There’s something about dark electronic music that always pulls me in. A space shaped by shadow and emotion, where synths carry weight and atmosphere. That’s where Killatronic lives.
What drew me to this project is how naturally it blends electronic music with heavier, darker undertones. There’s an unmistakable 80s pulse running through the synths, but also punk energy, metal roots, and a cinematic sense of storytelling underneath it all.
You can listen to Killatronic here:
🎧 Spotify
🎶 Apple Music
🌐 Bandcamp
📺 YouTube
I wanted to look beyond the sound and into the story behind Killatronic: the influences, the process, and the ideas shaping the music. So I asked a few questions about the journey, the creative mindset, and the world that continues to unfold through this project.
Was there a defining moment when you knew you wanted to make music?
Music has always been part of my life. I started young, learning the clarinet, and from there it kept evolving: different instruments, bands, genres, and projects. I don’t think there was a single moment; it always felt inevitable.
You’ve got a very diverse background in music. Can you tell us more about it and how it influences your sound?
I was born in the 80s, though I grew up on 50s and 60s rock ’n’ roll thanks to my parents. Then I came of age as an 80s and 90s kid. Once I started discovering music on my own, I gravitated toward 80s pop and rock, alongside 90s rap and punk rock. Punk especially became a huge part of who I am musically.
I spent over ten years as the lead singer in a heavy metal band, Crossbone Carnival, where I developed my scream vocals, heavily influenced by bands like Hatebreed, Pantera, Disturbed, and Five Finger Death Punch.
Later, I discovered synthwave, synthpop, and darkwave, and fell in love all over again. That world hit me just as hard as punk did. All of these influences shape Killatronic today: 80s-inspired synths at the core, mixed with four-chord punk energy and heavier darkwave elements in some songs.
How did Killatronic come to be?
Killatronic almost didn’t happen. I started the project around 2019 during Covid and created a huge amount of material: finished and nearly finished tracks, collaborating remotely with different musicians. At one point, there were close to 300 songs.
When life picked back up, I shelved the project and focused on my artwork instead. Then one day, listening to synthwave in the car, something clicked. I realised it was finally time to release this music under the Killatronic name.
How would you describe your music to someone who’s never heard it before?
It’s a fusion of synthwave, synthpop, and darkwave with a strong 80s influence. Think nostalgic synths meeting a cyberpunk future. Sometimes it’s soft and cinematic, and other times it hits darker and heavier. I do plan to create some experimental electronic music in the future as well.
Which artists or genres have had the biggest influence on your sound?
Synthwave, synthpop, and darkwave are the foundation, with punk rock energy woven in. I love taking catchy punk-style chord progressions and reshaping them into something electronic and cinematic. I do listen to a lot of 80s pop and rock as well to help shape my music.
Artists like WOLFCLUB, The Lightning Kids, M83, At 1980, The Midnight, Roxette, Moonrunner83, KRISTINE, and Coastal were big inspirations while developing our sound.
What track or project are you most proud of, and why?
Our debut album Arcade After Dark. It was the first time everything came together in one complete story. The album moves from nostalgia into a cyberpunk future, then circles back to childhood memories. Every track has a purpose; nothing is there by accident. There’s so much of my past written in those songs, and I’m just so happy with the way it came out.
I really like the voice of the vocalist you work with. Can you tell us more about her?
Thank you. For our synthwave and synthpop material, we work with a vocalist named Danielle Rayne. We collaborate remotely. I write the songs and melodies, and she brings them to life with her vocals.
I handle most of the darker vocal work myself. From the beginning, we wanted the vocals to feel detached from ego, which is why anonymity became part of the concept. Killatronic is about the signal, the music, not the face behind it.
What role does visual art and aesthetics play in Killatronic?
Visuals are just as important as the music. Killatronic is a complete world, with sound, imagery, and atmosphere working together. Synthwave aesthetics, darkness, nostalgia, and futuristic elements all reflect what the music feels like. It’s about immersion, and I hope to capture that more as time goes on.
What does making music mean to you on a personal level?
Music is where I process everything. It’s about artistic flow from my soul. It’s where emotion, memory, and imagination meet. Whether it’s nostalgic, dark, personal, or uplifting, it’s always honest. Killatronic gives me a space to create without filters, to let the music speak when words don’t quite get there.
That’s the magic I think of electronic music. You can drift through many styles and still be the same artist, and you don’t always need words to tell a story.
How do you handle creative blocks?
I step away and don’t force it. You can’t. I’ll listen to music, work on visuals, or just live life for a bit and come back to it. I know when it’s time to take a break; I feel it. Creativity always comes back stronger when you give it space.
Describe your music in three non-music words.
Nostalgic. Cinematic. Futuristic.
If Killatronic were featured in a film, game, or series, what kind of world would it belong to?
A cyberpunk world, or one where time stopped in the 80s and 90s. Late nights, rain-soaked streets, sun-drenched suburbs, retro technology, and emotion simmering beneath the surface with friends or moments of love. A story-driven world where atmosphere matters as much as action. Killatronic music is made for places you can lose yourself in.
What can listeners expect from Killatronic moving forward?
A lot of music. There’s a deep vault of material spanning from 2019 onward, and I’m gradually bringing it into the world. The next project will be more instrumental, crafted with intention, followed by an experimental project I’ve wanted to create even before diving into synthwave. I’m really excited to bring that to life.
After that, I plan to return with a follow-up to Arcade After Dark.
With the follow-up to Arcade After Dark, there’s still a lot of work to do: vocals, mixing, and refining the stories behind the music. Expect more story-driven projects, and eventually some fictional lore that will expand the Killatronic world once the website launches. Killatronic isn’t a one-off; it’s an ongoing signal of music.
Do you have any advice for new musicians or producers?
Make music for yourself first. Don’t chase trends or validation; create for you. Finish projects, even imperfect ones, and always keep learning. Consistency matters more than perfection. Don’t worry about expensive gear. I’m still using the first keyboard I ever bought. She ain’t pretty, but she works fine. Most importantly, make music for your soul.
Killatronic feels built with patience and clarity, without rush or excess. Everything points toward the same idea: music as a signal, as a space, as a way to move emotion without needing to soften or explain it.
There’s darkness in it, but it never feels heavy for the sake of it. It’s intentional, held in balance by atmosphere and a sense of forward motion.
What stays with me most is how this music feels meant to be inhabited. Not just something to listen to, but something to sit with. Sound that creates inner landscapes.
Thank you, Killatronic, for sharing the space behind the sound and the ideas that move through it.
Follow Killatronic on Instagram here.
— Spacey Panda
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