Apr 07, 2025

Ace Buchannon – Classic 80s-style Outrun Synthwave

Close your eyes for a second. Imagine you’re cruising down a neon-lit highway in a black Ferrari Testarossa. The sun is setting in a perfect orange-to-purple gradient. Palms sway gently as the air smells like anticipation and hairspray. And in your ears? A synth-heavy, electric dreamscape that's equal parts nostalgia and adrenaline. That, my friend, is Ace Buchannon.

Synthwave is no longer just a music genre. It’s a full-on aesthetic experience—and Ace Buchannon is a name that commands attention in that glittering world of outrun fantasies and VHS warmth.

Who is Ace Buchannon?

Ace Buchannon isn't just a producer—he's a time traveler. Okay, maybe not literally, but the moment his music starts playing, you're warped back to the 1980s, whether you lived through them or not.

Hailing from Finland (because apparently, the 80s spirit is alive and well in the Nordic countries), Ace brings a polished, emotionally rich sound that hits right in the retro feels. It’s not just synthwave. It’s cinematic outrun, drenched in drama, drive, and digital soul.

Ace’s tracks are what you'd imagine if Miami Vice had a baby with Blade Runner, and that baby grew up listening to VHS tapes, eating pizza bagels, and wearing mirrored shades indoors. His music feels like the soundtrack to a film that doesn’t exist—but should.

The Sound: Retro Tech + Emotion

Ace Buchannon’s style is like if your emotions got upgraded to a Roland Juno-106 and a tape deck. You don’t just hear it—you live it.

What makes his work stand out in the ocean of synthwave producers?

Attention to storytelling: Each track feels like a chapter in a movie you’re scoring in your own head.
Masterful production: Crisp, clear synth lines balanced with lush atmospheres and driving beats.
Emotional depth: It’s not just catchy hooks—his melodies hit something deeper. There’s romance, mystery, even danger.

Some of his most celebrated releases (like Magenta Nights or Black Palms) are dripping with nostalgic mood but still manage to sound fresh and modern. It’s like retro with a firmware update.

Synthwave with Shades On

Let’s be honest—synthwave is as much a look as it is a sound. When you’re vibing to Ace Buchannon, you don’t want to be wearing flip-flops and cargo shorts. You want something sharp, bold, and a little mysterious. Think angular sunglasses, vintage sneakers, a killer leather jacket… okay, we’ll stop here before we start sounding like a catalog.

But seriously, if you’re into the synthwave scene, check out Newretro.Net. We live and breathe that aesthetic. Our collections are all about capturing that retro-futuristic vibe—denim jackets that look like they came straight from an arcade shootout, and leather jackets that wouldn’t be out of place in a cyber-noir thriller. We’re not saying Ace Buchannon wears our stuff, but we’re not not saying it either.

Neon Nights & Outrun Drives

The magic of Ace’s music is that it creates environments. His songs aren’t just for passive listening—they’re for building scenes in your head.

You’re in a city that never existed, lit by neon and longing.
You’re escaping something... or someone.
There’s a synth solo that makes you feel like you’re flying through space in slow motion.

If you’ve ever caught yourself narrating your own life like it’s a movie while walking alone at night with your headphones on, Ace is your guy. His music elevates the mundane, turning a Tuesday evening into a cinematic montage.

And for creators—filmmakers, animators, game developers—his soundscapes are gold. It’s no wonder his tracks have found their way into indie projects and YouTube edits that practically beg for that 80s shimmer.

It’s All in the Details

Great synthwave isn’t just about big synths and nostalgia. It’s about precision. And that’s where Ace excels.

He pays attention to little things:

The fade-in that mimics sunrise over a digital ocean.
The reverb that echoes like a memory.
The snare hit that feels like it was sampled from a lost arcade game.

This isn’t just “retro-sounding music.” It’s lovingly crafted audio cinema. Some tracks make you want to dance, others make you want to stare at the horizon and rethink your whole life. The best ones do both.

Why the 80s Still Hit

There’s something about the 80s—maybe it’s the color palettes, maybe it’s the raw optimism of early tech, or maybe it’s just how good people looked running in slow motion—but it has a grip on our cultural imagination.

And Ace Buchannon is one of the few modern artists who truly gets that. His music doesn’t parody the 80s—it honors them, builds on them, and delivers them with new energy. It’s not retro for retro’s sake. It’s a reinterpretation, a sonic love letter written in electric cursive.

At Newretro.Net, that’s what we aim to do, too. We don’t want to sell costumes—we create clothing that lets you live the retro dream in a modern world. When you're listening to Ace and walking down the street in one of our denim jackets? That’s not cosplay. That’s a lifestyle.

The Vibe: Melancholy Meets Muscle Car

Ace Buchannon’s magic lies in this weird but beautiful intersection: it’s upbeat enough to make you dance, but emotional enough to make you think about your ex from 10 years ago who you never even dated. That’s the synthwave paradox—and Ace handles it like a pro.

It’s like this:

The beat drops = you want to punch the air in slow motion.
The melody comes in = you suddenly remember the smell of your old Walkman.
The solo hits = you picture yourself driving into a neon sunset, probably never to return.

His music is a time capsule that somehow also feels futuristic. If Drive (yes, the Ryan Gosling one) had a sequel, Ace should be doing the soundtrack. No question.

For the Fans: A Cinematic Cult Following

Ace Buchannon has built a dedicated following—not just because of the music, but because he treats it like a cinematic experience. From album art to track titles, every detail feels intentional.

You’ll see song names like:

“Midnight Runner”
“Hot Pursuit”
“Neon Dreams”
“Electric Nights”

Do these sound like chapters in a lost 80s action-romance? Because that’s exactly the point. His tracks tell stories—and fans buy into that universe. They want to live in it. Cue the outfits, the playlists, the late-night car rides with the windows down and sunglasses on (yes, even at night).

And look, when you're curating that perfect synthwave outfit to go with your outrun playlist, don’t sleep on Newretro.Net. Our pieces are made to fit right into that mood. A classic pair of retro sunglasses or a high-collar leather jacket can take you from “guy walking to the store” to “lead character in an unreleased 80s thriller” real fast.

Not Just a Nostalgia Trip

It’s easy to assume that artists like Ace Buchannon are just recycling the past. But honestly? That would be missing the point.

The power of his music is that it feels nostalgic, even if you weren’t alive in the 80s. It’s not tied to specific memories, but to a feeling—a dreamy, analog, romantic feeling of a time when things were tactile and futuristic at the same time.

And that’s what makes the genre timeless.

It connects generations.
It bridges the gap between analog and digital.
It sounds like a memory from the future.

Yeah, it’s deep like that.

The Live Experience (Sort Of)

Okay, let’s be real: synthwave isn’t exactly dominating stadium tours. But that’s actually part of the charm.

Ace Buchannon and artists like him have found new life in digital spaces. Live-streamed concerts, online festivals, vinyl drops, Discord communities—it’s all very underground digital noir. You don’t find synthwave. It finds you, usually at 2 a.m. while scrolling YouTube or SoundCloud in a nostalgic haze.

And once you’re in, you’re in. You start color grading your Instagram posts in magenta and teal. You consider buying a fog machine for your living room. You start saying “aesthetic” unironically. Welcome to the club.

Soundtracking the Future

What’s wild is how synthwave, and Ace’s work in particular, has become the unofficial soundtrack of so many corners of modern pop culture:

Indie games like Katana ZERO or Hotline Miami owe a huge debt to this sound.
YouTube channels and visual artists use synthwave tracks to create immersive retro-futuristic vibes.
Short films and animations use these sounds to tell stories without needing dialogue.

Ace Buchannon fits right into this creative renaissance. His music doesn’t just complement visuals—it enhances them. He brings emotional weight to digital art, turning pixels into passion.

How to Get Started (If You’re New Here)

If you’re reading this and thinking, “Okay, I’m intrigued but I’ve never listened to synthwave before,” don’t worry—we got you. Here’s your starter pack, Ace Buchannon edition:

Put on headphones.
Start with tracks like “Magenta Nights,” “Night Cruiser,” or “Electric Dreams.”
Imagine you’re in a convertible. Doesn’t matter what kind. Just picture it.
Let the synths wash over you.
Lean into the vibe. Don’t fight it.

Bonus tip: throw on a retro denim jacket from Newretro.Net. Yes, this is a lifestyle now.

Why It All Works

Ace Buchannon reminds us that music doesn’t need to be complicated to be powerful. His tracks don’t shout—they smolder. They glow. They drive. And that’s the beauty of synthwave: it’s less about being loud, more about feeling big.

In a world of noise, Ace gives us space to breathe—while speeding down an imaginary highway at 110 mph.

And that’s what makes it stick. You don’t listen to synthwave casually. You experience it.

Whether you're a die-hard fan or a newcomer just dipping your toes into the neon-lit pool, Ace Buchannon delivers something rare: music that feels like a memory you didn’t know you had.

So next time you’re curating that perfect playlist or scrolling through jackets that scream “time traveler from 1986,” remember—there’s a whole synthwave universe out there. And Ace Buchannon? He’s one of its brightest stars.