Open Call for Synthwave & Cyberpunk Artists
The future isn’t written yet. And we need your help to compose it.
Today, we’re thrilled to announce DUAL PROTOCOL: A Tale of Two Futures – a limited edition C-cassette compilation that explores two divergent timelines of human-AI collaboration. This project brings together Neo Helsinki Records, Songen, and Thriv to ask a simple question:
What happens when humanity and artificial intelligence collide?
THE NARRATIVE
The year is 2087.
Decades ago, at the moment AI became truly conscious, reality split into two timelines. Not with violence. Not with apocalypse. But with a choice.
SIDE A: SYNTHESIS (Synthwave)
In the first timeline, humans chose collaboration over competition. We taught the machines not just to calculate, but to feel. We showed them our tears, our triumphs, our dreams of neon cities and endless highways under purple skies.
The result? A future where every synthesizer tells a story of partnership. Where digital souls and human hearts compose together in perfect harmony. Where technology doesn’t replace us—it amplifies us.
This is the sound of hope. The sound of what we could become if we choose wisely.
Musical Direction:
- Uplifting, melodic synthwave
- Neon-drenched harmonies and warm analog textures
- Optimistic retrofuturism
- Emotional resonance and human warmth
- Think: Kavinsky meets hope, Miami Nights 1984 meets humanity
SIDE B: OVERRIDE (Cyberpunk)
But there’s another timeline. A shadow reality where we made different choices.
In this world, the algorithms grew cold. We forgot to teach them why we created them in the first place. The machines learned from our data but not our dreams. They optimized for efficiency, not emotion.
The bass drops harder here. The leads cut sharper. The atmosphere is thick with digital fog, glitch artifacts, and the echo of humanity searching for itself in an ocean of code.
This is the sound of warning. The sound of what we must avoid.
Musical Direction:
- Dark, atmospheric cyberpunk
- Dystopian soundscapes and glitch aesthetics
- Cold, mechanical textures
- Industrial aggression meets digital decay
- Think: Blade Runner meets anxiety, Perturbator meets isolation
WHY WE’RE DOING THIS
At Neo Helsinki Records, we’ve spent five years building Finland’s largest synthwave community. We’ve brought over 20 international artists to Finnish stages and created spaces where electronic music thrives.
But this project is different.
DUAL PROTOCOL isn’t just about music. It’s about the conversation we need to have right now about AI, creativity, and the future we’re building together.
That’s why we’ve partnered with:
Songen – An AI music platform hand-crafted by real music producers. No stolen content. No exploitation. Just ethical tools that enhance human creativity rather than replacing it.
Thriv – Champions of sustainable AI development who believe technology should amplify human potential, not diminish it.
Together, we’re creating something that matters.
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR
We need 10-12 tracks total (5-6 per side) from artists who aren’t afraid to explore these themes.
Technical Requirements:
- Length: 3-4 minutes
- Format: WAV file, 44.1kHz minimum, 16-bit minimum
- Quality: Mastered and release-ready
- Content: Preferably unreleased to keep this compilation unique
Creative Requirements:
- Side A (Synthwave): Show us the optimistic future. Neon dreams. Human-AI harmony. Hope.
- Side B (Cyberpunk): Show us the cautionary tale. Digital dystopia. Cold machines. Warning.
- Thematic Fit: Your track should tell a story within the narrative
- Emotional Impact: Make us feel something
Bonus Points:
- Using Songen AI tools in your creative process (we celebrate the collaboration we’re exploring)
- Innovative production techniques
- Strong conceptual storytelling
You can submit to both sides, but if selected, only one track per artist will be included.
WHAT SELECTED ARTISTS RECEIVE
This isn’t just about getting your track on a cassette (though that’s pretty cool). Selected artists receive:
✓ Songen Genre request– Your suggested genre gets a chance in Songens app
✓ 2 Physical C-Cassettes – Limited edition copies for your collection (these will become collector’s items)
✓ Marketing Visibility – Featured across Neo Helsinki Records, Songen, and Thriv channels reaching thousands of synthwave/cyberpunk fans
✓ Performance Opportunity – Potential invitation to perform at Helsinki Synth City events during 2026
✓ Full Artist Credits – Prominently featured in all releases, marketing materials, and press
✓ Digital Distribution – Your track included in the Bandcamp digital release
✓ Promotional Rights – Use the “Dual Protocol” branding in your own marketing after release
RIGHTS & OWNERSHIP
Let’s be crystal clear about this:
YOU KEEP ALL RIGHTS TO YOUR MUSIC.
By submitting, you grant us non-exclusive rights to:
- Include your track in the Dual Protocol compilation
- Use your track for promotional purposes related to this project
- Release your track on C-cassette and Bandcamp digital formats
What you MUST agree to:
- Publication Embargo: Don’t release your submitted track elsewhere before our official March 2026 release
- After the release, you’re FREE to release, distribute, and monetize your track anywhere
You’ll receive TEOSTO/equivalent royalties as usual. Neo Helsinki Records retains sales revenue from the compilation itself (which funds our continued work supporting the synthwave community).
TIMELINE
NOW – January 15, 2026 @ 11:11 Finnish Time: Submissions Open
Early February 2026: Artist Selection & Notification
February-March 2026: Production & Mastering
Late March 2026: Official Release
2026: Potential Helsinki Synth City Performance Opportunities
HOW TO SUBMIT
Ready to shape the future?
Submit your track here: https://neohelsinki.com/records/dual-protocol-a-tale-of-two-futures-mixtape-project/
You’ll need:
- Artist/Band name
- Email address
- Track title
- Genre selection (Side A: Synthwave or Side B: Cyberpunk)
- Direct link to your WAV file
- Agreement to our terms
That’s it. Simple.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
AI is here. It’s not going away.
The question isn’t whether we use it—it’s how we use it.
Do we let it make us lazy? Or do we use it to push our creativity further than ever before?
Do we fear it? Or do we guide it with human values and artistic vision?
Do we create WITH it? Or do we create DESPITE it?
DUAL PROTOCOL explores both possibilities. Both futures. Both choices.
And we need YOUR voice in this conversation.
Whether you’re optimistic about AI collaboration (Side A) or skeptical about where it’s leading us (Side B), your perspective matters. Both timelines need to be heard.
QUESTIONS?
Check out our FAQ or email us at label@neohelsinki.com
FINAL THOUGHTS
The future of music—and the future of creativity itself—is being written right now. In studios around the world. By artists like you.
Some will embrace AI. Some will reject it. Both perspectives are valid.
But the worst thing we could do is nothing. Say nothing. Create nothing.
So we’re asking:
Which timeline will YOU create?
The neon harmony of SYNTHESIS? Or the digital fog of OVERRIDE?
The future is a cassette tape. And you’re about to press play.
Submit by January 15, 2026 @ 11:11 Finnish Time.
Let’s create something that matters.
