Revival of 80's Synthwave Music and The Running Up That Hill Midi Phenomenon

The Revival of 80's Synthwave Music

The 1980s marked a vibrant era for synthwave and electronic music. Legendarily known for its pulsating basslines, lush pads, and nostalgic melodies, the synthwave genre has seen a major revival in recent years. Much of this can be attributed to the breakout success of the Netflix series "Stranger Things", which featured iconic 80's songs like "Running Up That Hill" by Kate Bush. The song has penetrated mainstream music culture once again nearly 4 decades after its initial release.

The Timeless Appeal of 80's Melodies

What gives 80's synthwave music such widespread modern appeal? A lot of it has to do with the innate emotional quality of the melodies from that era. Songs like "Running Up That Hill" combine airy vocal layers with rich, enveloping harmonies to create a soundscape that feels both dreamlike and deeply moving. The repetitive sequences and arpeggiated synths create a trance-inducing atmosphere, allowing listeners to get lost in the music.

While lyrics take a backseat role in a lot of synthwave, the poetic nature of the vocals in "Running Up That Hill" make them impactful. Lines like "Let's exchange the experience" and "Be running up that road, be running up that hill" express a sense of urgency and passion that resonates with audiences across generations. Whether you lived through the 80's the first time or are just discovering that music now, the combination of forward-driving rhythm and emotive vocals create an irresistible appeal.

The New Wave of Synthwave Musicians

A vibrant community of modern synthwave producers are keeping the 80’s electronic torch burning bright. Musicians like Carpenter Brut, Dance with the Dead, and The Midnight are at the forefront of the synthwave revival – often referred to as simply “The New Wave”.

These artists pay homage to pioneering 80’s electronic groups like Depeche Mode, The Human League, and Jean-Michel Jarre, while also putting their own modern spin on that retro sound. The instrumentation remains familiar: huge reverberating drums, sweeping pads, emotive lead lines, and liberal use of guitar and saxophone melodies. But the production quality utilizes modern techniques to create a sharper, harder-hitting sound. The synth tones blend both analog warmth and digital clarity.

The Running Up That Hill Midi Phenomenon

It’s no coincidence that “Running Up That Hill” has become one of the most widely used midi files amongst this new generation of synthwave producers. The chromatic chord progressions, driving tempo, and lush textures make it the perfect canvas on which to paint fresh new arrangements. Retaining those familiar vocal hooks makes the new interpretations recognizable tributes to the Kate Bush original.

Some examples of popular “Running Up That Hill” midi arrangements in the modern synthwave style include:

• Carpenter Brut’s epic, high-octane remix
• Scandroid’s dancefloor-ready take featuring soaring, arpeggiated synths
• Timecop1983’s dreamy, chilled-out chillwave rendition
• Vogue’s saxophone-fueled melodic synthpop cover

The simplicity of the chord changes makes “Running Up That Hill” an ideal song for novice music producers to try their hand at remixing as well. From melodic techno to retrowave to cyberpunk-inspired arrangements, the musical possibilities are endless.

The Accessibility of Music Production Technology

What’s largely fueling this explosion of synthwave arrangements and remixes is the accessibility of modern music creation technology. Hardware and software that was once only available to professional musicians and producers in high-end studios can now be purchased affordably by bedroom producers and hobbyists alike.

Accessible Synth & MIDI Hardware Options

Hardware synthesizers like the Arturia MicroFreak, Korg Minilogue, and Behringer Neutron provide authentic analog synth tones in compact packages for under $500. MIDI keyboard controllers from companies like Native Instruments, Akai Professional, and Novation enable hands-on control of soft synths, virtual instruments, and external hardware.

Once prohibitively expensive rackmount units like samplers, vocoders, and mixing consoles now have affordable software counterparts that emulate all that coveted 80’s gear – without breaking the bank. Desktop modules and compact grooveboxes offer an all-in-one solution to start laying down synthwave tracks out of the box as well.

Intuitive Music Production Software

On the software side, digital audio workstations like Ableton Live, FL Studio, Logic Pro, and Reason provide streamlined workflows to write, record, edit, and polish synthwave songs. Drag-and-drop simplicity for inserting virtual instrument plugins, coupled with large libraries of high-quality sampled electric piano, bass, guitar, drum and synth sounds come built-in.

While the learning curve can still be steep for production newcomers, the interfaces and workflows have become exponentially more intuitive compared to software in decades past. Online video tutorials also assist with ramping up on key music production concepts quickly.

Collaboration in the Cloud

Cloud-based sharing of projects has also enabled seamless collaboration amongst producers spread across the globe. Platforms like Splice allow multiple artists real-time access to share projects, sounds, track elements, and ideas. This has fostered entirely new creative partnerships and synthwave subgenres that fuse musical influences from all corners of the world.

With nineties-inspired vaporwave and dreamwave offshoots also gaining mainstream momentum, it’s clear the retro synth revival is still in its infancy. As technology continues democratizing access to professional-grade music tools, it’s certain we’ll be “running up that hill” with fresh new synthwave for decades still to come.

FAQs

What sparked the revival of 80's synthwave music?

The use of iconic 80's songs like Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill" in the hit Netflix series Stranger Things reintroduced that style of music to a new generation and helped kickstart the synthwave revival.

What modern artists are leading the new wave of synth?

Carpenter Brut, Dance with the Dead, The Midnight, and artists like them are keeping the 80's electronic sound alive with a modern production twist on their music.

Why is "Running Up That Hill" so widely remixed?

The chord progression, tempo, and textures of the song make it the perfect canvas for modern synthwave producers to put their own creative spin on.

How has technology enabled more music producers?

Affordable hardware synths, intuitive music software, and cloud collaboration have allowed bedroom producers to create professional quality music more accessibly.