SYNTHWAVE: THE GUIDE

Get retro with our genre-focused tutorial guides

Neon lights, lasers and flying cars – the 1980s portrayed a spectacular vision of the future. Sadly, we never did get that space-age lifestyle, but we did gain a body of music which influenced a modern genre. Synthwave is a synth-heavy type of music that takes inspiration from the sounds and imagery of the 1980s and repackages them for a modern audience. Its roots can be heard through synth-laden film and television scores of the 1980s, such as Brad Fidel's work in The Terminator and the biting action of Jan Hammer's Miami Vice. More recently, the 2011 movie Drive brought the genre to popular attention, and it's been growing in popularity ever since.

Synthwave is an eclectic mix of sci-fi, pop and atmospherics, blending the music of the past to create a retro-styled vision of the future. To those involved in synthwave, it’s a heart-warming, nostalgic journey into the past. It’s not just a genre of music; it’s an aesthetic, a style – a scene.

Synthwave can be thought of as a catch-all term for a lot of 80s inspired electronic genres. You’ll often hear terms such as Dreamwave, Futuresynth, Outrun, and many others being used. These imply certain stylistic differences, but they can all be thought of as part of the same movement, and they have undeniable crossover points in aesthetics and sonic choices. It’s all got a foot in the 80s, but the styles range from dreamy atmospherics to unrelenting, brutal neon horror.

If you’re a synth fanatic looking for a musical home, then this could be the genre for you. It’s a rapidly growing movement, so now is the time to equip yourself with the knowledge of how it’s all put together. Even if you think the 80s might not be your thing, the creative sound palette used throughout synthwave will spice up whatever style you like to create and give a distinctly retro edge to your music. Come with us through the sounds of the genre as we dish out advice that’ll make you a synthwave aficionado in no time.