Synthwave (1980s genre)

Synthwave (or electro-wave) is an electronic, synthesizer-based variant of new wave and dark wave music in contrast to the more guitar-oriented variants of these genres (see cold wave and gothic rock).

Caused by the restricted modifiability of early types of synthesizers, synthwave of the late 1970s/early 1980s often uses minimalist sound structures that have been described as minimal wave.

Another term of the style was techno-wave. In the 1980s, the term "techno" was an abbreviation of "technological" and did not describe a specific genre of electronic dance music until 1987/88.