A fresh face in the grassroots world of synthwave, Minneapolis-based producer d.notive (Matt Larson) is no stranger to innovative, fresh sounds. Lured by the lush, dynamic soundscapes of the 1980’s, he presents a fully-formed aesthetic, borrowing heavily from the cinematic imagery of neo-noir, cast against a rich, illustrious background of classic synthesizers.

Pacing through the imagined narrative of a time-displaced detective, his work is alight with haunting nostalgia, taking cues from classic synthpop, the new romantics, electro-disco and darkwave.

d.notive has been producing formally for over a decade, operating under a small collection of different pseudonyms from within a variety of different online communities. His work spans from faux video game soundtracks, to cartoon fan-music, inspired by artists like Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk, New Order, and Chromeo.

His critically-acclaimed album “Sentinel” has enjoyed consistent rotation on outlets like NewRetroWave, with the first single, “Red Light Syndrome” debuting at the #7 spot on their weekly charts. His work has also seen releases on FiXT Neon as part of artist Klayton’s Scandroid project, as well as Laserdiscs Records, as a contributor to the original soundtrack for UK-based independent film, The Summoner. His signature vocal style even earned him a leading role in an animation short produced by the distinguished animator Vivienne “Vivziepop” Medrano.

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