Darksynth

History and character

Darksynth is the dark, aggressive variant of synthwave that established itself in the 2010s with Perturbator (James Kent: Dangerous Days, 2014; The Uncanny Valley, 2016), Carpenter Brut (Trilogy, Leather Teeth), Dance With The Dead, GosT, Magic Sword, Daniel Deluxe and Mega Drive. It abandons the bright “Miami Vice” aesthetic for that of the horror and sci-fi soundtracks of John Carpenter (Assault on Precinct 13, Halloween, Escape from New York), of Dario Argento's Goblin and of Blade Runner, and incorporates post-punk, industrial, EBM, electro and metal: distorted basses, hammering rhythms, cyberpunk and dystopian atmospheres, and in some cases heavy guitars. According to Wikipedia it is a subgenre shaped by horror soundtracks and post-punk and industrial sounds.

The imagery is made of night cities, blood, demons, cyborgs, horror VHS tapes and cyberpunk anime (Akira). Many tracks have been used in video games (Hotline Miami, Furi) and indie films. Darksynth concerts are often closer to metal shows than to electronic ones.

Scales and keys

In modes, Roman numerals refer to the scale of the mode; in minor, to the natural minor.

Phrygian — the scale of menace

• Formula: 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 (S T T T S T T). In C Phrygian: C Db Eb F G Ab Bb.
• Characteristic note: b2 (Db) a semitone from the tonic: horror tension.
• Chords (scale of the mode): i Cm – II Db – III Eb – iv Fm – v° Gdim – VI Ab – vii Bbm.
• Use: C–Db–C bass riffs, ostinatos, leads that fall onto the b2.
• Mistakes: using the diminished v as a chord: better to use i–II.

Harmonic minor — John Carpenter-style drama

• Formula: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7 (T S T T S 1½T S). In C minor: C D Eb F G Ab B.
• Characteristic note: leading tone B and the augmented second Ab–B: unease.
• Key chords: V G (major), vii° Bdim, VI Ab.
• Use: i–VI–iv–V progressions, minor arpeggios with the leading tone.

Natural minor (Aeolian)

• Formula: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7. In C: C D Eb F G Ab Bb.
• Use: i–VII–VI–V and i–VI–III–VII loops with distorted sounds.

Locrian and the tritone as color

• Locrian: 1 b2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7. The b5 (tritone) for industrial and metal riffs; used as a color, not as a stable key.

Chromatic

Metal-style chromatic riffs (C–Db–D–Eb) and clusters in the horror pads.

How to choose

Harmony

Function

Static, menacing harmony: riffs and ostinatos on 1–2 bass notes, few progressions, heavy use of the semitone (i–II) and the tritone. The melodic sections use minor cadences with a major V (harmonic) for “film” drama.

Techniques

• Bass ostinato in eighth or sixteenth notes with the b2.
• Pedal under descending chords (Cm–Bb/C–Ab/C–G/C).
• Power chords (fifths), distorted as in metal.
• Andalusian descent (i–VII–VI–V) for climaxes.

Voicing

Fifths and octaves, dark pads in the low-mid register, leads in the mid-high register with distortion.

Typical progressions

Rhythm and groove

Hammering four-on-the-floor kick (EBM, electro) or rock/metal patterns with double kick, gated or industrial snare on 2 and 4, sixteenth-note hats; sequenced sixteenth-note bass with distortion. Sometimes a heavy half time (doom/industrial style). Swing 0%; everything rigid and mechanical. Medium-fast tempos (110–130) with some faster songs.

Drums

Kick

Four on the floor, distorted and powerful (saturated 909, industrial kick); sixteenth-note double kick in the metal sections.

Snare

On 2 and 4, gated and saturated, layered with noise and metallic clap; in half-time breakdowns, snare on the 3.

Hi-hat and percussion

Sixteenth-note hat, open hat on the offbeats; metallic percussion and industrial samples; crash and china.

Interaction

Bass and kick locked together (pronounced sidechain); distorted guitars in unison with the bass in metal songs.

By section

Horror intro (drone, pad, no drums); build with toms and snare; drop with four-on-the-floor kick and distorted bass; half-time breakdown; finale with everything.

Fills and sounds

Tom fills with gated reverb, sharp stops, reverses; saturated 909 and industrial samples. Mistakes: clean, light drums (they must be violent); too much width, which removes impact.

Bass

• Sound: distorted saws (Minimoog/MS-20 with overdrive), reese, aggressive FM basses; clean sub layer + distorted mid layer.
• Pattern: sixteenth notes on the tonic with the b2, octaves, riffs in unison with the guitars.
• Relationship with the kick: sidechain 4–8 dB.
• Examples: Carpenter Brut — Turbo Killer, Perturbator — Future Club.

Harmonic instruments

Dark pads and organs, distorted synth leads, menacing synthetic brass, dark arpeggios, distorted electric guitars (metal), synthetic choirs, chimes and horror piano (Halloween style). Voicings in fifths, dissonant clusters.

Melody and vocals

• Lead: obsessive, short, repeated melodies; distorted leads with glide.
• Vocals: rare; when present, processed voices, whispers, choirs or post-punk/metal guest vocals (Carpenter Brut has collaborated with rock singers).
• Effects: distortion, long dark reverbs, tempo-synced delay, vocoder.

Instruments

Synths (pads, leads, bass), drum machines and industrial samples, distorted guitars, organ, horror piano, synthetic choirs, vocoder.

Drum patterns

Synths and sounds

• Korg MS-20 V — Distorted bass and lead: Saturated, resonant filters for aggressive basses and leads.
• ARP 2600 V — Horror FX and basses: Noises, drones, sweeps and rasping basses.
• CS-80 V — Dark pad and brass: Blade Runner-style brass and pads with expressive modulation.
• Matrix-12 V — Dark evolving pads: Complex modulations for cyberpunk textures.
• Prophet-5 V — Lead and arpeggios: John Carpenter-style horror arpeggios.
• Mini V — Bass: Distorted saws for the sequenced bass.

Song structure

Duration 4:00–6:00.

Mixing and mastering

Sonic goal

Violent but controlled: distorted, powerful kick and bass, cutting leads, dark and deep space; less brightness than classic synthwave, more aggressive mids. References: Perturbator — Future Club, Carpenter Brut — Turbo Killer, Dance With The Dead — Riot, GosT — Arise.

Kick

HP 30 Hz, +3 dB at 50–60 Hz, −3 dB at 300 Hz, +3 dB at 3–4 kHz; saturation/distortion; clipper; center.

Snare

Gated reverb, saturation, +3 dB at 200 Hz and 4 kHz; parallel compression; center.

Hi-hat and percussion

HP 500 Hz, wide metallic percussion.

Bass

Clean sub below 100 Hz + distorted layer above; sidechain 4–8 dB; mono below 150 Hz.

Synths and guitars

HP 200 Hz; parallel distortion; −2 dB at 400 Hz; doubled guitars hard L/R; wide dark pads with long hall and HP on the return.

Vocals (if present)

Heavy compression, parallel distortion, dark reverb.

Buses and groups

Drum bus with clipper; synth bus with saturation.

Sidechain

Kick → bass, pads.

Master

Chain: EQ → compressor 1–2 dB → clipper → limiter. Target −8/−6 LUFS, true peak ≤ −1 dBTP, PLR 7–9 dB.

Common mistakes

Distortion on everything (it becomes an indistinct mass); distorted basses without a clean sub; too many harsh mids at 2–4 kHz.

Reference tracks for the mix

Carpenter Brut — Roller Mobster (2013); Perturbator — Future Club (2014); Carpenter Brut — Turbo Killer (2015); Perturbator — Venger (2016).

Reference listening

• John Carpenter — Assault on Precinct 13 (Main Title) (1976)
• Goblin — Suspiria (1977)
• Carpenter Brut — Roller Mobster (2013)
• Perturbator — Future Club (2014)
• Carpenter Brut — Turbo Killer (2015)
• Perturbator — Venger (2016)