Laserdance
High-speed cosmic disco driven by arpeggiated synths and vintage drum machines. The sound of a 1980s vision of the future, perfect for late-night drives.
High-speed cosmic disco driven by arpeggiated synths and vintage drum machines. The sound of a 1980s vision of the future, perfect for late-night drives.
Laserdance is the sonic equivalent of a neon-drenched sci-fi movie poster from 1984. Their music is defined by relentless, driving arpeggios and the unmistakable punch of vintage drum machines like the LinnDrum or Roland TR-808. It is high-energy, purely electronic, and deeply committed to a 'space' aesthetic that feels both nostalgic and strangely timeless. The tracks often feel like a race through a digital starfield, maintaining a consistent, propulsive tempo that never lets up.
What sets them apart is the 'Spacesynth' signature: a specific blend of Italo-disco rhythms with melodic, instrumental storytelling. Instead of traditional vocals, they use laser-zap sound effects, shimmering pads, and the occasional robotic vocoder to create a narrative of interstellar travel. The production is crisp and bright, emphasizing the sharp attack of analog oscillators and the wide, reverb-soaked soundstages typical of mid-80s European studio wizardry.
Start with 'Future Generation' to hear the blueprint of the genre. It captures the project at its peak, balancing catchy melodic hooks with the driving, mechanical precision that made them legends in the underground synth scene. It is the perfect entry point for anyone who loves the aesthetic of 'Stranger Things' but wants the authentic, original source material.
Laserdance is a Dutch Italo disco studio project consisting of producer Erik van Vliet and composer Michiel van der Kuy. The studio project has been categorized as part of subgenre known as spacesynth and has been generally considered as a major influence for the subgenre and has remained popular around Europe in the mid-1980s. Many of Laserdance's tracks are known to feature basic analog synthesizers, drum machines and vocoders. The name of the studio project comes from the first single with the same name published in 1984. Numerous hit singles from Laserdance include "Goody's Return", "Humanoid Invasion", "Power Run", "Fear" and "Shotgun (Into The Night)". Van der Kuy and Van Vliet are known to be key members of the studio project, while other members such as Ruud van Es, Rob van Eijk and Julius Wijnmalen, the composer of the studio album Strikes Back from 2000, have been involved as well. The very first single of Laserdance was published in 1984, and the first album Future Generation was released in 1987 with successful sales for the studio project, generating a lot of interest towards the spacesynth genre.
Shares disco, synth-pop (subgenres); analog warmth, drum machine, reverb heavy (production style)
Shares energetic, mysterious, triumphant (moods); synth-pop, disco (subgenres)
Shares analog warmth, drum machine, reverb heavy (production style); disco, synthwave, ambient techno (subgenres)
Shares analog warmth, drum machine, reverb heavy (production style); disco, synth-pop (subgenres)
Shares analog warmth, drum machine, reverb heavy (production style); synth-pop, disco, synthwave (subgenres)
Shares synth-pop, synthwave, ambient techno (subgenres); energetic, mysterious, triumphant (moods)
Shares analog warmth, drum machine, reverb heavy (production style); energetic, mysterious, triumphant (moods)
Shares analog warmth, drum machine, reverb heavy (production style); synthwave, synth-pop (subgenres)
Shares synth-pop, disco, synthwave (subgenres); energetic, mysterious, triumphant (moods)
Shares synth-pop, disco, synthwave (subgenres); stargazing, urban night, road trip (atmosphere)
Shares spacesynth, disco, instrumental only, triumphant (signature)
Shares synthwave, disco, instrumental only, triumphant (subgenre)
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