synthwave

Synthwave is a retro-futuristic electronic genre born in the mid-2000s that resurrects the sound and spirit of 1980s film scores, video game soundtracks, and analog synthesizer music. Characterized by pulsing basslines, lush arpeggiated synths, gated reverb drums, and cinematic atmospheres, it evokes the neon-soaked aesthetic of '80s action films and sci-fi dystopias. Unlike synthpop's focus on catchy vocal melodies and pop structures, synthwave prioritizes instrumental storytelling and nostalgic soundscapes, often eschewing vocals entirely for mood and texture. Artists like Perturbator, Carpenter Brut, and Kavinsky pioneered a darker, more aggressive strain with driving rhythms and horror-inspired undertones, while acts like The Midnight and Timecop1983 explore dreamier, melodic territory that flirts with—but remains distinct from—the hazier textures of vaporwave and the vintage pop sensibilities of retrowave.

The genre's visual identity is inseparable from its sound: sunsets over grid horizons, chrome logos, and VHS tracking artifacts. While modern R&B artists occasionally borrow its aesthetic sheen, synthwave remains rooted in homage rather than contemporary radio ambitions, drawing from Tangerine Dream, Vangelis, and John Carpenter rather than current pop trends. It's a genre that doesn't just reference the past—it reconstructs it with modern production clarity, creating a parallel timeline where the '80s never ended.

Listen to synthwave to cruise through alternate realities where every night glows with neon possibility and every synthesizer line carries the weight of a thousand forgotten futures.