Synthwave

Synthwave Vinyl: Kavinsky, Perturbator, Record Labels and Editions

Synthwave records: what you'll find here

Synthwave, also called retrowave or outrun, is electronic music that emerged in the 2000s, recreating the sound of 1980s synthesizers and the mood of that decade's film and video game soundtracks. Synthwave vinyl has become the genre's natural home: neon artwork, colored records, limited editions. This page also covers its roots, from Soft Cell's synth-pop to Laserdance's spacesynth, by way of the darker electronics of Italy's Kirlian Camera and Australia's Severed Heads. For each record, Vinyles.com lists offers from several partner stores so you can compare prices on the edition you want.

Color variants, limited runs and represses: buying smart

Synthwave albums often come in several variants: black, colored, marbled, sometimes box sets with extras. Limited first pressings resell high, even though the music is identical to later represses. If you're buying to listen, standard black or a repress is usually the best value. Synthwave is mostly produced digitally, so the choice of pressing matters less than for a 1970s album, but manufacturing quality still counts. Check whether a download code is included, since many synthwave releases also come with digital files.

• Limited first pressing or repress
• Store-exclusive color variant
• Download code included
• Variant price versus standard black

Essential synthwave albums on vinyl

The "Drive" soundtrack (2011), with Kavinsky's "Nightcall" and "A Real Hero" by College and Electric Youth, introduced the genre to a wide audience. Kavinsky followed with "OutRun" (2013). On the darker side, Perturbator released "Dangerous Days" (2014) and Carpenter Brut gathered his first EPs as "Trilogy" (2015), two pillars of darksynth. Brighter and more pop, The Midnight's "Endless Summer" (2016) stands for the melodic, sunset-drenched side of the genre. John Carpenter's film scores, extended by his album "Lost Themes" (2015), remain a major influence.

Synthwave record labels to follow

A handful of labels shape the genre on vinyl: Blood Music, which released Perturbator's albums, Lakeshore Records, which put out the "Drive" soundtrack, and soundtrack specialists Death Waltz and Mondo, whose reissues of 1980s film scores are popular with synthwave fans. Limited editions sell out fast: follow the new release and pre-order links above the grid, and compare prices across partner stores before choosing a variant, since the same edition can cost noticeably more at one store than another.