘Mirage’ EP back in 2016, a 5-track collection released via Lazerdiscs. Here’s where things start to glitter.

“Mirage” — like sonic heat rising off a Miami highway at golden hour.
“Cobra” — a slick, serpentine groove that would make any retro arcade boss theme blush.
“Stratosphere” — a chill cruise past the atmosphere, preferably in a Delorean.

The EP also features remixes by heavyweights like Absolute Valentine, Niky Nine, and Alpharisc — names that any synthwave fan should recognize as synth royalty.

Then came “Fresh” in 2017 — a track that sounds like disco went to space, got a tan, and came back cooler. It’s funk, it’s groove, it’s Saturday night in a bottle.

Fast forward a bit and we hit “The Fight Was Worth It” in 2021. An emotional, cinematic journey that feels like winning a battle you didn’t know you were fighting. There’s an undercurrent of hope in this track, like the light at the end of a VHS tape’s rewind.

And then came the albums.

“High Up in the Sky” — Takeoff Achieved

In early 2022, Aileron dropped ‘High Up in the Sky’, an 11-track concept album built like a flight path. It's got an intro, a cruising altitude, turbulence (we’re guessing that’s “Drop Point”), and a smooth landing. It’s a ride, and one worth taking in full — preferably with a bomber jacket on and a city skyline in the distance.

This is where his identity really solidifies — Aileron is more than a musician; he’s a storyteller. Through synths, yes, but also through an emotional architecture that’s rare in the genre.

And if you’re listening to this album while wearing something from Newretro.Net, like their retro-inspired leather jackets or VHS sneakers? You’re not just hearing the story, you’re living it. You’re basically the protagonist in your own retro-dystopian action flick. (Just don’t try slow-motion walks on escalators, trust us.)

His Latest Flight: “Familiar”

November 2023 brought us ‘Familiar’, an 8-track album that leans deeper into the nu-disco side of Aileron’s style. It’s warmer, a bit groovier, and almost… emotional. You can feel the maturity in this one — as if the pilot’s seen a few things up there in the stratosphere and is now dancing through the turbulence.

Standout moments? Tracks that feel like city lights reflecting off a rain-soaked windshield. Music that feels like memories — even if they’re not yours.

And while we’re here: yes, we know future-retro is kind of an oxymoron. But that’s exactly what makes Aileron’s sound so addictive. It’s the push and pull of tomorrow and yesterday, analog and digital, heart and hardware.

Why He’s More Than “Just Another Synthwave Artist”

Aileron doesn’t just dabble in a genre — he lives in it. His music has an atmospheric honesty, a kind of earnest futurism that skips the irony and goes straight for the feels. Plus, the man knows how to balance melody with momentum. Every track feels like it’s going somewhere, not just repeating loops for the aesthetic.

So, let’s explore the clouds he’s drifting through now.

The Lazerdiscs Connection: A Synth Family Affair

Let’s talk about Lazerdiscs Records for a second. This label isn't just a digital distro hub — it's basically the X-Men School for Gifted Retro Nerds. They've curated a roster of synthwave's brightest, and Aileron fits in like a cassette in a Walkman.

Being part of the Lazerdiscs collective means you're not just floating out music into the void; you're releasing it with purpose, with taste, with flair. And in Aileron’s case, each track has that signature crispness — like popping open a brand-new VHS case in 1991 and smelling the future.

You know the kind of music that makes you want to walk slow, sunglasses on, wind machine blowing your hair at a gentle 3 MPH? That’s Aileron. And guess what?

Newretro.Net has the wardrobe to match.
No, seriously — this isn’t a corporate plug, it’s a lifestyle suggestion. You’re listening to “Stratosphere” while rocking a leather biker jacket that looks like it time-traveled from 1985? That’s peak existence. It's not cosplay — it's character development.

A Sound That’s Cinematic, Not Just Sonic

What separates Aileron from the pack isn’t just his clean production — it's the vibe architecture. His music often sounds like the soundtrack to a movie you vaguely remember from a fever dream — some lost 80s sci-fi romance where the lead is a fighter pilot with a secret.

Each track builds a scene:

A stolen glance in a rain-soaked alley? That’s “The Fight Was Worth It.”
Driving solo through a snowy mountain pass, chasing a memory? Cue “High Up in the Sky.”
Feeling slightly tipsy on a balcony in Tokyo, contemplating your place in the timeline? Hello, “Familiar.”

He’s not just channeling the ‘80s — he’s refracting them through a modern lens, adding emotional depth to what could easily become superficial pastiche in less capable hands. It's not just vintage. It's vision.

And maybe that’s why his tracks work so damn well on playlists, in indie games, in retro car commercials, or late-night coding marathons. They carry a feeling. Aileron has the gift of nostalgia alchemy — turning memory into momentum.

Gearheads, Rejoice

For the synth nerds in the room (we see you), Aileron is also a known lover of vintage gear. We're talking analog synths with more personality than most dating apps. The warmth, the hiss, the slight imperfections — it all feeds into his sonic signature.

You can hear it in the layers:

That bassline? Probably rolled through a dusty Juno.
That fluttering pad? Might’ve been born on a Prophet.
That airy lead? Could’ve taken its first breath from a Yamaha DX7.

This isn’t music made on presets. This is hands-on, dial-turning, finger-dancing art. Even if you’ve never touched a synth, you’ll feel the difference — like comparing real denim to whatever fast-fashion Frankenstein pants just tore at the knee. (P.S. Newretro.Net sells real-deal retro denim. Coincidence? Not even a little.)

Remix Royalty: When Others Let Him Drive

Aileron isn’t just a solo pilot — he’s also lent his remix talents to some pretty slick tracks. Most notably:

"Paradise" by ALEX (2016) — which he transformed into a glossy night drive with a hint of heartbreak.
"America Online" by Chris Hahn (2021) — given a new lease of life, wrapped in glimmering synthlines and soft nostalgia.

His remixes aren’t just reworks — they’re reinterpretations. He respects the source but adds his own flavor, like a retro-futurist chef with a killer synth-sous-vide recipe.

A Community Magnet

Despite the seemingly isolated nature of producing music alone in a studio, Aileron radiates community vibes. Whether it’s collaborating with other artists, remixing, or just sharing his love for gear and groove, he remains tapped into the lifeblood of the scene.

He’s the type of artist who, if you DM’d him to ask what snare reverb he used on track 3 of “Familiar,” he’d probably tell you. Or send you a WAV file and a gif of KITT from Knight Rider. Pure vibes.

In fact, it’s creators like him who remind us that synthwave isn’t just about style — it’s about spirit. The longing, the hope, the emotion, the DIY ethic, the midnight engineering — all wrapped in chrome and neon.

What’s Next for Aileron?

At this point, he’s built a discography that’s both accessible and rich. A beautiful contradiction — smooth enough for a casual listen, but complex enough to dive deep into. And while the genre of synthwave continues to evolve, incorporating everything from outrun beats to vapor disco and even cyber-jazz (yes, it’s a thing), Aileron stands strong, like a lighthouse made of circuit boards.

Will he tour? Maybe.
Will he drop another concept album that makes you question your existence during a thunderstorm? Hopefully.
Will he eventually make a collab album with someone like Timecop1983 or Waveshaper? Manifest it with us.

Until then, all you can do is:

Pop on your best retro shades (we’ve got a few).
Lace up those VHS sneakers.
Hit play on “Familiar.”
And go for that late-night walk like you’re the protagonist of a movie no one wrote yet — but you’re living anyway.

Aileron’s journey is still ascending. And from the looks of it, the sky’s not the limit — it’s just the beginning.

That’s the ride so far — and while we’re back on the ground for now, Aileron’s next transmission is never far away. Just keep your ears open… and your synths warm.