Hi, I'm Les Orchard and these are playlists of music I like. Some of them are kind of conceptual mixtapes. Others are just a random mix. Maybe this will turn into a kind of music blog?
Featured
Big Sonic Heaven SpyAn automated attempt to spy on what's streaming at bigsonicheaven.com
Fetch My RevolverIf I had a revolver, there are frequent scenarios wherein I might reach for it.
Numan's ShadowGary Numan is pretty great, isn't he? This is mostly the 1997 tribute album Random, but also a bit of rabbit-holing of my own.
All I Ever Wanted - A Tribute To Depeche ModeReally digging this Depeche Mode covers album, this week. Thinking I may end up buying it on vinyl: all i ever wanted — a tribute to depeche mode
Sometimes, I miss City ClubBack around 1995-2005 or so, I used to go to Leland City Club in Detroit. It was a grungy goth club where I smoked too many clove cigarettes and if you ever saw it with the lights on you'd know why it should have been condemned. The music was good, at least.
Bleep Bloop Bop (Synthpop)More bleepy boopy Synthpop than clangy bangy Industrial.
some of my 90s dance bullshitNot now, James, we're busy.
Industrial Accident (Industrial / EBM)More clangy bangy Industrial than bleepy boopy Synthpop.
before the western odysseyBack in about 2007 or so, my wife and I moved to Califormia. Before that, we lived in Michigan and I was listening to a lot of indie rock on RadioIO. These are a lot of my favorites from then.
- 📁 00-conceptual
2026
Big Sonic Heaven SpyAn automated attempt to spy on what's streaming at bigsonicheaven.com
2025
Expansive feelsThe feels, they're expansive in these tunes.
2024
DronesThis songs kind of drone on - they're not about drones.
Solarpunk templeWhat if it's solarpunk but a little hopeful and a little angry and a little witchy?
2022
Sometimes, I miss City ClubBack around 1995-2005 or so, I used to go to Leland City Club in Detroit. It was a grungy goth club where I smoked too many clove cigarettes and if you ever saw it with the lights on you'd know why it should have been condemned. The music was good, at least.
Bass Guitar AppreciationThese tunes let the bassist step out front and lead for a bit.
Smile because it happened: ending credits for imaginary moviesThese songs make me think of things wrapping up all bittersweet.
2021
Dark jamsup-tempo melancholic jams with some miscellanea thrown in just because
vibing while cryingTo verklempt and back again
Bleep Bloop Bop (Synthpop)More bleepy boopy Synthpop than clangy bangy Industrial.
Les' & Alex's wedding musicWhen my wife and I got married, I burned a CD to play at the ceremony and this is what was on it.
2020
some of my 90s dance bullshitNot now, James, we're busy.
Space Truckin'Warp Drive Active
Big Sonic Heaven (Shoegaze/Dreampop/Britpop)Inspired by and stolen from the playlists of Darren Revell of https://www.bigsonicheaven.com/
GIRD YOUR LOINS (fight music)Orz: `Oh, it is dancing`
2019
Synthetic Space ProgramGet dressed for space and bring your synthesizer.
2018
Halloween spoopy times i guessThis is Halloween, this is Halloween
Trader Joes musicWish I'd gone further with this, but for awhile I was taking notes on what I heard in Trader Joe's
ElectrostompsThese are electro songs and they make me stompy.
ElectrotweepopThese are electronic songs that seem rather twee and sweetly boppy.
2017
Music for when you're doing something you probably shouldn't be doingSneaking into places, breaking things, tracking down targets.
2016
Don't Let the Bastards Grind You DownI was trying to cope with the results of the 2016 election and retain maybe a modicum of optimism.
Synthpunk?Not synthpop but synthpunk - more squonky and screechy than bleepy and bloopy.
2014
Industrial Accident (Industrial / EBM)More clangy bangy Industrial than bleepy boopy Synthpop.
I ♥ Live 105 in SFBack in about 2007 or so, my wife and I moved to Califormia. One of my favorite stations there was Live 105, and these were some of the songs I heard then.
2013
Our Lady Peace (Mike Turner era)I really like Our Lady Peace, but I'm salty that they basically fired their original guitarist. This is their stuff from before that.
Music for Frapsing Space GamesFor awhile, I wanted to make videos of playing space games, and these were the soundtrack.
2012
before the western odysseyBack in about 2007 or so, my wife and I moved to Califormia. Before that, we lived in Michigan and I was listening to a lot of indie rock on RadioIO. These are a lot of my favorites from then.
2011
- 📁 01-covers
2026
Fetch My RevolverIf I had a revolver, there are frequent scenarios wherein I might reach for it.
Covered: Living on the CeilingFind as many cover versions as possible of 'Living on the Ceiling' by Blancmange.
2023
Numan's ShadowGary Numan is pretty great, isn't he? This is mostly the 1997 tribute album Random, but also a bit of rabbit-holing of my own.
All I Ever Wanted - A Tribute To Depeche ModeReally digging this Depeche Mode covers album, this week. Thinking I may end up buying it on vinyl: all i ever wanted — a tribute to depeche mode
2022
that light never goes out does itis this really necessary? possibly yes.
2021
keep running up that hillKate Bush made a lot of people run up that hill, didn't she?
Cry little sisterSo, I fell down a rabbit hole after I watched Lost Boys again and heard that CHVRCHES did a cover of Cry Little Sister.
No, really, Don't ChangeINXS made a lot of folks want not to change. I like it.
2019
These Fascist Groove ThangsWe don't need them, brothers and sisters
- 📁 02-top-lists
2026
2023
2020
2019
2018
2016
2015
2014
2013
last.fm lovedOnce upon a time, I used last.fm a whole lot more and I liked music there.
- 📁 zz-not-mine
2026
The 25 Best Synthpop Songs of 2026 (So Far)Synthpop Fanatic's mid-year roundup of 2026, rebuilt from the YouTube videos embedded in the original post.
Symphonic Rock AnthemsMale-led bands with epic harmonies, melodramatic riffs, and clever lyrics.
2025
2020
2012
