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SOUND · 2 MIN READ

A soft landing: the essential retrowave records

A curation of recent records that make a case for slowing down, turning over the tape, and listening closely.

Published Recently addedBy NeonGrade Editorial

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Essential retrowave records and albums define the golden era of 1980s-inspired electronic music, featuring neon aesthetics, lush synthesizers, and driving basslines.

Essential Retrowave & Synthwave Albums

  • The Midnight – Endless Summer / Kids: Definitive dreamwave and vocal-driven retrowave capturing nostalgic youth and warm summer nights.
  • Timecop1983 – Reflections / Journeys: Essential smooth, emotional, and feel-good melodic retrowave.
  • Lazerhawk – Redline: A high-octane, foundational driving album in the outrun subgenre.
  • Kavinsky – OutRun: The quintessential record that helped launch the modern retrowave movement.
  • Miami Nights 1984 – Turbulence: Pure 80s-soaked instrumental electro-pop and nostalgic atmosphere.
  • Glitch Black – Emergent Behavior: A darker, gritty, and cyberpunk-leaning essential record.