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If you want electronic music with a mix of old school retro feel and new school futuristic sound, look no further than synthwave! Recently, this special genre has been transforming and evolving at a rapid pace. The style has shifted far from what it was before. As the genre continues to grow with the influx of new producers and fans, it’s worth taking a look at what synthwave is all about.
The synthwave music genre developed in the mid-to late 2000s as a tribute to 80s and early 90s media and pop culture. Also called synth-pop or electropunk, synthwave was predominantly inspired by Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. The video game’s Miami beach and neon light aesthetic and its use of retro music inspired a handful of French house producers, as well as younger artists to pioneer the genre. Among the first synthwave artists were the French acts David Grellier and Kavinsky. The genre takes further inspiration from the likes of funk and electro, along with many other soundtracks for 80s movies, television, and video games.
The term “synthwave” itself finds its roots from two words: ‘synth’, short for ‘synthesizer’, an electronic instrument that generates audio signals, and ‘wave’, which could mean the movement of sound energy. However, synthwave should not be used as a broad term for synthesizer music. Modern synthwave artists make use of a lot of synths for their music. Analog synthesizers are utilized to replicate retro synth sound and sound quality. Newer synthwave tracks usually feature these sounds, together with synth basslines and drums.
The rapidly growing popularity of synthwave has given rise to many spin-offs, offshoots, and sub-genres. The genre has been steadily evolving and shifting over the years, and now its connections to other music forms are closer than ever. As synthwave begins to meld with other other music styles, and the term itself is being loosely used to refer to very different genres, it’s worth taking a deeper look into the other styles of synthwave music for better recognition and appreciation of the genre.
Outrun, as a sub-genre of synthwave, has been one of the main contributors to the rise of 80s themes in the 21st century. It’s driven by powerful, positive nostalgia in tandem with the peculiar sound of synthesizers. The genre, having developed its own feel for the past number of years, is now known for being characterized as melancholy due to the retro synthesizers. Outrun is also heavily influenced by 80s Japanese culture, including games and anime.
Darksynth, as the name implies, is based on the darker, more mature sci-fi and horror form of media during the 1980s. This particular sub-genre of synthwave is one of the more acknowledged and popular ones due to its incorporation of bass heavy electro, metal, and industrial influences. Darksynth is closely tied to metal music, and a many aspects of that genre are seen in Darksynth.
As synthwave’s most popular sub-genre (hence the name), synthpop haas been featured in many famous songs. It has been connected to new wave and new wave artists like Duran Duran. The synthesizer usually takes center stage in synthpop, and other musical elements are used to accent it. Synthpop is generally also called “electropop”, although the two have stark differences. Synthpop is more classically pop influenced, while electropop tends to be darker.
Also known as popwave, this sub-genre can be described simply as a slower version of synthwave. While both have 80s music at their core, dreamwave is influenced by the neo-psychedelic dream pop, while synthwave takes its roots from more upbeat video game music. Dreamwave was the style that grew alongside outrun, the sub-genre truest to its synthwave roots. This style continues to grow as it is involved in more and more pop song structures.
Also known as Vincent Belorgey, Kavinsky is a French musician, producer and DJ. His production style inspired the many retro movies he watched when he was young. By choosing the best parts from each of them and combining them to form a singular concept, Kavinsky has developed a sound not unlike 80s electro pop. One of his more popular works, “Nightcall” is featured in the 2011 film “Drive”. Many say that his music is reminiscent of his fellow French house artists, Daft Punk.
Using a creative mix of Dark Electro and Cyberpunk themes, Tokyo Rose has established a signature style that has made him one of the most well known artists in the genre. The Jersey-born producer has been a mainstay of synthwave, having been making music for the genre for about a decade now. Tokyo Rose is best known for the albums “Akuma”, released in 2017, and “Akuma II”, released in 2019.
FM-84 began as a one man show, with creator Col Bennett producing great tracks over the years. Things really kicked off when Bennett started to collaborate with singer and songwriter Ollie Wride. Their hit song, “Running In The Night” cemented their partnership and was the beginning of a fantastic synthwave duo. Their album, “Atlas”, is a nostalgic masterpiece that vividly reminds you what synthwave is all about.
Even as a relative newcomer, Wayfloe has already made its mark on the synthwave genre. This Canadian duo has been pushing the creative boundaries of synthwave since their first productions, and their work has such an individual feel to it that it’s almost instantly recognizable. One only needs to listen to their album “Neon West” to find that their originality is unmistakable. Synthwave is a unique genre that simultaneously offers the feeling of nostalgia and a taste of the future. This new, unexplainable music will surely be a staple for years to come, and its use in film and video games is proof of that. In any case, whether it blooms into true popularity or stays as a beloved classic, one thing is for sure: synthwave is here to stay.
