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Synthwave, Heavy Metal and the horrors of GPS!

GPS is an audio project I am working on at the moment, a horror story about three teenage boys who get into trouble with a faulty GPS. I’m hoping to have it finished in time for my Halloween broadcast in October.

An interesting element of this project is that the soundtrack will be made up almost entirely of synthwave music, with a small amount of ‘incidental’ music.

Synthwave is a relatively new genre with a very specific sound based on eighties movies and digital synthesizers. It might have a ‘retro’ reference point, but as one commentator recently pointed out, many of the synthwave producers are evolving the sound, turning it into something new.

Part of the appeal for me is that much of music has been created with ‘chase’ scenes in mind — so it fits in perfectly with teenagers driving around the Western suburbs at night.

Synthwave also has the dark sound of eighties Heavy Metal running through it, emerging through minor-key chord progressions and sinister bass notes. This is something I recognise because it was the music I listened to as a teenager.

One of the tracks I am using is ‘Tech Scavengers’ by Irving Force from Sweden, who has created his own original sound by drawing on heavy metal, but hammering it out on a synthetic anvil.

Have a listen and see what you think!

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