Archive 81 (podcast)

Archive 81 is a horror fiction podcast created by Daniel Powell and Marc Sollinger, and produced by Dead Signals. The podcast utilizes a found-footage narrative style, presented as recordings of various media uncovered and investigated by different characters throughout its multiple seasons.

The central premise often involves a protagonist tasked with digitizing or cataloging a collection of audio or video tapes, during which they uncover a disturbing narrative, often involving supernatural occurrences, cult activity, and connections to other worlds or realities. The podcast explores themes of memory, identity, obsession, and the power of storytelling.

Each season generally focuses on a different protagonist and a new set of mysteries, while also subtly weaving in recurring elements and lore that connect them to a larger, overarching narrative. The found-footage style, combined with immersive sound design and strong voice acting, aims to create a sense of realism and dread for the listener.

The podcast has received critical acclaim for its atmospheric storytelling, intricate world-building, and effective use of audio to generate suspense and horror. It has spawned a Netflix adaptation, also titled Archive 81, which presents a different interpretation of the core concepts and storylines.