cold wave
what it is
Coldwave is a style of Post-Punk/New Wave music that originated in Europe in the late 1970s/early 1980s, known for its generally dark, gloomy (thus “cold”) atmosphere and heavy reliance on synthesizers. It was popular predominantly in France and Poland in the 1980s, and consisted largely of bands that were heavily influenced by British post-punk acts such as Joy Division, The Cure, Bauhaus and Siouxsie and the Banshees. Some of the more notable French examples of this style are Asylum Party, KaS Product, Martin Dupont and Trisomie 21.
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level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
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questions
What is cold wave?
Coldwave is a style of Post-Punk/New Wave music that originated in Europe in the late 1970s/early 1980s, known for its generally dark, gloomy (thus “cold”) atmosphere and heavy reliance on synthesizers. It was popular predominantly in France and Poland in the 1980s, and consisted largely of bands that were heavily influenced by British post-punk acts such as Joy Division, The Cure, Bauhaus and Siouxsie and the Banshees. Some of the more notable French examples of this style are Asylum Party, KaS Product, Martin Dupont and Trisomie 21.
What are good cold wave albums to start with?
Try Nowa Aleksandria by Siekiera, Prąd stały / Prąd zmienny by Lao Che, Purple by Closterkeller, and Negative Fascination by Silent Servant.
Who are some women making cold wave?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/cold-wave/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making cold wave, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20