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80s style synth-pop/electro synth/cyberpunk music

ShaneB

Member
Has anyone else seen Blade Runner 2049 yet? Loved the sweeping synth soundtrack.

Figured the release would spark some convo. I hadn't read much about the soundtrack yet but I hope it's great.

California EP out today by Michael Oakley
https://michaeloakleysynthwave.bandcamp.com/

Love this guy. Turn Back Time, Devotion, Here Comes The Night are all bangers.

Hell yes. Thank you for the reminder. Knew there was an EP release today I was excited for and just was drawing a blank all day. Excited to hear the new tracks.
 

jett

D-Member
Has anyone else seen Blade Runner 2049 yet? Loved the sweeping synth soundtrack.

Compared to the work Vangelis did, I was disappointed. It's mostly an atonal, atmospheric droning with occasional loud siren-like noises. It's very unmelodious. There are some subtle hints to the original score, but they're really hidden in there. It's virtually nothing like the original Blade Runner score or Vangelis in general. In the movie itself, most of the time there seems to be no music at all.
 
Compared to the work Vangelis did, I was disappointed. It's mostly an atonal, atmospheric droning with occasional loud siren-like noises. It's very unmelodious. There are some subtle hints to the original score, but they're really hidden in there. It's virtually nothing like the original Blade Runner score or Vangelis in general. In the movie itself, most of the time there seems to be no music at all.

Yeah, it's pretty sparse, but I DID like what was there. Maybe it was just the combination with the stunning visual design.
 
Yeah, in the theater i liked it. Now listening to it on Spotify it's pretty underwhelming.

I hope we will get Johannson soundtrack version later to hear that too :D

Would love to hear the original score, absolutely. Especially with how much I enjoyed his work on Arrival. Not sure how likely it is we'll see it though.
 

tariniel

Member
The Midnight just dropped their new album 'Nocturnal'!

a3444055909_16.jpg
 

Ixion

Member
Just listened to both of these:


I think the jammy instrumental tracks are the best ones on the album ("Collateral", "Nocturnal", "Tokyo Night Train") along with "Crystalline". The other three tracks are pretty solid, yet mostly run-of-the-mill, synthwave tracks (although the second half of "Shadows" is catchy is hell). Overall, a great album with a moody late-night vibe.



Mega Drive said he cooked this up as a Halloween treat (while still working towards his next full-length album for later this year), and so this album turned out basically how I expected. It's a good, solid Carpenter-style tribute album that works better as a soundtrack experience more than a collection of standout songs. The two tracks that did stick out to me though are "Survival Skills" (a full Mega Drive banger) and "Memories of the Room" (very hypnotic and chill).
 

GutsOfThor

Member
Great album by The Midnight but what the fuck was he thinking with those stupid vocal effects on Shadows? Song was great and then he fucked it up...

Really hoping there is a instrumental release of this album down the road.
 

t-storm

Member
Waiting on that Nocturnal instrumental, great sounds.
Nocturnal is the best track, imo. Not feeling the rest of the album. I love sax as much as the next person but he went overboard with the sax in almost every track and vocals. Like GutsOfThor said, not sure what he was thinking with Shadows.
 

Spwn

Member
Totally 80's in 2015: "Kung Fury".

Rad soundtrack and concept, shitty movie that had nothing but cool trailers and the Hasselhoff-video. Got the soundtrack last year during Record Store Day and play it every once in a while.

MRfMTDom.jpg

I should take a pic of my current synthwave record collection, but maybe I'll wait until my latest orders have arrived. It's not massive as I only started collecting early last year, but there are some stuff that would probably make people drool. Really looking forward to having Tommy 86's Transhumanism in the collection.
 

Tankard

Member
The Midnight just dropped their new album 'Nocturnal'!

a3444055909_16.jpg

Loved it. It doesn't quite hit me as Endless Summer did because although i really like all the songs, none of them strike as as huge hits, at least for now. Still already one of my fav synth albums this year, if not the one.


Scandroid's rendition of Thriller is quite the banger. I am surprised.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rov5I0CQKw

Eh...i was actually surprised how weak it was, but opinions.

I think "The Force Theme" is actually a way better rendition.
 
Maybe "banger" isn't an apt description. I just like the synth production, even if it's kind of teetering on cornball territory.

I need to re-listen to The Midnight's new album. Endless Summer was great.
 

Spwn

Member
Yet another Dan Terminus track premiere from the upcoming album.

Deus Mecanicus

I like it. So far the new Dan Terminus sounds like what I'd imagine Perturbator sounding like if he hadn't changed his style so drastically.
 

Spwn

Member
Aw man it bums me out when I hear a great Synth track and suddenly vocals start to kick it. It's an immediate turn-off for me.

I can somewhat relate, but it depends. Good song is a good song and a bad vocal performance can kill the good vibes I'd get from the song otherwise. I love Perturbator's Venger and Sentient - the vocals suit those songs really well. Even the vocal tracks on Gost's Non Paradisi are good. But there are certainly lots of bad vocal performances that are autotuned to hell or otherwise don't match well with the songs.
 
The Midnight is known for being the best current synthpop act though, i'm more bummed on his instrumental tracks :D

Yeah I'm with you honestly, haven't listened to it again yet because the lack of vocals somewhat bored me the first time through :p I'm sure it'll grow on me though.

Also, Pert tracks with vocals are the best Pert tracks.
 

derFeef

Member
TBF I find The Midnight boring to begin with :D The vocals totally threw me off then.
I actually do enjoy Perturbator's tracks with vocal artists a bit. He makes it work.
 

ShaneB

Member
A great song is a great song.

Some of my favourite songs have vocals, some of my favourites don't have vocals.

My two favourite artists probably being The Midnight and FM-84.. I seem to prefer the vocal tracks of The Midnight, but with FM-84 seems like I tend to play the instrumental tracks more.


... I wish I was in LA on November 18th..
 

RedRum

Banned
Just started listening to synthwave. Kavinsky popped up on my YT and I can't stop listening to it.

What's strange for me is that while I seem to be loving the sound, I can't listen to it normally. It's a bit too slow. However, when I choose 1.25 speed on YT it is fucking perfect and I want to speed my way through Colorado traffic.
 
I though this thread was lost, as it somehow wasn't showing anymore in my subs.

Since season 2's release I've had the Stranger Things OT stuck in my head, the "friendship" track mostly. So fucking good.
 
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