If the Stranger Things soundtrack has you jonesing for modern synthesizer music, then jam this playlist as soon as you’ve devoured season one. For those new to the movement, the otherworldly arpeggios and gaseous drift of composers Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein surely sound novel and exciting. But truth be told, synth-based exploration has been going strong for nearly a decade now. Cleveland’s Emeralds, as well as their myriad side projects, deserve the lion’s share of credit. As far back as 2008, the trio were busily transforming elements of Kosmische Musik, proto-New Age, vintage sci-fi and horror soundtracks (John Carpenter and Alan Howarth’s especially), and avant-garde electronics into a uniquely 21st-century voice. Other vital contributions have been made by Panabrite, Oneohtrix Point Never, and Tim Hecker, each one pushing these ideas into thrilling, new territory. -- Justin Farrar
