The Co$t of Life releases “Destination: Unknown” EP
The Co$t of Life
Here’s news from a crossover project between synthpop and EDM. The Denver-area synth-pop and retrowave act The Co$t of Life has released the six-track digital EP “Destination: Unknown” via Neon Peaks Records.
On”Destination: Unknown” Jason Irving mixes synth-pop and retrowave with elements that draw on 80s pop, electronica and film music. Recorded and produced in his home setup, the EP unites previously released songs such as “Search the Night,” “Like Any Other Day” and the title track, which has also appeared as a standalone single.
Below is the video for the title track.
You can check the 6-track EP below on Bandcamp.
About The Co$t of Life
The Co$t of Life is the solo synth-pop, electronic rock and retrowave project of Centennial, Colorado-based songwriter and musician Jason Irving. The project emerged in 2022, when Irving returned to writing and recording after a two-decade break from band activity, using new home-recording tools to develop a synth-driven sound that mixes nostalgia with contemporary production.
Irving grew up in Morrison, Colorado, where sports initially dominated his time before music took over. In the late 1990s he played guitar and contributed backing vocals in the Denver pop-punk band Suburbia’s Finest. After leaving the band to study psychology and political science, he served four years in the U.S. Army as a mental health specialist, then spent a period teaching English in Tokyo before returning to Colorado to work in finance and start a family.
The Co$t of Life took shape once Irving started composing and producing at home again in 2022, drawing on 80s pop and rock, 90s techno, synthwave and film scores by composers such as Thomas Newman. Early digital singles like “Search the Night,” “Destination Unknown,” “Where the 80’s Music Played,” “Like Any Other Day” and “Excess” appeared on streaming platforms between 2023 and 2024.
In 2025 he continued that run with “Big Dreams” and “House on the Sand,” followed by the instrumental release “The Final Portal.” These recordings led into the October 2025 compilation EP “Destination: Unknown,” which collects six of the key vocal tracks from the project’s output.
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