Synthwave & Retro

Synthwave is an Electronic genre originating from the mid-2000s and influenced by 1980s film soundtracks, video games and the music of composers such as John Carpenter, Vangelis, and Tangerine Dream. Beginning in the mid-2000s, the genre developed from various niche communities on the Internet, reaching wider popularity in the early 2010s. Synthwave expresses nostalgia for 1980s culture, attempting to capture the era's atmosphere and celebrate it.
 
The style is mainly instrumental, and often contains 1980s cliché elements in the sound such as electronic drums, gated reverb, analogue synthesizer bass lines, and leads.
 
French acts including College, Kavinsky, and Justice are recognised as the pioneers contributing to the early Synthwave sound. These early artists began creating music inspired by famous 1980s score composers; music which was, at the time, largely associated with French House. The release of the movie Drive in 2011, whose soundtrack featured several Synthwave artists, helped drive new fans and artists inspired by it toward the genre.

The use of arcade game and 80s computer game sounds are associated with retro-style music, incorporating beeps, zaps, and 8-Bit sounds into Ambient and Electronic styles of music.

Our Synthwave sample packs range from dark cyberpunk packs, Vapourwave, classic retro game sounds, epic soundtrack-inspired packs, Chillwave packs, sleek and atmospheric 80s Pop packs, and so much more. Synthwave is a fun genre that makes full use of the synthesizer and those classic 80s drum loops. Enjoy!