Syndicate (album)

Last updated
Syndicate
Syndicate (The Midnight album).png
Studio album by
The Midnight
ReleasedOctober 3, 2025 (2025-10-03)
Recorded2023–2025
Studio
  • Honeymoon Suite (Los Angeles)
  • Gatos Trails (Yucca Valley)
  • The Secret Lair (Atlanta)
  • Varsity Blue Studios (Los Angeles)
  • Penny's Palace (Los Angeles)
  • Hawkes Studios (North Hollywood)
Genre Synthwave
Length85:07
Label Ultra
Producer Tim McEwan
The Midnight chronology
Heroes
(2022)		Syndicate
(2025)
Singles from Syndicate
  1. "Chariot"
    Released: September 6, 2024
  2. "Love Is an Ocean"
    Released: February 21, 2025
  3. "Digital Dreams"
    Released: May 30, 2025
  4. "Shadowverse"
    Released: August 1, 2025
  5. "Summer's Ending Soon"
    Released: August 29, 2025
  6. "Runaways"
    Released: September 17, 2025

Syndicate is the sixth studio album by synthwave band The Midnight. The album was released through Ultra Records on October 3, 2025. [1] Tim McEwan and Tyler Lyle co-wrote all of the songs on the album with Tim also handling production.

Contents

Six singles were released ahead of the album's debut; "Chariot", "Love Is an Ocean", "Digital Dreams", "Shadowverse", "Summer's Ending Soon", and "Runaways" featuring Bonnie McKee. The Midnight have promoted the album with their Fall 2025 EU/UK supporting tour and announced 2026 North American tour dates. [2]

Background

The Midnight made their Ultra Records debut with the single, "Chariot" in September 2024. The band followed with their second single, "Love is an Ocean" in February 2025. Third single "Digital Dreams" released on May 30, 2025. "Chariot" was featured on the soundtrack for the Codemasters racing video game F1 25 which also released the same day. [3]

Fourth single "Shadowverse" released on August 1 along with the reveal of Syndicate's tracklist and October 3, 2025 release date. [4] Fifth single "Summer's Ending Soon" released on August 29. Sixth single "Runaways" featuring Bonnie McKee released on September 17.

During the first show of their Fall 2025 European tour, The Midnight live debuted five tracks from the album including performances of three of the singles. [5]

In an interview with Daily Express, McEwan called Syndicate "our version of an apocalypse record" which had gone through a rework after the band and label mutually agreed the first version wasn't there yet. Lyle called Syndicate "the album that we just couldn't help ourselves from making" with both Lyle and McEwan going through personal trauma during the writing process. Lyle calls the album the denouement of the Kids / Monsters / Heroes trilogy, signaling the closing of a chapter. [6]

Composition

Musically, the album has been described as synthwave [7] [8] and retrofuture. [7] Nicholas Senior of New Noise Magazine calls Syndicate "a darker record in sound and symbolism" due to personal trauma for the band, stating it "feels like them hitting the reset button after jumping around with labels and experimenting a bit over their past couple releases." [8]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Boolin Tunes7/10 [7]
New Noise Magazine Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [8]

Joe Edwards of Boolin Tunes called Syndicate "a record crafted with letting those who enjoy The Midnight fully embrace their sound, and some more." [7] Writing for New Noise Magazine , Nicholas Senior stated, "It’s the best The Midnight album in a long time and maybe ever." [8]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Tim McEwan and Tyler Lyle, alongside additional writers, as noted.

Syndicate track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Syndicate" (Intro)
2:27
2."Shadowverse"
4:56
3."Runaways" (featuring Bonnie McKee)
5:07
4."Friction"
3:56
5."The Right Way"
  • Jonathan Capeci
  • Nicholas Sainato
  • Joseph Beretta
4:52
6."Afterglow pt. 1" 5:28
7."Digital Dreams" 6:06
8."Sentinels"
4:59
9."Chariot"
  • Matt Baum
4:25
10."First Night in Paris" (featuring Carpenter Brut)
2:57
11."Afterglow pt. 2" 4:11
12."Fatal Obsession" (featuring Jupiter Winter)
5:39
13."Quiet Earth" 5:49
14."Long Island"
  • Derek Mount
  • Riley Friesen
5:08
15."Love Is an Ocean"
5:22
16."Sanctuary" 6:54
17."Summer's Ending Soon"
6:51
Total length:85:07

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes. [9]

Charts

Chart performance for Syndicate
Chart (2025)Peak
position
Scottish Albums (OCC) [10] 60
Swedish Physical Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [11] 15
UK Albums Sales (OCC) [12] 23

References

  1. ↑ "The Midnight – Syndicate". AllMusic.
  2. ↑ "The Midnight LIVE". The Midnight Official. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Jamie xx, Alfie Templeman, The Dare and more for 'F1 2025' soundtrack". NME.
  4. ↑ "The Midnight – Syndicate Collection Shop". The Midnight Official.
  5. ↑ "The Midnight Setlist at Kulttuuritalo, Helsinki, Finland". setlist.fm.
  6. ↑ "The Midnight: 'Syndicate signals the closing of a chapter'". Daily Express.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "ALBUM REVIEW: The Midnight – Syndicate". September 30, 2025. Retrieved October 2, 2025– via Boolin Tunes.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "ALBUM REVIEW: The Midnight – Syndicate". October 3, 2025. Retrieved October 3, 2025– via New Noise Magazine .
  9. ↑ The Midnight (2025). Syndicate (booklet). Ultra Records.
  10. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Veckolista Album Fysiskt, vecka 41" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan . Retrieved October 10, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Official Albums Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company . Retrieved October 11, 2025.
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