"This is an oldie... well, it's an oldie where I come from" – Marty "Calvin" McFly, Sr.
From Vangelis to Fear Factory, I've been a fan of gaudy sci-fi synthesisers for a long time, but only recently discovered this new retro wave of amateur bedroom producers pretending it's still 1985. Bo selecta!
YouTube mixes of relaxing, upbeat, vaguely nostalgic, incredibly repetitive instrumentals like these perfectly suited my mood as a new parent and have been helping me deal with unrelated stresses in life. The solo albums they're sourced from aren't always so rewarding, but since I'm traditional in my false nostalgia, here are some premature favourites before the afterglow fades.
10. The Midnight, Nocturnal (The Instrumentals) (2017)
I've not listened to the original versions, so don't have that distraction of noticing where familiar vocal lines have been expunged. When you've got wailing sax, who needs singing? It was just holding them back.
My appreciation of squeaky sax came a bit later than shiny synth, and this is a pleasant fusion. In that admittedly quite bland way that's sometimes what you want when working.
My appreciation of squeaky sax came a bit later than shiny synth, and this is a pleasant fusion. In that admittedly quite bland way that's sometimes what you want when working.
9. Dynatron, The Legacy Collection, Vol. II (2016)
Most space-themed synthwave doesn't sound very much like space actually sounds in real life. This is more like it, right down to the tom fills.
I normally like my synthwave light and bouncy, but this is a darker, atmospheric alternative that doesn't assault the high frequencies or have pretensions of being Hans Zimmer. One song's even got a guitar in it, if you remember those.
I normally like my synthwave light and bouncy, but this is a darker, atmospheric alternative that doesn't assault the high frequencies or have pretensions of being Hans Zimmer. One song's even got a guitar in it, if you remember those.
From Beethoven's Sixth and 'A Lark Ascending' to Peter and the Wolf, I take great primary-school pleasure from musicians synthesising the sounds of nature.
With similar melodic pitter-pattering to Vangelis' Soil Festivities, this is a peaceful ode to inclement weather from the prolific multi-band multi-instrumentalist producer-manager. I don't know if it's strictly synthwave, but figured including Chromatics would be even more of a stretch.
After exploring the cosmic and hellish extremities of the genre in an inconsistent but admirably diverse discography (I'm not tempted by the dark side), the incredibly-named Lazerhawk took a drowsy drive through dreamwave, chillwave, or whatever this pleasant subgenre I like is called.
It's not as much fun as his classic debut (few things are), but it's well nice.
It's not as much fun as his classic debut (few things are), but it's well nice.
The default type of peaceful, plodding, only vaguely spacey synthwave I like, this is a nice collection of raw material that's worth sitting through for every other track, even if those are better experienced when used sparingly to brighten mixtapes accompanied by a looping gif of an anime car going nowhere forever.
The cover is kind of appalling though.
The cover is kind of appalling though.
5. Miami Nights 1984, Turbulence (2012)
I like the sound of analogue keyboards, but I'm not enamoured with all the other sounds, visuals and shallow preoccupations of 80s pop, so most of the trad synthwave names (your FM-84s, etc.) don't do much for me.
This one stands out from the crowd though, even if it puts me more in mind of late-80s British TV continuity than climbing into my sports car, activating the cloaking device and hitting the infinite neon grid.
This one stands out from the crowd though, even if it puts me more in mind of late-80s British TV continuity than climbing into my sports car, activating the cloaking device and hitting the infinite neon grid.
4. Kiile, Kiile (2016)
This was the first album that impressed me when I started checking out individual artists. The mood's just right and every track's a keeper. That airbrushed geometric cover art gives me some surreal false nostalgia too, I want it on my wall.
It's not perfect – the singing in that one song is a bit annoying, his technique of fading out and fading back in again gets old when it's used in almost every song, and one track cuts off abruptly in what seems suspiciously like a mistake – but that's all part of the DIY charm.
It's not perfect – the singing in that one song is a bit annoying, his technique of fading out and fading back in again gets old when it's used in almost every song, and one track cuts off abruptly in what seems suspiciously like a mistake – but that's all part of the DIY charm.3. Le Cassette, Left to Our Own Devices (2015)
The instrumental focus of the genre is one of its perks, so I largely avoid vocal synthwave, but this voice proved exceptional.
The Human League is the consensus comparison, but the contemporary copycat comes out on top.
The Human League is the consensus comparison, but the contemporary copycat comes out on top.
This is more on the ｖａｐｏｒｗａｖｅ side, but trying to compile a list of 10 vaporwave albums I actually like proved to be too much of a chore, so I'll just have to vex the genre snobs.
It's more smooth synth, but skewed and somewhat spooky. I don't know what listening to this does to my brain, but it tells me I enjoy it.
It's more smooth synth, but skewed and somewhat spooky. I don't know what listening to this does to my brain, but it tells me I enjoy it.
I don't know if this is the one that kicked it off (Kavinsky was an established producer; I get the feeling this was just some random nerd), but with a range of tempos, tacky revving engine sound effects and vocoded choruses masking an inability to sing, you've got all the components to inspire a derivative DIY renaissance right here.
It makes me feel like I'm playing a racing-themed digital pinball table and I've just unlocked an insane multiball, you know? Also a nerd.
It makes me feel like I'm playing a racing-themed digital pinball table and I've just unlocked an insane multiball, you know? Also a nerd.
Honourable mentions
- ADMO, Zero Wave (2019) – nice chillwave, but might as well listen to an Asthenic mix
- Airglow, Memory Bank (2014) – the unsettling atmosphere of vaporwave, but good
- Eagle Eyed Tiger, On the Run (2019) – a whole album of underwater level BGM
- Efence, Lost Future (2017) – burns so very, very brightly, then fizzles out
- HOME, Falling into Place (2016) – like the nice bits of Aphex Twin when he behaves
- Lost Years, Black Waves (2012) – varied and atmospheric, as much spa as space
- Starforce, Omniversal Oscillations (2013) – nerdiest album this side of Ayreon
- Stilz, Holding onto Yesterday (2017) – synthwave cinematic universe space party
- Tonebox, Nocturn (2016) – laid-back Amiga shoot-em-up vibes
- Waveshaper, Lost Shapes (2018) – a less cocky side of the cosmic virtuoso
