With ‘Cold War’, the Swedish synth-pop duo Split Vision have released the second single from their upcoming album BetaCity. The song draws on the darker synth-pop and new wave of the 1980s, yet by no means sounds like a mere throwback. Driving beats, atmospheric synthesisers and an almost cinematic mood give the track a character all of its own.
Theme-wise, it’s all about fear, secrets and a world that seems to be drifting further and further apart. The lyrics, written by Stig Wintendorff in collaboration with Split Vision, capture the atmosphere of the Cold War. The tensions described feel astonishingly relevant again today.
Particularly interesting is the image of dancing in the shadows. It conveys the feeling of being part of a system whose rules one barely knows and over which one has little influence. Nevertheless, there remains something human about it – a sense of solidarity and the desire not to let oneself be completely overwhelmed.
With ‘Cold War’, Split Vision deliver a compelling contribution to modern synth-pop, drawing on the sound of the 1980s and combining it with a contemporary thematic focus. The single relies less on major surprises than on atmosphere, clear melodies and a consistently sombre underlying mood. As such, the track is likely to appeal primarily to fans of classic synth-pop and new wave.

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