Her solo songs such as “The Deepest Blue” and “Modern Love” are nouveau classics of 80s retrosynth, and her vocal spots on songs by the likes of FM Attack, Futurecop!, and Kung Fury’s Mitch Murder have ensured her genre legacy is etched into stone. She can write great hooks and sing great melodies with earnest emotion.
On her new album, which includes “Blue,” “Love,” and some other previously released songs along with some new ones, Kristine kicks that 80s pop template into overdrive. These are the songs your synth-skeptic friends will be playing repeatedly for months, if anything because of their genetic similarities to the best of 80s-era Heart and Pat Benatar. It’s pure and honest pop hooks bathed in 80s nostalgia.
The Modern Love EP, from which two cuts on the album are derived, came out four years ago. Along the way, her vocals have graced Futurecop!’s classic “Superheroes,” Murder’s “Summer of Heat,” Dance with the Dead’s “The Power,” two songs on FM Attack’s brilliant Deja Vu, and other compositions. Then last year came “The Deepest Blue,” one of her most popular songs and another from the past that shows up on her debut album.
She wrote, recorded, and produced the album primarily in her home studio in Athens, but synthwave fans will notice some familiar styles from her global cadre of collaborators. American SelloRekT/LA Dreams, Israeli and Kung Fury star Highway Superstar, Britain-based Sunglasses Kid and Belgian Diana Gitallog all played synthesizer parts from their homes all over the world. A Danish band called The Surf School Dropouts contributed harmonies to a song as well.
Local Greeks also lent the talented producer a hand. John Bitzios and Alexandros Solomozis played guitar solos and Ilias Papadopoulos played a saxophone solo, according to Kristine.
Radio
Kristine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The car is tanked up Radio cranked up
There's nowhere else I would rather be
I'm hooting down Highway One wind in my hair
Breathing fresh air
Cruising on a country run
Cruising! Cruising! Cruising down the highway doing 95
I ain't gonna work today
Everything's been getting me down
So I'm heading out of town gotta clear my head
And I'm pleasing myself instead
I've gotta clear my mind and leave the daily grind behind
As the gears are shifting my mood is lifting
The engine is humming and I am coming alive
I'm hooting down Highway One wind in my hair breathing fresh air
Cruising on a country run
Cruising! Cruising! Cruising down the highway doing 95
I ain't gonna work today
I'm going! Going! I'm going for a drive
Everything's been getting me down
So I'm heading out of town gotta clear my head
And I'm pleasing myself instead
And I'm pleasing myself instead
The lyrics of Kristine's song "Radio" evoke the feeling of freedom and escape as the singer takes a drive down Highway One. The singer is energized by the rising sun and the open road ahead. With the car tanked up and the radio cranked up, the singer finds solace in the freedom of the highway, cruising through the countryside with the wind in their hair and breathing fresh air.
The lyrics suggest that the singer is trying to escape from the pressures of everyday life and find some peace of mind, clearing their head and pleasing themselves instead. As they shift gears, their mood lifts and they come alive, feeling restored and invigorated by the freedom of the open road. The refrain of "cruising down the highway doing 95" reinforces the sense of freedom and speed, as the singer takes control of their own destiny and leaves their troubles behind.
Overall, the lyrics of "Radio" celebrate the power of escape and the restorative effects of the open road. They evoke the ambitious spirit of adventure and the joy of pure driving, offering a glimpse into the fantasy of the open road and the sense of self-discovery that it can bring.
Line by Line Meaning
The sun is rising
The start of a new day
It's energizing me
Feeling refreshed and rejuvenated
The car is tanked up
The car has a full tank of gas
Radio cranked up
Volume of the radio is high
There's nowhere else I would rather be
This is the perfect place to be
I'm hooting down Highway One wind in my hair
Driving down the freeway with the wind blowing through my hair
Breathing fresh air
Enjoying the fresh air outside
Cruising on a country run
Driving on a scenic route outside of the city
Cruising! Cruising! Cruising down the highway doing 95
Driving at a high speed on the freeway
I ain't gonna work today
Deciding to take a day off from work
I'm going! Going! I'm going for a drive
Going for a ride in the car
Everything's been getting me down
Feeling overwhelmed and stressed
So I'm heading out of town gotta clear my head
Going outside of the city to fix my mindset
And I'm pleasing myself instead
Focusing on my own happiness instead of external responsibilities
I've gotta clear my mind and leave the daily grind behind
Leaving behind the daily routine to relax and clear my mind
As the gears are shifting my mood is lifting
Feeling happier as I drive and shift gears in the car
The engine is humming and I am coming alive
The car engine's sound is energizing and improving my mood
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Kristine Best
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
jasonfinley235
Kristine is fantastic. A lot of vocal retrowave just comes across as throwaway bad pop, but Kristine's instrumentation ( synths AND guitars! ) and her smooth and throaty voice really make her stand out. And her collabs with other synthwavers are incredible. I truly believe that with enough exposure she could get mainstream attention and fame.
𝑱𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝑯𝒂𝒎𝒎
@Valentin Lance so true
Valentin Lance
Please no, I don't want her getting corrupted by hollywood and getting molested by some producer.
TallicaMan1986
She has a far wider appeal than most synthwave.
싸넬
Depends, sometimes it's not just about the lyrics, but how does it sounds has a whole !
CouriusPL
it's so true!
Atilius
Kristine is the goddess of New Retrowave!
Cat Legend
no way, Yota is.
Atilius
@Toshiro Mifune ❤️
Toshiro Mifune
hey you, i like you!