David Farnor | On 11, Aug 2016

The biggest sound of the summer is finally heading to your music collection. Forget Glastonbury. Leave behind Latitude. Roll on, Reading. Yes, the Stranger Things soundtrack is being released.

Volume 1 is out now exclusively on Apple Music and iTunes.

Netflix’s original series, set in 1983 Indiana where a young boy vanishes into thin air, has become the hit of the summer since its release last month, thanks to its blend of nostalgic references to the movies of your childhood, supernatural horror and a superb, synth-heavy soundtrack, alongside a number of period pop tunes.

That comes courtesy of Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein, members of Austin experimental synth band S U R V I V E. Formed in 2009, the prolific quartet have released two full­-lengths and numerous EPs and singles since their inception, including recent contributions to the soundtrack for the horror flick The Guest. S U R V I V E have appeared at festivals across the US, including Moogfest, Levitation Fest, Fun Fun Fun, Beserktown, Day in The Desert, Decibel, etc., and have played alongside acts such as Goblin, John Maus, Tame Impala, Lightning Bolt, This Will Destroy You, A Place To Bury Strangers and Max Cooper.

“The directors were previously fans of S U R V I V E. They used a song from our first LP in a trailer they made to pitch their concept to Netflix,” reveals Dixon. “Once the show was picked up, they reached out to see if we were available to score the show.”

“We discussed having a classic tone and feel to the music for the show but being reserved enough that it wasn’t ’80s cheese, while offering a refreshing quality so that felt modern,” adds Stein. “This was one of the qualities that drew them to our music in the first place. Having a familiarity with classic synths worked, but with an overall forward thinking approach.”

Now, Lakeshore Records is releasing the Stranger Things soundtrack in two parts. Volume 1 will be released digitally on Friday 12th August, followed by Volume 2 on Friday 19th August. They will then be released on CD on Friday 16th September and 23rd September respectively.

For more on Stranger Things, read our reviews here.

In the meantime, here’s a handy Spotify playlist of songs from the show:

 

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