80's Cinematic Albums? (often with atmospheric synths)

[mnprogger]

Would anyone around here have any good suggestions for albums preferably from the 80's (although they wouldn't have to be. Maybe late 70's or 90's, just having the style/sound/textures of an 80's sound per say).

I'm not necessarily referring to Soundtracks to films (or even tv), although that may be something that would fit what I'm looking for.

But I checked out a Saga album today "World's Apart" and while I didn't love it, in the 2nd half there were some moments that seemed rather cinematic, atmospheric, that seem like partially, something made based on the time/technology and maybe the story/concept if there is supposed to be one.

This goes back to sort of a romanticism and almost nostalgia for music that sounds like it's from then and almost makes me feel like I am transported back to that time.

Apes and Androids album "Blood Moon" had a lot of that.

Also I often think of 80's Scifi movies like Night of the Comet with this specific aesthetic.

The band Metronomy have a pretty popular track titled "The Look" which the synthesizer bridge also captures a lot of what I'm looking for.

Some names like Tangerine Dream or some of the Krautrock stuff might fit what I'm looking for. I suppose if it isn't from a soundtrack, it could be preferably a CONCEPT album or at least a song/suite that tells a story in some ways.

I'm not sure if I'm reaching here and thinking there's a lot of music out there like this, when there is not. But I'd love any recommendations (and not stuff like Saga really as their sound sadly comes across a little too cheesy overall for me to attach to. Namely per the AOR and vocals and plasticy sound a lot of it has..like 80's Styx or Triumph or the long list of Neoprog bands I've never been able to like).

[JKL2000]

I feel like there's a thread about this, but it must be hard to find.

I recommend Peter Bardens' "Seen One Earth." This is a good track, but I recommend the whole album:

[Progbear]

How about Skin Diver by Nona Hendryx (Labelle), her collaboration with Peter Baumann (Tangerine Dream)?

[interbellum]

François Bréant: Sons Optiques (alright, it's from 1979):



Eddie Jobson/Zinc: The Green Album:



When you mention Saga's Worlds Apart there's a whole world of atmospheric synth's-albums produced by Rupert Hine, like the early The Fixx-records.

Ippu Do: Night Mirage:

[bigbassdrum]

Mid/Late 70's:
Synergy (Larry Fast)
Stomu Yamashta's Go
Vangelis

[battema]

Are you familiar with the new Synthwave movement? Many of those are *very* much in the same vein: Code Elektro, S U R V I V E (these are the guys who did the score for Stranger Things), Perturbator, Dance with the Dead, Futurecop, FM-84, and so on...

In terms of actual 80's...the first two albums from Exchange were pretty excellent. John Carpenter's soundtracks often hit the spot.

While not instrumental, the Blue Nile album 'Hats' is gorgeous 80's cinematic pop music.

[JKL2000]

This thread made me think of the The Nightcrawlers, the 1980s US "Berlin School" synth/atmospheric band, and the 2CD compilation Travelling Backwards. I get the impression this compilation is pretty hard to find these days, and possibly the only CD release of Nightcrawlers' material. It's good stuff, and worth hunting down, though obviously there's plenty of similar stuff that can be found more easily.

[mnprogger]

thanks. No I haven't heard really any of the things in this topic, but I'll be checking them out hopefully this week/coming weeks.

I actually asked on a few other sites as well and received some other suggestions.

I suppose 1 other thing is, the story very likely could be Scifi (even Anime-like I suppose).

[moecurlythanu]

While nothing like Saga, and not ticking the concept album box, based on your description, the first band that came to mind is This Mortal Coil. Great, great stuff.

[ChrisXymphonia]

How about this (which is a band that has Lars Fredrik Frøislie of Wobbler as its members, lots of synthy cinematic goodness as it is very much inspired by 80s synth soundtracks:

[battema]

Three Winters is definitely a fun little album

[iguana]

our geoff's “the light program” (1986):

[Dave (in MA)]

Same record label as the Bardens one above, Cinema Records.

[bill g]

I always found the best one to be (and you may likely already know of this) Anthony Phillips - 1984. Excellent stuff.

[interbellum]

Same record label as the Bardens one above, Cinema Records.

And very much SF indeed (the 5.1 mix brings you right into space!)

[hippypants]

Tomita
I'd recommend the Stranger Days soundtrack too. You can find it on YT.
Same for John Carpenter soundtrack music.
Just about any early Tangerine Dream, but also Firestarter.
Beyond the Black Rainbow soundtrack

[dropforge]

Want cinematic? Meet Larry Fast, whose recording nom de plume was Synergy (not to be confused with the jazz band that came later).

This is from Audion (1981). "Revolt at L-5" sounds very much like music from a nonexistent soundtrack.



In 1987, Larry concluded his synthesizer odyssey with Metropolitan Suite, recorded largely on the Fairlight. In 2002, Larry rerecorded a bunch of his favorite tracks and released them as Reconstructed Artifacts, using Roland, Kurzweil and E-mu synths. Hence, the rerecorded "Into the Abyss" doesn't have a, shall we say, monochromatic feel? Funny how that worked out!

[dropforge]

I recommend Peter Bardens' "Seen One Earth."

One of my favorites from the decade. The title track ruulz.

[dropforge]

My favorite cut from Kitaro's 1980 record In Person Digital.

[battema]

So, here's something kind of new but rather good (Bro Dropforge, if you haven't heard this, trust me and add it to the list ): Code Elektro's new album Triads. All three albums are quite good, although I've been getting slightly more mileage out of this newest one.

Enjoy!

[battema]

One more, slightly more obscure: Buio Mondo and their album 'Herederos de la Bestia' which is actually a mix of dark synths and 70's prog rock (a bit like Goblin without sounding like a Goblin clone). The track below is my definite favorite and does have a cool dark 80's cinematic synth vibe:

https://buiomondo.bandcamp.com/track...-sporca-madrid

[dropforge]

Really dig that Buiomondo! I see the DVD/CD set is sold out.

That Code Elektro is pretty cool. I'll check out more of their sounds. :

[Yaman Aksu]

Music for the movie Local Hero, by Mark Knopfler. Its youtube playlist URL is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6u_...n_LLqeKWy1Lpeq

[progmatist]

Still one of my favorites to this day is David Arkenstone's Valley in the Clouds.

[arturs]

Howabout some Djam Karet? Recollection Harvest might be the closest to what you are asking for.