Louisville Synthpop Trio Modiste’s “Nothing More Than a Machine” Finds the Human Heart Inside Vintage Synths

Louisville synthpop trio Modiste released ‘Nothing More Than a Machine,’ an album constructed around vintage analogue synthesizers, drum machines, and equipment from the 1980s and 1990s rather than digital production. Vocalist Sydney Sleadd explains their choice as a deliberate rejection of convenience-driven creative processes, valuing the unpredictability and warmth of older gear. The album draws influences from acts including Depeche Mode, New Order, and Siouxsie and the Banshees while maintaining its own identity through Sleadd’s distinctive voice, Dennis Stein’s thoughtful synthesizer work, and Kyle Stallings’ grounded guitar contributions. Key tracks like ‘Breaking My Own Heart’ and ‘Blur’ explore themes of desire and emotional contradiction, balancing pop accessibility with underlying unease. The production approach emphasizes playfulness and movement rather than nostalgic recreation, allowing the vintage equipment to enhance emotional authenticity across arrangements that blend electronic and organic textures.

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