We can all remove our earplugs as the sounds of alarm clocks being blended to a pulp fade off into the horizon. A new old kid is in town, he rides a digital hoverboard, is a master of the power glove, and his name is RETRO WAVE.
Ok, so dubstep's not COMPLETELY dead, and retro wave is nothing terribly new for those who keep their fingers on the pulse of electronic music, but it has finally reached critical mass, where widespread adoption occurs. For the most part, big electronic trends span a 5 year mainstream lifecycle, usually buffered by obscurity on both sides. I don't believe any particular style of music ever really completely dies out, and I'm sure that dubstep mixes will continue for some time, but I for one am happy that it's dropping out of the limelight.
Although it was already beginning to peak late last year, 2017 seems to be the year that retro wave rose to center stage. Marked by a definitive 80's style of synths, and dripping with pinks, purples, chrome, and neon effects, retro wave has sparked some of the more visually stunning music videos I've seen in awhile, especially from smaller bands and producers.
Spurred onward by the moderate cult success of games like Far Cry - Blood Dragon and short indie movies like Kung Fury, retro wave (and its sister synthwave) are now falling full force into the mainstream of electronic music, and I couldn't be happier. Hopefully, we're moving out of our grimdark visions of the future phase, and digging our way out of our dystonia mindset by re-energizing ourselves with the power of the 80's, amplified by modern technology.
I've linked a few of my favorite tracks and mixes below. What do you think? Are you a fan of classic, old-school synths, or do you prefer something more modern? Let me know in the comments below!
