Starcadian | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Starcadian |
| Born | George Smaragdis |
| Origin | New York, US |
| Died | May 1, 2025 (aged 43–44) [1] Manhattan, New York City, United States |
| Genres |
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| Occupations |
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| Years active | -2025 |
| Website | starcadian |
Starcadian (born George Smaragdis) was a synthwave / retro-wave musician and producer based in New York.
Starcadian released his debut album, Sunset Blood, in 2013. Music webzine Electronic Rumors described this as “the best Disco album of the year”, comparing it favourably to Daft Punk's Random Access Memories. [2] This was followed by Saturdaze in 2014 and Midnight Signals in 2017, which was later described as “a retrowave classic” on the synthwave site NewRetroWave [3] . In 2021 Starcadian released Radio Galaxy, named Album of the Year by the synthwave-scene outlet Nightride FM. [4]
Several independent interviews and profiles provide a deeper look at his artistic vision. For example, a 2017 interview portrays him as someone who attempted to create “ear-movies,” blending musical composition with cinematic ambition. [5] In 2025, a retrospective profile described him as “the synthwave maverick who turns the future into funk,” highlighting his creative ambition and influence within the retro-futuristic music community. [6]
Starcadian died in a biking accident in Manhattan in 2025. [7] [1]
His fusion of disco, synthwave, and cinematic composition earned favourable attention in electronic-music circles. [8]
Across multiple independent publications, he is described as a creative and influential figure in the synthwave / retrowave scene, with his albums and style often cited as among the most distinctive in the genre. [9]
An article on the website of major synthesizer manufacturer Arturia [10] described him as a "synthwave legend".
On the event of Starcadian's death, the local press described him as a "top synthwave artist" [11] . Filmmaker Jake Bissen of Milwaukee said “He was one of the very few truly independent artists who created entire sonic worlds on his own.” [12]
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