Suppose you want to craft nostalgia-tinged synth pop. It’s as easy as firing up Toontrack’s EZkeys Synthwave. Yielding a dark, gritty, futuristically dystopian vibe reminiscent of classic synth-based movie soundtracks, this virtual instrument is replete with piercing leads, drone-like basses, retro effects, and airy pads. EZkeys Synthwave includes about 140 individually mixed, layered, and saturated sounds, ranging from feathery light to ominously haunting. Produced by Belgian sound-design guru Timofey Reznikov, this salmagundi of delightfully passé synth patches is organized into seven main banks — Bass, Keys, Lead, Guitar, Plucks, Pads, and FX — arming you with everything you need to create the over-the-top sounds that defined history’s gnarliest decade. EZkeys Synthwave is a must have for ’80s-inspired synth pop, creative sound design, and dark soundscapes.