Synth Up Again
I could not stop at only one synthwave/darksynth list, the synths flow through my blood and it gave me a great excuse to check a lot of stuff that's been on my backburner. Even if these microgenres are fading, there are some lads here that are still carrying the torch. More genre digs giving you 60 total artists to check. One entry per artist, organized alphabetically except the first one. |
| 1 |  | Perturbator
Dangerous Days
Here mainly for list visibility's sake, since he was on the first list. But he's really mastered the synthwave soundscape and is one of the GOATs. Pay What You Want on bandcamp. |
| 2 |  | Absolute Valentine
Omega
Cover art kind of sucks which stopped me from checking it out originally. My loss, since this kicks some ass. |
| 3 |  | Aeronexus
Fusion Break
What the hell they still make really good synthwave these days? Kind of spacey but uplifting, energetic, and danceable. Slaps. |
| 4 |  | Death Selektor
Replicant
Solid dark cyberpunk sounds, knowing when to go hard hitting and when to go for mood. |
| 5 |  | Ectoplague
Master Machine
Your standard fare darker cyberpunk beats, but executed cleanly. Seriously, some of these synth guys are not good with the songwriting. There's so many that didn't make the cut. |
| 6 |  | Elay Arson
Smoke
His earlier stuff never really impressed me, but he really tightened the songwriting on this one. Weaves harder and softer songs quite well, with some nice guitar sprinkled throughout. Pay What You Want on bandcamp. |
| 7 |  | Galantron
Overdrive
Nice blend of house and darker synthwave. |
| 8 |  | Goremall
Graveyard Diner
Groovy, bouncy, corny, overall fun horror synth laden stuff. |
| 9 |  | Grimlin
Minuit
Really lives on that sweet spot between both synthwave and darksynth, both sides tinged with horror synth. Great stuff. |
| 10 |  | Hoffman Cruise
Odyssey
Solid synthwave with industrial tinges and plenty of guitar. |
| 11 |  | Hubrid
Cosmic Memories
Despite his usual style being darksynth, he's actually really good at this chill atmospheric spacey stuff. Better at it, even. |
| 12 |  | Judge Bitch
Horse Blood
Mixes retro sensibilities with cyber-guitar aggressiveness. |
| 13 |  | King Stephen
Mesonoxian
Another repeat from the first list, but he's had a shift in style since that album. More gothic/symphonic like a vampire rave. This EP feels like a batch of nocturnes, which is dope. |
| 14 |  | Lazerhawk
Redline
One of the OGs that started synthwave. Very solid despite its age with a nice crunchy tone. |
| 15 |  | Makeup and Vanity Set
Charles Park II
Also one of the OGs, with prior history in electronic music grasping towards the synthwave sound. This has more of a horror synth and cinematic influence. |
| 16 |  | Mecha Maiko
Let's!
More synthpop than synthwave, but there's enough of that on here even if it isn't every song. |
| 17 |  | Meteor
Inner Demon
Pick any of his albums, they're all kind of the same. Solid synthwave with some rockin' guitar. |
| 18 |  | Midnight Danger
Chapter 2: Endless Nightmare
Fun darker synthwave tapping into 80s horror movie soundtracks for sure. |
| 19 |  | Necromancer (USA)
Soulless
Dark spacey evil cosmic darksynth with some piano here and there. Kind of reminds me of the vibes of the Goldeneye/Perfect Dark soundtrack at times. |
| 20 |  | Neon Nox
Payback
This is lighter than what the cover art and title may suggest. Some good clubbing tunes with some harder hitting stuff here and there. |
| 21 |  | Neuromancer
Hardwired
Short but sweet expertly crafted synthwave with a darker touch. |
| 22 |  | Night Runner
Starfighter
Has that classic retro synthwave sound executed quite well. |
| 23 |  | Nightstop
Streetwalker
Really captures those 80s movies vibes. |
| 24 |  | Shredder 1984
Nemesis
Despite the artist name, there's no shredding to be find here at all. Just dark, aggressive cyberpunk sounds. |
| 25 |  | Starfounder
Metal_Alpha_Reforged
Brooding and dark cinematic synths. |
| 26 |  | Street Cleaner
Annihilation
Feels like the soundtrack to some killer gritty beat em up game. |
| 27 |  | The Crucifix
Psychopunk 2165
Pretty cool darksynth with plenty of gothic and industrial flair. Unfolds kind of like a soundtrack to something. |
| 28 |  | The Rezonator
Dormant Sensory Organ
More really good current year darker cyberpunky synthwave. This, Neuromancer, and Aeronexus has made me confident that synthwave is alive and well for now. |
| 29 |  | Vector Seven
Atlas Industries
I could do with an instrumental version without the fanfic being narrated over every interlude track, but this is hard hitting, pulse pounding tracks to tear down dystopias to. |
| 30 |  | Venturer
Lilith
Pretty good little EP with some solid darksynth tunes. Too bad the follow up LP lacks cohension. |
| 31 |  | Void Stare
Urban War Pigs
Groovy darksynth with some industrial feel. |
| 32 |  | Waveshaper
Station Nova
Funky space synthwave with plenty of vintage sounds. |
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