When it comes to indie music, we go all in, and love finding new artists, new tunes, and new styles. Our lifeline to life-changing sounds has and continues to be Bandcamp. This go-to platform and community is home to hundreds of thousands of folks who are likely to produce your next favorite earworm. We have a solid list of folks whose works have become part of our DNA. While they may not be household names, they live rent free in our heads and on our turntables.
As such, we were excited to speak with Highway Superstar about his otherworldly creations and soundscapes. The musical alter ego of Alex Karlinsky (the Belarusian-born and Israel-based artist) takes us back to a mythical smoke-filled vision of the ’80s that grooves and rocks so hard in equal measure. Yet his style is not that easily defined.
Karlinsky is one of the old dogs in the synth scene, but this electronic dynamo has been steeped in music since his mother taught him piano years and years ago. He’s played in a number of bands, appreciates and loves hard rock, (Alice In Chains specifically), and he is as accomplished as he is diverse. Just have a listen to a handful of tracks on albums like Endgame or Take My Time and you’ll understand.
You can liken Highway Superstar to a superhero because he can literally do it all. In fact, his work was so admired that during the golden age of SoundCloud he was picked up by Rosso Corso Records. They helped to amplify his captivating sound and style to the masses.
To help make his music so impacting, Karlinsky has pulled in help when needed. Those added flavors result in spectacular payoff because he is and has become friends with a superb team of collaborators like Sebastian Gampl for instance. Then there are guitarists like Jesse Bullet and Hugh Myrone as well as singers like Dana Jean Phoenix and Frankmusik.
The music is upbeat and catchy (specifically “Splash“) and almost any track can easily get you motivated for…well, just about anything. Further, the artwork does as much to impress as the music – it’s hard not to be suckered in by the astonishing energy of something like Endgame (done by the late Basil Murad – aka Blood + Chrome). And then there’s the ultra gorgeous vinyl that just oozes cool. So find your comfy headphones, and join us on this episode of The GoSeeTalk Podcast Experience as we grab our keys and head to off at high speed with Highway Superstar!
Check out Alex’s music at Bandcamp as well as the albums on Rosso Corsa Records…and I’m sure you’ll find more than a few favorites!
