Exclusive: DUST Horizons podcast embarks on a trippy journey into spoken-word sci-fi

If you’ve had your radar up lately for the more esoteric side of science fiction — you know, the kind of thing you aren’t likely to get from a basic cable subscription or even from a healthy menu of streaming services — you probably already know about DUST, the boutique sci-fi brand from Gunpowder & Sky that’s been serving up a curated collection of original content on multiple platforms since first debuting back in 2016.

Now DUST is setting its starry sights on the world of podcasting, and SYFY WIRE has an exclusive sneak peek at how the new podcast series, DUST Horizons, plans to creatively combine the best of sci-fi icons like Philip K. Dick and Ray Bradbury with emerging new work from speculative fiction storytellers like Alex Irvine (Supernatural: John Winchester's Journal), R.K. Nickel (Guilds and Glaives), comics creator Phoebe A. Xavier (Sidereal Apogee), and more.  

Billed as a new podcast for modern-day radio dramas “brought to life through award-winning narration, dramatization and sound design,” DUST Horizons will dive into a spoken-word world of dystopian thrillers, futuristic satires, and tons more new content that covers the sci-fi spectrum with “engaging, enthralling narratives that explore the human condition,” according to the publisher.

Check out what lies ahead on DUST Horizons in this early look, before the podcast debuts its complete first season next week:

Pretty trippy, right? Produced in partnership with award-winning The Invisible Studios LA, each episode will feature a lineup of seasoned voice actors with pedigrees in film, TV and video game franchises like Star Wars, Game of Thrones, The Avengers, Avatar, Batman, True Blood, Castlevania, Call of Duty, Love, Death & Robots, Assassin's Creed, Family Guy, and more. 

Horizons is just the latest insurgence by DUST into the conventional content delivery landscape, and the futuristic new podcast further grows the upstart brand toward its goal of providing a platform-agnostic destination for sci-fi features, short films, and series offering creations from both established and emerging filmmakers. Taking a high-end approach to production with a sharp focus on quality, DUST already has a library of more than 400 stories — each of which strives for “stunning visual effects, captivating plots, and complex character explorations. Robots, aliens, space exploration, technology, and human experience are all a part of DUST.” 

Season 1 of DUST Horizons is slated to debut on Oct. 16, and it’ll be available via Apple, Google, Stitcher, and pretty much any other place you prefer to get your audio game on. We’ll definitely have our antennae on high alert for what sounds like a cool new way to geek out on a fresh trove of sci-fi goodness. To whet your appetite in the meantime, be sure to check out the DUST website for a bigger peek at more of the company’s thought-provoking visions of the future.