Starcadian

Starcadian (George Smaragdis) was an independent electronic music producer and musician known for his cinematic synthwave sound. He first gained wide attention with the release of the music video for his song HE^RT, which was later screened at SXSW. His debut album, Sunset Blood, arrived on October 31, 2013 to positive reception, praised for its genre-bending blend of 80s fantasy soundtracks, electro, and pop, and has since become a staple in the synthwave scene. The follow-up EP Saturdaze topped the Bandcamp Electronic Music charts for weeks. His music was featured in HBO programming, Asics campaigns, League of Legends, and Korg commercials. Starcadian often referred to his songs as ear movies and his albums as original soundtracks, reflecting the nostalgic and cinematic influence of fantasy and vintage sci-fi. He typically wrote a script with his collaborator Rob O’Neill before composing the music. He also directed and produced his own music videos, handling his own visual effects. A notable project was a two-minute sci-fi commercial short for the Korg Arp Odyssey synthesizer. At the time of his death, he was completing a follow-up to Midnight Signals, as well as developing a feature-length film based on the mythology of his albums. Starcadian passed away on May 1, 2025, at age 44, following a fatal electric bike accident in Manhattan. Authorities reported that he collided with the open door of a parked vehicle, which caused him to be struck by a delivery truck. His sudden death was met with widespread tribute from fans, fellow musicians, and event organizers who praised his creative impact and vibrant vision. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.