14 Best Synthwave Albums You MUST Listen To

Nowadays most people associate "electronic music" with dance music, EDM or god help us, dubstep. But one genre, deeply rooted in nostalgia, has been making a resurgence in recent years. Taking inspiration from the neon lights and futurism of the 80's, synthwave is the throwback to a classic era of science fiction-inspired times.

For the uninitiated, synthwave is heavily inspired by the works and scores of mostly 80's films and games. Soundtracks for classics like Blade Runner, Terminator, as well as John Carpenter's catalogue of work have their roots in synthwave music.

Genre stalwarts like Kavinsky and Justice are often attributed as more pop-orientated acts, whereas Carpenter Brut and Perturbator follow the more "darkwave" route: sinister, heavier tones that pay tribute to 80's slasher flicks.

With so many artists and albums out there, it may be a bit overwhelming. But stick with us, as we look at some of the best ones out there at the moment - those that will make you feel like you've gone to a world of neon lights and cyborgs.

Despite releasing several EP's, starting back in 2006, Kavinsky really hit his stride with his debut (and to date, only) album is a real turning point for the genre.

Helped largely in part by lead single, Testarossa Autodrive, it drew a lot more attention to the genre and Kavinsky as an artist. Despite being bandied about as a single for years, with the excellent SebastiAn remix featured on both Grand Theft Auto IV and Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, it was a clear highlight to the album.

The other single, Nightcall, may have had a middling response on release, but gained a massive resurgence on the back of Ryan Gosling vehicle (pun intended) Drive, back in 2011. The inclusion on the album a few years later was the only way to go.

Featuring a traffic tale of romance and the afterlife across the album, it blends music-only tunes with some varied vocal inclusions, like Surburbia's hip-hop vocals over the top. Whilst these are a bit of a weird pace change at times, the whole album cemented Kavinsky's reputation in the genre.