3 of the Best Synthpop Movie Soundtracks for When You’re Feeling Dreamy

Synthpop often conjures up dreamy, retro feelings, transporting us back to the 80s and 90s when synth was all the rage. It’s a generally relaxing genre, weaving songs through slow, reverbed journeys that can help you drift off but also transport you to specific times and places. That’s especially true for synthpop movie soundtracks, which paired with a film, make the ultimate time machine. Here are just three incredible synthpop movie soundtracks that take us away to dreamy, almost noir-like atmospheres.

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, 1992

The Twin Peaks series soundtrack was already stellar, with frequent David Lynch collaborator Julee Cruise providing vocals for many tracks and making cameos. She returned to the soundtrack for the film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, which continues the dreamy, synthpop trend of the series. Angelo Badalamenti composed the instrumental tracks once again, successfully carrying over the aesthetic of Twin Peaks into the film. However, where the series was lighter and dreamier, Fire Walk With Me had a more sinister air to reflect the film’s darker tone, such as the use of noir-esque saxophone in the opening theme.

Blade Runner, 1982

The Blade Runner soundtrack, composed by Vangelis, is truly something special. While it’s less synthpop and more straight synth, it still possesses an inherent dreamlike quality with the power to transport listeners immediately to the distant dystopian future of 2019. The soundtrack’s ambient quality makes it blend seamlessly, so you float from one track to the next without knowing where one ends and the other begins. Blade Runner feels like a fever dream already, but it wouldn’t have been half as successful without the incredible soundtrack to back it up. A favorite track of mine is “Tears In Rain,” which lifts important dialogue from the film to create an immersive experience. Additionally, “Rachel’s Song” possesses a sweet, if confounding aura, which perfectly captures the character’s nature.

Drive, 2011

Here, we get into modern synthpop for the film Drive, which partially pulls songs like Kavinsky’s “Night Call” and Electric Youth’s “A Real Hero” to create the film’s inspired atmosphere. Drive has a strong aesthetic, and it’s reflected in its music—Desire’s “Under Your Spell” and Chromatics’ “Tick of the Clock” work to bolster the dreamy synth sound, as composed initially by Johnny Jewel, member of Chromatics. However, the film later hired composer Cliff Martinez, asking him to emulate Jewel’s style. Why they didn’t just get Johnny Jewel to do it, we’ll allegedly never know. Still, the dreamy synth compositions mostly follow Jewel’s original vision while thinking of the film as base elements, feeling the music as earth tones, for example. In this way, Jewel (and Martinez) crafted a soundtrack that references 80s synth and ambient sound and is stylistically retro.

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