*Originally published on October 10, 2024 at 3:36pm*
"Tomorrow" by Castell: Synthpop’s Shimmering Ode to Messing Up and Time Travel (Minus the DeLorean)
If you’ve ever felt like you’re hurtling through life at 88 miles per hour, burning bridges like they’re made of paper and constantly dreaming of a do-over, then boy, do we have the perfect retro synthpop jam for you! Enter Castell’s latest banger, "Tomorrow”, a shimmering anthem for those of us who keep making mistakes faster than a Walkman eats a cassette tape.This piece of synthpop has today's energy while still memorializing the past.
Castell on Synthpop, Nostalgia, and the Journey Behind 'Tomorrow
Synthpop artist Castell has been sending waves of nostalgia since the "Beach Coma," single in September, and now, with their latest track, "Tomorrow," they’re back with a contrasting night-time anthem of introspection. Castell and I talked about the new single, what’s next for their music, and dove into some good old '80s nostalgia.
Zoe Dune: "Tomorrow" is your second single following September’s "Beach Coma." Are we teasing an album or are you just working out some singles?
Castell: When I started recording the first two singles, I never expected to be looking toward an album... but things change, let’s just say that.
Zoe: In the small write-up that I did for the track, how off-course was I in the meaning of "Tomorrow"? Your lyrics aren’t ambiguous. They’re pretty straight to the point.
Castell: Yeah, you were pretty spot on there. The song is introspective and an ode to self-talk.
Zoe: In both tracks, there’s certainly a current theme going on about relationships. Nothing to take too seriously, right? It’s all about beach blondes, Trans-Ams, and roller skating.
Castell: I guess there’s kind of a theme there. I find synthpop to be very romantic overall, really, but "Beach Coma" is more about escaping the mundane, the day-to-day grind, and being free. "Tomorrow" is more of a letter to myself—and to anyone it speaks to—urging us to make the most of the present in every facet of life, to cherish who you have around you, and do something that matters.
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Zoe: In addition to that, "Beach Coma" feels like daytime, and "Tomorrow" sounds more like nighttime. I also sensed a little Crystal Bats' "Anyone" in there.
Castell: Love the way you put that! "Tomorrow" is definitely nighttime. I wanted this to be a contrasting follow-up to "Beach Coma" in a lot of ways. And I’ll take the Crystal Bats comparison all day long!
Zoe: Do you feel that the memories of the '80s are different in the UK than in the US? When you look at it, it seems like a mishmash of influences from both sides of the pond.
Castell: It definitely is different, I think... I mean, I wasn’t there, haha. But yeah, the UK seemed a lot bleaker and more anxious than the US back then. The movie This Is England feels like an accurate representation of what England looked like during that time. On that front, I’ll stick with Miami Vice.
Zoe: Finally, favorite obscure 80s movie or television show?
Castell: Now you’ve got me thinking... There was a great UK show in the 80s called Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, about bricklayers from Newcastle going over to Germany to work. It’s better than it sounds, I swear!
With "Tomorrow," Castell has shown they’re more than just another artist tapping into the nostalgia of synthpop—they're adding their own thoughtful, introspective twist to it. If "Beach Coma" was a sun-drenched escape, "Tomorrow" feels like the introspective soundtrack to a late-night drive under neon lights, where the past and future collide.
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