Zombi

An instrumental duo with a remarkably massive sound, Zombi are equally inspired by horror movie soundtrack maestros like John Carpenter and Goblin, electronic pioneers such as Tangerine Dream and Vangelis, and prog rockers like King Crimson and Genesis. Frequently eschewing guitar in favor of bass, drums, and plenty of analog synths, Zombi's fascination with horror scores peaked on 2004's debut album, Cosmos. Their horizons expanded with the vintage prog homages of 2006's Surface to Air and the fusions of Italo-disco and Krautrock on 2011's Escape Velocity, which presented different -- but equally genuine -- incarnations of their music. As the sounds Zombi championed early on became more popular in the 2010s, they switched gears. Following their 2013 tour with Goblin, they went in a heavier, more rock-oriented direction, and 2015's Shape Shift, the riff-laden 2020, and 2024's improvisation-based Direct Inject suggested Zombi's epic sound and capacity for reinvention were limitless.