Hard to watch
I will miss
The simple times
The days we kiss
The enigma known as TSTI, the moniker of the shadowy synth-pop project by upstate New York artist, S. Smith, isn’t shy with how he wears his heart. Sincerity and authenticity take the forefront with music that captures his love for vintage synthesizers, and the artists who pioneered their use throughout the 1980s while conjuring lovelorn tracks dripping with dark romanticism.
The new track, “Always”, perfectly captures this mood—sounding like a long-lost Martin Gore composition, with its imploring vocals, plucking synths, and hypnotic chorus. TSTI’s sound is heavily influenced by Depeche Mode, with elements of Propaganda, Cetu Javu, Cause & Effect, and Hard Corps. The song, whose sound resonates with an old-school production style, was expertly mixed by Matia Simovich (Inhalt, Infinite Power Studios).
The video for “Always”, directed and filmed by Laslo Antal (Sixth June/Diesein), is an intriguing series of lo-fi abstract visual whispers in liminal spaces; a fascinating dreamscape of half-remembered thoughts suspended in time.
Watch the video for “Always” below:
“Always” will be part of an official release in 2022. TSTI has released two full-length records and has been remixed by artist such as – HANTE., L’Avenir, Police Des Moeurs, and many more.
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