ALEX is a new retro wave producer and musician based in the UK, who makes music under the label NewRetroWave. If the success of Stranger Things and the upcoming Spielberg adaptation of Ready Player One tell us anything, it’s that nostalgia for the 1980s is experiencing a particular high. “NewRetroWave was created from the sheer inspiration and love of the ’80s and ’80s-style music. I remember one day I stumbled across an old-school ’80s breakbeat/freestyle song, and I couldn’t get it out of my head. I literally became obsessed with it. I decided to find more sounds like it. Before I knew it, I was traveling down into the deep depths of ’80s music stations.” says founder Ten. S. For Ten, the label is ultimately about inspiring people, the same way that first breakbeat/freestyle song inspired him. “The sounds alone create a wonderful feeling of nostalgia. It motivates and captivates vast age groups from teens all the way to listeners who are 50 and older.” So far, he’s been proven right—two of his most recent releases, ALEX & Tokyo Rose’s Akuma and the label’s Magnatron 2.0 compilation, both earned slots on the Billboard Dance/Electronic specialty chart.