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Michael Tharrington for The DEV Team

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Music Monday — What are you listening to? (Synthwave Edition)

cover image source: Giphy

So, you might be thinking but Michael, we just had the Synth Heroes Edition last month... haven't we had enough of this!? 😫 To which I say, "Muahahahaha, you can never have enough synthesizer-focused music!!!" Hearing this, you get a bit freaked out and think how does he know my thoughts... to which I respond "Resistance is futile." 😈 Did I take it too far? Always. Are we going to focus on synthwave music this week? You bet your butts we are — we had such a great time on the last thread. So, close the curtains, turn on all your neon lights, and put on the coolest pair of shades you own, we're about to ride the synthwave. 😎

It appears as though we're moving forward in a grid of laser lights heading toward a large stylized setting sun. We're in between 2 canyons, but everything is digitized in a simple sort of 80's graphics. It feels very nightrider-esque and the image is very much of the synthwave genre.


How we do

In this weekly series, folks can chime in and drop links to whatever it is they've been listening to recently + browse others' suggestions. You can follow the suggested genre if you'd like, but don't feel confined to it; you're free to suggest whatever you wanna. 🙌

If you're interested in having other discussions about music, consider following the aptly named #music discussions organization.


Vaporwave is also welcome in this mix, not that I can really tell the difference between the two! 😆 Note: you can embed a link to your song using the following syntax {% embed https://... %}. This should work for most common platforms!

Looking forward to listening to y'all's suggestions! 🎶

Top comments (39)

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srbhr profile image
Saurabh Rai

Ha ha another one @michaeltharrington pure synth!

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michaeltharrington profile image
Michael Tharrington • Edited

Lol, you bet Saurabh!

This is actually why I was asking you for access to our playlist late last week... I was scheduling out this article and synths were on my mind, haha.

I even considered dropping our playlist into the mix here, but I thought I'd give you the honors since you originally set it up. 🙌

Care to share?

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srbhr profile image
Saurabh Rai

Okay. Here we go!!

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Michael Tharrington

You rock!! Now to use my admin powers and push your comment to the top of the post.

Forcing our playlist on everybody muahaha! 🤜💥🤛🤛 (that third fist bumping is for @thomasbnt)

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thomasbnt profile image
Thomas Bnt ☕

Ooooooooooh yeeeah ! 👍🏼

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srbhr profile image
Saurabh Rai

Thanks a lot @michaeltharrington and @thomasbnt !!
And BTW I would like you both to join my Discord server (Music Friends are worth keeping close) 😂
Here's the link: Hit The Goal

It's a self help discord but we can discus music and more stuff there.

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michaeltharrington profile image
Michael Tharrington

Sweet! I'm in. 😎

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brnms profile image
Bruno Santos

So a guitar player known for playing in Melodic Death Metal bands such as Arch Enemy and Dark Tranquillity released a solo album, it will probably be something related to extreme metal right? Wrong. Chris Amott released a Synthwave album in 2020, great stuff

open.spotify.com/intl-pt/album/5Ex...

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Michael Tharrington

Bruno, I'd be disappointed if you dropped something in here and it wasn't somehow tied to metal. I'm happy to say you didn't disappoint. 🤘

But seriously, this is a cool story. I love hearing about someone taking (at least what appears to be) a 180 degree turn musically and putting out something that is so very different, but also still so very awesome.

Just popped on the first tune and this is badass. 😎🔥 It kinda reminds me of Irving Force. Here's one for ya!

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brnms profile image
Bruno Santos

Great, going to listen to it

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Michael Tharrington

I hope you dig it! I'll say this, the music is pretty gnarly to me, but I also think the whole Irving Force aesthetic and sound is meant to be a bit ironic. They're kinda building themselves up as this really bad-ass, extreme late 80's/early 90's, hyperviolent group.

For instance, just watch this music video...

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JaredHarbison

Grace (Hercules Club Mix has been on repeat for me this week.

I've also continued listening to my 2023 Wrapped.

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Michael Tharrington

OOoo yes! This is thumpin' ... I'm lovin' all the percussive elements. Really good suggestion, Jared.

OOooo — the vocals just came in and they're perfect for this... gonna be listening to this all the way through fasho! 🙌

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dvddpl profile image
Davide de Paolis

I am a metal guy, but when it syntheave it's either OGRE Sound or Carpenter Brut !

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Michael Tharrington

Wooaaa!! I really like this. 🙌

You metal guys really know how to suggest some badass synthwave music, haha. Elsewhere in thread @brnms hooked me up with Chris Amott's Electric Twilight album and it freaking rocks. 🎸

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dvddpl profile image
Davide de Paolis

glad you liked it. I also noticed the comment about Amott's synth proj and immediately bookmarked in Spotify!

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Griff Polk

I said this a few weeks back, but Home (Randy Goffe) has an amazing song called We’re Finally Landing, and it fits synthwave well I think. So, that song. Just search We’re Finally Landing or Home-We’re Finally Landing.

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Michael Tharrington

Oh heck yeah! I remember this one. Wonderful tune. 🙌

Here it is!

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thatcomputerguy profile image
Griff Polk

Summoning Salt…

😜

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Ingo Steinke

LukHash and other retro synth stuff on the "more fun to compute" playlist.

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Michael Tharrington

OOooo alrighty! I've just started tuning in and am on the first track — Luk Hash's Amiga. Already, this is so damn cool. I love the retro vibes — def getting a taste of old-school video game soundtracks in the best way possible.

One of my favorite synth-tubers to watch is a dude that goes by LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER and he tinkers with lots of odd sounds, some of which really remind me of this. His videos aren't for everybody... he's kind of a mad scientist meets musician and regularly works on or builds new odd music-making contraptions, most often out of old and strange tech.

For instance, here he is working on a song using a Commodore 64 with MSSIAH:

Or, if you'd like to go a bit in the future (but still in the past) here he is converting a Sega Mega Drive into a synth:

Finally, if these aren't weird enough for ya, maybe you'd like to hear some Furby-based music:

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slika profile image
Simi Lika

Here is something I am listening today Linking Park- Numb

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Michael Tharrington

Nice! Someone further down the thread mentioned In the End must be a Linkin Park kinda day...

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Cherry Ramatis

I'm currently listen a lot of "pontos de umbanda" that is basically an african-brazilian type of music with a lot of hand drums

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Michael Tharrington

Oooo nice, Cherry!! That sounds seriously cool. I love good percussive music and a combination of African and Brazilian music sounds like it'd be right up my alley.

Do you happen to have any specific songs or artists you can share?

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Cherry Ramatis
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Michael Tharrington

This is sooooo dang cool. It's making me wanna look up and translate the lyrics...

Found'em!

Anywho, great share! I love getting turned on to new music like this. Thankya!

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Cherry Ramatis

The "atabaque" sound is really amazing, it's probably my most listened type of music nowadays.

it's a always pleasure to share the beauty of brazil ❤️

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Dendi Handian • Edited

I want to highlight this song from my ultimate synthwave playlist:

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Michael Tharrington

Very chill!! This is cool... those synth tones are sounding so sweet. Good vocals too! I love a nice electronic pop tune and this nails it.

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Stefan Moore

Lofi Music today. Haven't found something that fits my groove yet.

Slightly digging the syth stuff. Trying to find something to fit my groove at te same time as lofi

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Michael Tharrington

Nice! Good lofi beats are always enjoyable.

I don't know if you like watching beats being made, but I was watching this video earlier today and it definitely scratched a lofi itch for me.

When it comes to the synthwave world, I've been following this guy named Jonathan Belle to get introduced to new tracks and artists in the genere. Here he is reacting to one of my favorite groups in this genre called The Midnight.

It's funny because his reaction isn't really what pulls me in, I mean it's fine but nothing groundbreaking... really I just like the production of his videos and he has good tastes in music.

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Stefan Moore

Thanks for the recommendations. I'll add Jonathan to my play list. I'm into some of the production he's done.

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Jaime López

This couple amaze me the way they mix going on trips and djing at the same time.

youtube.com/@flavourtrip

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Michael Tharrington • Edited

Aww this is sweet. I really like this vibe. What a freaking cool couple. Good one, Jaime!

Their place is absolutely beautiful!

I'm tuning into this one:

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Lucas • Edited

Well, now I'm listening Everlong and the next one will be In The End

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Michael Tharrington

Nice. Good classic tunes! I went on a big Foo Fighters kick in the fall. Such a good band.

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Bala Madhusoodhanan

Hunger Games

Han Zimmers

Fresh Air

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Michael Tharrington

Nice ones Bala! Good eclectic mix here. I think the connecting thread between them all is that they're instrumentals.

I especially loved the Hans Zimmer one! Side note: Interstellar was a phenomenal movie.