Sophomore Year Slideshow

Vapor95 and Darknet Recordings present Sophomore Year Slideshow! 🎞📺📼 An 11 track compilation encompassing the sensations of finding yourself and your place in the world. ✨Featuring some of the most talented producers on the planet and specifically curated for maximum emotional impact, this new compilation by Vapor95 and Darknet Recordings is a hallmark in the realm of nostalgic aesthetics. Come with us on our journey to Sophomore Year Slideshow. 📽

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ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

Nick Kempton

1. Nick Kempton aka Nickjaykdesign, one of the most aesthetic visual artists in the world. We're super excited to have you featured on our blog DARKNET and be able to share your incredible work! Can we go back to when you first decided you wanted to make art? Tell us your story! 

So basically, I have been around computers since I was very young, maybe 6 or 7, and I have always played around with graphic tools like Paint.NET, GIMP & Photoshop. I can remember making wallpapers when I was about 12 that I would post on DeviantArt. I have a lot of passion for graphic design and just being creative in general. I started the 'Nickjaykdesign' project back in 2017 to try to learn more tools and get back to creating.

2. The world in your art is very aesthetic and dreamy through sets, environments, and color schemes. Tell us about what goes into the process of creating your art? Tell us where the inspiration for your characters, textures and the world come from?

I am heavily inspired by movies, music, and the world around me. Often times, I will start a project just by looking around for inspiration on Pinterest while listening to some music. A lot of my art is also inspired by photographs of neon cityscapes. They are just something so beautiful that I cannot get over them no matter how much or how often I look at them.

3. How long did it take you to achieve your very distinct style? And what kind of softwares do you use to achieve the final version of your work?

I would say it took about a year and a half to achieve the capabilities to be able to create my own distinct style, but I feel it also took a lifetime of being inspired to achieve it. I use Cinema4D, Octane Render, Photoshop, Illustrator, and After Effects most often to create my work.

4. Do you listen to music while you create? If so, what kind and how do you see it affecting your final product?

I absolutely listen to music while I create. Music is a part of who I am. I think I pretty much always have music playing around me at some capacity. I listen to a lot of different kinds of music but most often it is probably EDM. Music is a beautiful thing because it can make you feel anything. It can make you feel happy or sad at any moment. I think that's why it's special to me. It affects my work as often times emotion can be seen shining through the art and those feelings are generated depending on what I'm listening to.

5. Your work and name spread fast in the music scene through the artworks you made for certain artists. Is there any upcoming collab you would like to tell us about? and also, how often do you collaborate with a visual artist?

I have so many projects that I will be showing soon but none that I can currently say :( I don't typically collaborate with other visual artists. Maybe I should do that more often :P

6. How do you see yourself at the highest point of your career? What would be your ultimate dream to accomplish with your work and when do you see that happening?

Honestly, I think working with some of my favorite music artists is all I want. I love seeing my work shared with a big platform and seeing reactions and emotions from viewers. Also, a big motivation for me is inspiring others to create. When someone tells me that my work inspired them, it's really a big deal to me.

7. Do you work on other projects besides Nickjaykdesign?

I don’t really work on other projects, I try to focus my time on my Nickjaykdesign project to really perfect my craft

9) Finally, we would love to ask - What would you say to up and coming artists who want to pursue their passion?

Be inspired. Look at everything you can. Read books, watch movies, look at photographs. Go out and explore. Let the things you see be your motivation. Always listen to your heart and don't let anyone tell you what you can or cannot do...

✨Follow Nickjaykdesign's Instagram ✨

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✨Visit nickjaykdesign.com for more! ✨

FALSE MEMORY // LOST TIME

On November 12, Darknet Recordings together with Vapor95 released FALSE MEMORY // LOST TIME. An 11 track compilation album showcasing the best in underground Vaporwave inspired production. FALSE MEMORY // LOST TIME featured purist Vaporwave, driving Synthwave and moody Lo-Fi tracks. Lose time and create some false fantasy memories with this latest beautifully curated album.

A E S T H E T I C M E E T ダリウススプルイエル- 美的出会い by Darius Spruiell is the unofficial shopping mall anthem of this album for h e l i o s. The saxophone sounds like it's coming from just beyond my sight. But, hold on to your preconceptions. This track morphs right when you're about to max out your bliss.

V A P O R W A F F L E by Masikus makes us feel like we're watching a chill commercial for a 1995 condo complex. It's got all the vibes you ever wanted in an upbeat, vaporwave track. Play this track when you're giving a tour of your apartment to someone you like.

Biteki by Death is ambient and tender. It reminds me of a song you listen to when exploring a zen garden in a city somewhere. It's very dynamic and the arrangement is top notch. It takes you on an exciting journey into a newly fused genre.

ThornGirl by Cruzie is brooding and funky. It's so different from the rest of the album which makes it such a joy to hear in the album's last few breaths. Prepare yourself for a sultry shift around the two-minute mark when something Sade would sing overcomes bursting through out of nowhere.

Lost Forests by MidiEvil tickles your curiosities and makes you question your idea of what a genre is. There's a heavy bass. There are delicate synths. There's a dope movie quote. It's the kinda song you play when you're lost in the concrete forest of a city.

One Day I'll Forget About This by Hollywood Real Thoughts is the delicate, introspective, and emotional track of the album. The name of the song really does capture where it takes you. We all go through stuff that hurts. It always passes. This song reminds us of that.


53XGODESS by Nick Neutronz is a haunting bassy track with killer vocals and the percussion you love in this trap era. It's dark. It's deep. It's sexy. Your speakers will come alive.

Space Drive by Velocity Zero is an epic synth ride into darkness. It drives and pumps like all good synthwave does. It's chase music. It's come-with-me-if-you-wanna-live music. It's running-from-your-nightmare music. Are you scared now?

Hunter by Driver405 And Coleurs is a synthwave anthem that balances epic with tender. It's halfway between a ballad and a chase song. The song evolves into a pretty hard-driving track. What are you hunting?

Final Message by Re Dux fades in ominously. A distorted pluck, pad, and vocal lull you into a dark retrospection. The song's disjointed vibe relents to a more peaceful moment and then its back to the driving sound. It's rough-around-the-edges vaporwave goodness.

Stream the album on Spotify

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Commodified Amenities Compilation Album

Compilation Teaser Video

Track 1: “At Dawn” by Octavo

Off to a positive, inspiring start, this track lets you know "this is REALLY happening." It's the perfect intro credit song. With a soaring melody and an array of dynamic synth plucks and stabs, this song takes you on a magical journey. (It even has an epic middle section for slow-motion close-ups of your new rollerblading tricks!) "At Dawn" feels like summer's just begun and all the graduation caps are still suspended in the air and your whole life is ahead of you. Everyone keeps asking "so, what's next?" but don't let it dampen your vibes one bit, okay?

Track 2: “Anesthesia” by Androx

This track's bassline has been scientifically proven to replace gasoline as fuel in all '80s sports cars. It's burning hot. What's better than the standard, plodding, head-down, white-knuckling synthwave? Synthwave with dynamic progressions and a suspenseful buildup, too! This song evolves. Throw in a handful of motivating melodies and you've got your daily dose of get-off-your-ass-and-do-something-crazy. There's a war going on out there. You're the last one left. Do you have what it takes to survive?

Track 3: “Lunch Time” by issa_me_rigo

One critique of electronic music has always been that anyone can do it. This track provides an example of a warm, soft melody crafted by a true musician. A melody that tugs at your emotions and makes you whistle hours later. The cool, minimal percussion will get you moving and shaking. How can such relaxation and reflection come from a simple melody and percussion? I don't know. Life's full of mysteries likes that. When you find yourself taking the elevator to the penthouse in the Vapor95 luxury shopping plaza, you'll hear this song and you'll know everything's gonna be okay.

Track 4: “Members Only” by Shaun Mecca

Are you a member? Because this track's for members only. This track is pure hip hop with a funky bassline and a smooth collection of lyrics and rhymes. This track puts out vibes that the west coast legends would be proud of. No flexing. No mumbling. No beefing. Just positive vibes, dreaming about the vision you're creating your life to be while you cruise in your car to eat dinner at 3 AM on a random Wednesday night. That's what hip hop has always been about.

Track 5: “Meda” by Parunormal

Not for the musical faint of heart, this complex track has all the makings of a vaportrap masterpiece. Trapping, vibing, bobbing, swerving. Take three measures of crackling trap percussion, one curious melody, a repetitive and eerie synth and mix it all together. Now, add a layer of nostalgia and aesthetic that define vaporwave. Garnish with a subtle vocal sample. You've got yourself a vaportrap classic. "You're going to love this," as the song says.

Track 6: “Anime Score” by Stel Leo

You're going to instinctively want to snap your fingers when you hear this track. That's how magnetic the percussion and melody of this track is. If you can't snap your fingers...well, what the heck is wrong with you? Just kidding. There are plenty of nooks and crannies of this song into which you can cuddle up. A deep, subby bass to test your sound system's capabilities, a dreamy, uplifting melody, claps and hi-hats galore. Listen to this track and sail to new territory on the map in the RPG of real life. It's your time to discover a new world.

Track 7: “It's Like Magic” by Zereph

You could throw any of those classic, nostalgic sitcom Dad voices of the '80s and '90s over top of this track and you'd make yourselves a fine retro commercial. The song crackles like a distant memory playing on an old record player. The melody twinkles like shooting stars that come and go. It's a brief track to remind you of how sweet life really is. This song comes with a bona fide nostalgia warning. It's gonna make you feel some things and sometimes feeling feelings feels like too much. Let this track take your hand and guide you safely to FeelsVille.

Track 8: "Silver Blue" by Sehn

Where's your driver's license? This song pays respects to classic synth lords who pioneered synthwave before it was trendy to be synthy. (Psst! Kavinsky...are you there?!) It comes with powerful piano chords to lull you into sedation, an incredible synth arp to bring you back to life, a shimmering bassline to steady your pulse. The song crescendos to a tender intermission. Then, it's back to it. Street lights flashing by as you race around the track one final time. Will you catch your archrival and take the lead? Will you emerge victoriously? Disclaimer: Vapor95 is no longer taking angry phone calls from moms and dads wondering why their child got their fifth speeding ticket this year.

Track 9: "Racer X" by Bag Of Dragonite

We're calling it Vapordrum and bass. A frenzied pace takes its grip to conclude the album. It changes vibes and tempos fast. Frantic percussion relents to calm piano melodies. Then, back again. It's a lot like life. Chaos followed by bliss followed by chaos. You race through one thing to get to another. You live in the future, present, and past all at the same time. Just like the song. Enjoy the chaos and the bliss, will ya?

We're so excited to release to you our second compilation album. We hope it whisks you away to happiness and nostalgia.

Be sure to listen to this powerful album on our Spotify or Soundcloud.

To download the album, check out the Commodified Amenities pages on iTunes and Amazon Music.

To hear more from the Commodified Amenities artists, click the artist name above to access their Soundcloud.

To listen to the premier DARKNET Recordings compilation album DREADSOFT, click here.

Top 10 Up-And-Coming Vaporwave Artists

The world of Vaporwave music is constantly evolving and expanding. With this comes the introduction of creative, passionate new artists who are making their mark in the genre through their unique and distinctive sounds. Here at Vapor95, we love exploring new creators contributing their individual style and voice to the Vaporwave community. Here’s a look at ten of our favorite up-and-coming Vaporwave artists:

10. Waterfront Dining

What I love about Waterfront Dining is his ability to resurrect gorgeous, obscure tracks of a bygone era and breathe a new sense of life into them. It represents the very essence of Vaporwave: dreamy, experimental sounds that transport you to a nostalgic dreamscape you forgot even existed. They often feature a gorgeous beach aesthetic that feels like a warm, ephemeral memory.

Our Pick: Palms and Olives

9. Artfluids

Classic Vaporwave albums often utilize a variety of dreamy samples weaved throughout the album to conjure up a feeling of delicious familiarity. What makes Artfluids so unique is the fact that he uses an incredibly small number of samples in his tacks, yet still manages to evoke the same wistful feelings that draw us to Vaporwave and Synthwave as a whole with his original compositions. His synths are heavy, his melodies are contagious, and he brings forth an exhilarating energy that never seems to fade.

Our Pick: Gaia’s Return

8. Origami Girl



Lotus Flowers by Origami Girl is hands down one of the most whimsical, heartfelt, ambient albums released in the past year. It beautifully blends lo-fi ambient sounds with funk and acid jazz, creating a trance-like soundscape that bring forth the same feelings of introspective bliss you’d feel after a solo walk on the beach at dawn. Their tracks are the perfect start to a dreamy, peaceful day.

Our Pick: Pink Violence

7. Bakmahn

Bakmahn emerged as a promising new future funk artist releasing dark, harmonic tracks with touches of acid-techno and Japanese disco. One of his newest releases, Downstream Integration, truly emerges you in the world of 1990’s office culture. He utilizes the sort of atmospheric corporate music you’d find in a 90’s employee training video, and the technologically retro nature of the sampled pieces makes you feel as it’s 1995, you’re a new hire at Microsoft, and you’ve just stepped into your new, comfortably sterile cubicle.

Our Pick: How The Successful Start Their Day

6. Diskette Park

Another beautiful return to the minimalistic, ambient nature of pure Vaporwave, Diskette Park’s newest release Stray invites us to drift back in time to a world that is effortless and pure. It features the very best of classic Vaporwave elements like 80’s synths, striking vocals, and an overall dreamlike quality that sends us longing for long-forgotten memories of innocent summer days.

Our Pick: Timeless

5. Luxury Elite

Luxury Elite is an absolute powerhouse in the Vaporwave scene, and her newest release, Prism, is one of her strongest yet. Her sounds celebrate the opulence and glamor of the late 1980’s through a unique take on lounge music and smooth jazz. She’s explored a variety of genres throughout her career, like synthpop and New Wave, and Prism is a welcomed addition to our lineup.

Our Pick: Lovers

4. Fujii

Fujii represents the aspect of Vaporwave that leaves you longing for the past while looking towards the future with a sense of childlike hopefulness and neverending optimism. It is a soothing journey that leaves you longing for a place and time that have never existed. It is the embodiment of a long drive with no destination in sight, the wind in your hair and the radio blasting. It is imaginative and creative and a welcomed addition to our rotation.

Our Pick: Running

3. Sea of Dogs

Sea of Dogs is one of the most experimental Vaporwave artists to emerge recently, producing brilliant beats that are every bit aggressive as they are soothing. He dominates Vaporwave subgenres such as Hard Vapor and Vaportrap and tests the limits and boundaries of the genre as a whole. His sounds are powerful, harsh, and invigorating and do a beautiful job of fleshing out his own unique take on Vaporwave.

Our Pick: No Fear

2. Windows96

Windows96 is a gorgeous representation of the simplicity of pure Vaporwave. It’s haunting without being overly ambitious and the minimalism of each track transports you to a simpler time. It’s reminiscent of your favorite early '90s video game soundtrack and features strong synths and ambient samplings throughout every album they’ve produced. Their most recent album, One Hundred Mornings, is well on it’s way to preserving a spot as a Vaporwave classic.

Our Pick: Rituals

1. George Clanton

George Clanton emerged as one of Vaporwave’s most promising new creators with his dreamy 2018 EP Slide. He describes the album as a “Vaporwave Opera” and constructed every track with a distinct vision and soundscape in mind. It’s an absolute rollercoaster of dreamy nostalgia expressed through smooth '90s R&B and up-tempo breakbeat. It’s the self-indulgence of youth combined with the melancholic longing of a summer afternoon. It’s the passion and the angst of a teenage romance. It’s a heartfelt glimpse into the mind of one of Vaporwave’s most talented new artists.

Our Pick: You Lost Me There

Five New Exclusive Vapor95 Spotify Playlists for February

If music ceased to exist, what would you do? It'd be a real tragedy, huh?

No doubt, h e l i o s would be completely empty inside if that day came. But, what would you do if you simply couldn’t find more of your favorite music? Would you pay someone on the DARKNET to lasso you some wild bootlegs? Would you search for it in the dark, dirty, neon-drenched underbelly of your neo noir city? Would you speed down endless highways in paradise with your ears open and listening for fresh sounds?

Just to think of my marble skin never getting the goosebumps of new musical pleasure makes me feel dead inside. Good thing you and I don’t have to worry about any of this happening. Why?

Vapor95 through its Vaporwave lifestyle blog DARKNET presents five exclusive and ever-expanding Spotify playlists! Click the pictures to access the playlists through Spotify.

VAPORWAVE

LO-FI

SELECTS

SYNTHWAVE

If vaporwave was a drug that felt like an idyllic trip down a lazy river in an abandoned shopping mall, synthwave would be your morning adrenaline spike to bring you out of the fuzz. While this synthwave is more edgy, driving, and pulsating, it’s still steeped in the cool ‘80s and ‘90s spirit. This playlist is no exception. It’s got all the classics. The ones that defined a brand new genre. No amount of late ‘80s movie binging could bring you a better nostalgia than this new playlist.

VAPORTRAP

The Vaportrap playlist requires the dirtiest of sound systems. Deep sub basses, hypnotic pitched vocals, and classic trap percussion. All wrapped up in a vaporwave bow. This is music for when the purple and pink neon switches to a dark red and things get hazy. Just don’t say we didn’t warn you about the pixelated puff, puff, pass. Swerve at your own risk. It’s trap. It’s vapor. We’ve curated it. What more can h e l i o s say? 

Enjoy the new sounds brought to you by these five unique, dynamic mixes and make sure to follow us on SoundCloud!

JUNE SYNTHWAVE PLAYLIST

MARCH SYNTHWAVE PLAYLIST

Hello, wavy friends! Today we will be taking a look at Synthwave, a genre closely related to Vaporwave. Synthwave (or Outrun) is a style of electronic music influenced by '80s culture, movies, albums, artists and video games. The genre itself was born in the 2000s, but gained a large amount popularity in the 2010s. There are a variety of Synthwave subgenres: dreamwave, scifiwave, darkwave, etc. Here’s our list of ten Synthwave albums guaranteed to transport you to another dimension.

10) Isidor - 3218

This is one really magnificent album that creates a unique atmosphere for the listener and features out-of-this-world vibes. The EP's opening song is called "Star Sheriff" and is one of the most tremendous intros ever. It takes you on a futuristic, melodic journey and really sets the tone for the rest of the album. Isidor is fairly new to the Synthwave scene and is definitely becoming a rising star in the genre.

Listen

9) Droid Bishop - End of Aquarius

DB is a well-known and beloved artist in the outrun community and his albums never disappoint. The songs feature 80s vibes juxtaposed against a uniquely futuristic soundscape, and the end result is rich, solid Synthwave magic. The album is well-produced and features some amazing bass, making it an instant Synthwave classic.

Listen

8) Lost Years - Venom

This album is absolute Synthwave heaven. The intricate sounds are reminiscent of an evening walk in the summertime. The album was released by the label Rosso Corsa Records in 2016 and has quickly become a fan favorite. "Venom" is certainly a welcome addition to the Lost Years collection and we’re looking forward to more smooth, retro EP’s in the months to come.

Listen

7) Meteor - Parallel Lives

As Meteor explains, this entire album is a compilation of stories told through songs. These stories coexist together in a singular dimension but feature the stories of people living parallel lives. Everything about this album screams '80s nostalgia - the cover art, the guitar riffs the synthesizer sounds. The songs consist of electronic guitar riffs, pounding beats, and retro rythym blended together seamlessly. "Parallel lives" is a never-ending trip to a future in which we all belong.

Listen

6) Night Runner - Thunderbird

5) Lazerhawk - Dreamrider

This album features a retro, lo-fi feel that is unquestionably dreamy. It has some vaporwave notes in it, which makes it all the more sedative and intriguing to the listener. Lazerhawk is one of the founders of the Retrowave scene and continues to evolve with every album he creates. This is one soothing, beautiful album that deserves to be heard.

Listen

4) Carpenter Brut - Leather Teeth

Carpenter Brut really is a  one-of-a-kind artist, and his albums stand out with their dark, metal elements. The combination of the raw, dark vibes with the stylish synthwave sounds is unique and sounds amazingly well-crafted. Carpenter Brut is one of the darksynth artists that define the subgenre. The songs on this album are actually a little lighter than his usual tracks and the synthwave stands out a bit more.

Listen

3) The Midnight - Nocturnal

2) FM-84 - Atlas

Synthwave at it's purest, this album truly is a melodic time machine. The sounds transport you to a blissful '80s reality, and actually acted as an introduction to the Outrun genre for many listeners. This album took the community by storm and quickly rose to the top of the Synth/electronic music charts . It is innovative, imaginative, and already considered a timeless classic within the genre.

Listen

1) Dance with the Dead - The Shape

FEBRUARY VAPORWAVE PLAYLIST

Hello, wavy friends! As we make our way through February, the month of passion and romantic sorrow, Vaporwave music continues to fill our hearts with tender n o s t a l g i a. We’re excited to present to you 10 hand-selected albums sure to either soothe or exacerbate your delicate emotional state.

10) VHS Dreams - Lost World


VHS Dreams is an artist from the UK with interesting and innovative ideas. Though he sticks mostly to Synthwave, he has a unique execution that trancends genres. The music immerses you in a parallel retro universe, where Outrun, Synthpop, Vaporwave and Synthwave mix to form lo-fi vibes with an undoubtedly aesthetic atmosphere. It is a masterpiece that can transport you to other galaxies and dimensions.

Listen

8) Sad Chasey - ホログラフィック Ｈｏｌｏｇｒａｐｈｉｃ


The Australian artist Sad Chasey continues to get better and better and this album is solid proof. The velvety soft tracks make for a fantastic retro, easy-listening auditory experience. The sound design of these songs is phenomenal. Even better, the album can be found on tapes - gold or silver, with 10 variation of OBI strips.

7) Daniel Saylor - Spring Rain

6) Elite Geographic - Elite Geographic II


This particular album was released by the label Elemental 95 in the summer of 2017. The concept of the artist is geographic-sounding synth and vaporwave, and he nails it to perfection. The blend of the two styles is executed perfectly and is something you might hear in the background of a hyper-enlightened futuristic shopping mall.

5) Ｒｕｎｎｅｒｓ Ｃｌｕｂ ９５ - Panama Papers


"Panama Papers", is Vaporwave in its purest form. Created entirely by original compositions, this album is a strong addition to the genre. The album marks the debut of the Swedish duo Ｒｕｎｎｅｒｓ Ｃｌｕｂ ９５ and was released by the UK label Pool House Ltd. It’s a Vaporwave album that stays true to the genre while maintaining a unique sound of its own.

Listen

4) ZONΞ ΞATΞR/§E▲ ▓F D▓G§ - ZONΞ ΞATΞR vs. §E▲ ▓F D▓G§


ZONΞ ΞATΞR is a project, created by Nmesh in collaboration with §E▲ ▓F D▓G§. This massive album consists of a blend of Vaporwave and black metal mixed together to form perfectly composed songs. It’s definitely an interesting and unique concept, and maintains the authentic psychedelic sounds found in most of Nmesh works, blended with grindcore, hardcore and some glitch sounds.

Listen

3) Windows彡96 - Reflections


Windows彡96 (or White Gavri'el) is a Brazilian synthwave and Vaporwave producer who created the masterpiece “Reflections". It is an album that creates a nostalgic mood with every track. There is wide variation of sounds, including trumpets and vocals (by Neko GF). This EP is one audible ambrosia that can't be missed.

Listen

2) HKE - Dragon Soul


Once again, HKE succeeds at being unique and inspirational in the Vaporwave genre. As a part of the very successful duo 2814, HKE proved his musical prowess to the world. This album is executed beautifully and creates familiar, nostalgic mental landscapes."Dragon Soul" is a must-have for every vaporwave enthusiast and definitely belongs to the hardvapour cannon.

Listen

1) 猫 シ Corp. - Luxury Girls