Charlie Syntari Talks ‘SynthNation’ Album In Revealing Interview

Charlie Syntari‘s debut album ‘SynthNation’ is an elegantly crafted Dance-Pop voyage. Drawing from his classical music background, he creates a 12-track material focused on melody, emotional resonance, and storytelling that aims to subtly transport listeners.

1. Your breakthrough single “Memories” was a major success in 2021. How did you approach reimagining it as “Memories ’24” for this album?

My production skills were not as advanced as they are now. Musically, I was well developed in terms of composing songs, but I felt that the song could have been produced better with all the new techniques I’ve learned over the years following the release of “Memories” back in 2021.

I approached “Memories ’24” from the perspective that less is better. I wanted to highlight the vocals, as the performance was key to the song’s success. To achieve this, I reduced the speed of the song, cleaned up a lot in the lower-end frequencies by simplifying the Bass, and focused more on the four-on-the-floor beat to accompany the music.

The aim was to achieve a danceable song that evokes feelings of nostalgia.

2. Which artists or tracks from the ‘90s and early 2000s had the greatest impact on your music and the creation of ‘SynthNation’?

There were a bunch, but the standout artists used warm synths and well-placed arpeggiated synth lines. The Captain Hollywood Project with More and More Intermission’s Piece of My Heart, which I re-produced on SynthNation, comes to mind.

Others like Haddaway, ATB, The Urban Cookie Collective, and 2 Brothers on the 4th Floor were always present.

3. Was it challenging to mix various electronic subgenres while maintaining a unified sound?

Very much so. Mixing sub-genres is tricky, and, in the end, the result was Dance-Pop, which incorporates Pop, House, and Progressive House elements. Creating and maintaining a consistent sound throughout the album’s production process was challenging.

A few songs on ‘SynthNation’ move away from the core sound—“Please Don’t Go,” “Shake That,” and “Don’t Lie” are slightly off-kilter, but I believe they bring an interesting perspective.

The most interesting part was bringing different sounds together. Then, keeping myself from overproducing was difficult. Producing the songs broader or mixing and mastering louder than necessary was consistently challenging to rein in.

Ultimately, I wanted to end up with an album that does not blow you away but subtly takes you on a journey.

4. What elements in your music help express the album’s themes of hope and escape?

Melody. The focus was on melody and not buildups, breakdowns, or drops. In the more prominent EDM genres, these are the areas producers focus on, but because I lean more towards Pop, I tend to work around these techniques while hoping that I can still retain interest in the songs.

My production framework was to go back to the roots of how songs are written: intro, Verse, pre- or post-chorus, chorus, middle 8/bridge, and outro.

I also intended to write using a combination of major and minor keys throughout the album. Although “You’re The One” is written in a minor key, I used major keys in the post-chorus breakdown, hoping to bring a feeling of release.

5. How did you approach reinventing “Piece of My Heart” while staying true to its essence?

Instinctively, I knew that the Rap in the original version would not make it in an updated version of the song. The arpeggiated synth was the song’s focus (which interestingly comes from a 1983 Australian Pop song called “Send Me An Angel” and not Intermission’s “Piece of My Heart”).

From there, I had to decide on the beat, whether to go full send, on club vibes, or settle for a more Downtempo Disco sound. I made a few versions before deciding on the final release, which is a mix of Pop, Disco, and Progressive House.

The Progressive House remix was just released for “Piece Of My Heart” – this one I produced for the clubbers and festival goers out there and is very much a Progressive House song.

6. Your creative process seems to thrive in late-night sessions. How does working during those hours affect your sound compared to daytime production?

I produced most of the music for SynthNation from 10 p.m. to about 2 a.m. I find that my flow state remains intact when there are fewer distractions. Tiredness affects the creative process in different ways.

If you are tired, you tend to produce less-than-desirable takes, and often, these attempts are deleted, rendering the time you spent creating them almost worthless, which is a glass-half-empty approach. Glass-half-full—you’re closer to what you want, knowing what you don’t want.

Therefore, when I am tired in the evenings, I mostly avoid the studio. Some elements of SynthNation were produced during the day, and several night sessions were re-tracked or done over the next day during regular hours.

Still, these are smaller time slots of an hour here or there whenever they present themselves. To quote Bon Jovi, I’ll sleep when I’m dead, I guess.

7. How does your background with traditional instruments inform your electronic productions?

I have been a pianist since the age of 7. I taught myself to play before I started taking lessons at school. Similarly, I am a self-taught guitar player—not a very good one, but a player, nonetheless.

Almost all my songs start on either the piano or the guitar. The guitar also features in a few tracks on SynthNation. It’s just masked very well and used to widen the soundstage.

A theoretical background in music plays a fundamental role in understanding the flow, especially from an arrangement perspective.

These days, bedroom producers copy other artists by importing a song into their DAW, labelling sections, and then creating a carbon copy with different sounds. To me, most EDM sounds the same lately. I am unsure if that is an effect of producers using reference tracks, but I am critical of this approach. Most online courses I completed promote this tactic, which is strange.

I am often inspired by an artist more than by their songs. For example, Seal. I love his music and am inspired to produce due to his and Trevor Horn’s efforts on his first four albums.

The same applies to Sting. Listening to his music makes me hear a thought process and intelligence there.

8. Several track titles like “Hey, Sister,” “My Desire,” and “Calamity” suggest personal narratives. How autobiographical is this album?

That is an interesting question, but SynthNation does not contain personal narratives. I am speaking to a broad audience of listeners because, as a new artist, I have no idea who my audience is or who they will be.

It does not mean that personal experiences do not inspire some songs, and some are, but in the case of “Hey, Sister,” for example, the song is a salute to women—their enduring strength and resilience, camaraderie, and the lasting bonds between them. A woman sings this song to a woman, a friend to a friend.

The message is one of hope – that even if their paths may split down the road, they will meet again, and while they are apart, the support for each other remains.

I can see this song being played at farewells and weddings. Girls are on the dance floor, having fun and singing to each other. Nothing would make me happier than knowing that this song brings happiness and strengthens bonds.

9. Are you planning to release new music videos?

I am self-funded in this project, so for now, video visualizations will be loaded onto my YouTube page. Music videos, in general, are costly. Since MTV’s departure and the growing popularity of Digital Distributor Playlists (Spotify / Apple, etc.), I don’t know if they’re worth it for new or up-and-coming artists.

10. Now that you’ve completed your first full-length album, what aspects of the creative process would you approach differently for your next project?

I would further enhance my production skills and test the song with more industry professionals, absorbing feedback and growing as an artist.

I hope to work with talented vocalists, perhaps some well-known singers, and collaborate with experienced artists. This can only positively affect the music since I believe music is not from one person—it is almost always a collaboration between many, and when so, it is almost always better.

My focus is on delivering quality music to those seeking it without overcomplicating the result.

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