Following the bonus release of the LP « The Uncanny Valley » in May 2016, the French musician James Kent, known as Perturbator, made a powerful comeback with the stunning EP « New Model, » still on the Blood Music Label. The EP immediately sets a cinematic atmosphere with synths reminiscent of « Blade Runner, » enchanting and as dark as ever, but with a descent into low frequencies comparable to Junkie XL and « Mad Max: Fury Road. » The level of craftsmanship is undeniable.

The first track, « Birth of the New Model, » begins with mysterious sounds, hypnotic melodies, and TRAP music influences, quickly delving into the dark side of Synthwave. « Tactical Precision Disarray » transports listeners to a massive and dark cybernetic world, reminiscent of playing « Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon » alongside Power Glove or the Major from « Ghost in the Shell. » It’s a track with immense sound dimensions that ignite the imagination with a vivid display of lights, lasers, and cyborgs. « Vantablack » enters with a bewitching vocal (possibly James himself) influenced by the sinister master Marilyn Manson, accompanied by impressive percussion and terrifying melodies. It exudes a cybernetic malevolence. « Tainted Empire » lands with the intensity of a Death or Black Metal piece, gradually calming down under Vangelis-inspired melodies before surging with renewed energy. This track stands out for its incredible variety and would undoubtedly shine in a live performance. « Corrupted by Design » could make luminaries of Dark Techno like Gesaffelstein or The Hacker turn green with envy. It’s an efficient blend of Darksynth, Electro, and Techno music with a cinematic atmosphere drawn from the worlds of John Carpenter or Ridley Scott (Alien). The track showcases Perturbator’s excellence as a melodist, with a delightful Dreamwave interlude in the middle. Finally, « God Complex, » a more than 9-minute epic, is a glacial beauty, dark and enriched with intelligent sound placement.

It leaves us yearning for an original soundtrack composed by Perturbator, provided the film is worthy. This EP attests to the highest quality and sets a bar that will be challenging to match.

While it might sound like the plot to a Terminator-esque movie, Perturbator admits it’s an « interesting concept » and allowed him to create a dystopian, bleak and lonely world throughout New Model.

– Teamrock