What is Signalwave?

Signalwave captures the feeling of discovering an old radio transmission long after the station has shut down. The sound feels distant, as if you are tuning into a frequency that only exists in fragments. Static crackles between samples. Snippets of old commercials, talk show hosts, and newscasts fade in and out. The music doesn’t move forward in a structured way. It loops and drifts, leaving you in a liminal space where past and present blur.

This subgenre builds on vaporwave’s obsession with nostalgia and lost media but strips it down to its rawest form. Instead of reworking corporate jingles or smooth jazz, signalwave takes direct samples from old broadcasts, often manipulating them as little as possible. The sound is less about melody and more about atmosphere. It creates a world where voices from the past echo endlessly, disconnected from their original meaning.

Where Did Signalwave Come From?

Signalwave developed within the vaporwave movement but took a different approach. Vaporwave often reworks samples into new compositions, while signalwave leaves them in a more fragmented state. Artists focus on repeating small clips, layering static and noise, and letting samples play out naturally. The goal isn’t to make catchy loops—it’s to create a feeling of detachment, as if the listener has stumbled upon a forgotten transmission.

• Shortwave and Number Stations
  • Signalwave pulls inspiration from shortwave radio, where signals often come through distorted, layered with static, and interrupted by random bursts of speech or music.
  • Number stations—mysterious broadcasts believed to be used for intelligence operations—also influence the genre’s fragmented style. These broadcasts often feature robotic voices reciting numbers, eerie melodies, and sudden bursts of static.
• Television Sign-Offs and Old Broadcasts
  • Many signalwave albums use samples from TV station sign-offs, public access programming, and forgotten news clips. These moments feel eerie because they are so detached from their original context.
• Early Vaporwave and Plunderphonics
  • While vaporwave as a whole reshapes corporate nostalgia, signalwave narrows its focus to the sounds of lost media.
  • Plunderphonics, a movement where artists repurpose existing recordings into new compositions, also plays a role in how signalwave artists handle their samples. Instead of manipulating melodies, they treat spoken word snippets and ambient noise as musical elements.

What Does Signalwave Sound Like?

Signalwave prioritizes atmosphere over melody. Many tracks feel like they are looping fragments of a lost broadcast, often filled with static, echo, and reverb to create a sense of distance.

• Short, Repeating Loops
  • Signalwave albums often feature loops that repeat with little variation, mimicking the effect of a broken radio or a looping commercial.
• Broadcast Samples and Voice Clips
  • Instead of traditional vocals, signalwave tracks use clips from TV and radio broadcasts, public service announcements, and old commercials.
  • These samples are often distorted, slowed down, or layered with interference to make them feel like distant memories.
• Static, Hiss, and Tape Warble
  • Artists use static and tape noise to create an aged, lo-fi aesthetic. This makes the music feel like it is coming from an old cassette or radio transmission.
• Minimalist Composition
  • Many tracks lack a clear structure, instead relying on looping textures and gradual shifts in sound.

Essential Signalwave Artists and Albums

Signalwave remains a niche subgenre, but several artists have defined its style. These albums focus on broadcast samples, atmospheric loops, and an overall sense of lost time.

• Infinity Frequencies – Computer Death
  • One of the defining signalwave albums, built around fragmented voice samples and looping instrumental clips.
  • Feels like tuning into a forgotten computer’s last transmission.
• t e l e p a t h テレパシー能力者 – 仮想夢プラザ (Virtual Dream Plaza)
  • A long-form ambient take on signalwave, stretching samples into vast, echoing landscapes.
• 死亡夢想 (死亡夢想) – Remember
  • Uses loops of old TV broadcasts, distant voices, and static interference to create a haunting atmosphere.
• Mediawave – Late Night Loops
  • Mimics the sound of a forgotten radio station broadcasting in an empty world.
• ghosting.tv – Test Patterns
  • An album built around the sounds of television test signals, vintage ads, and public access clips.

Signalwave operates on the edge of music and sound design. It captures the eeriness of forgotten broadcasts and distant transmissions, drawing you into a world where the past refuses to fade away. The repetition, static, and looping samples create a liminal space where voices and sounds echo indefinitely, waiting to be heard.