ALBUM REVIEW: The Age Of Saucers – Hollywood Burns
The best thing about synthwave is that it can be a combination of cinematic, epic and dramatic, while also tapping into the dark, dance themes of electronica. What HOLLYWOOD BURNS does on The Age Of Saucers is to revisit the world he built on Invaders, but taking in a post-apocalyptic, human viewpoint. Does this record push into any new areas of Emeric Levardon’s sound and his journey as a musician?
If you’re a fan of very cinematic, dark synthwave, but also tongue-in-cheek nods to whacky old sound effects and the antiquated nostalgia of 1950s sci-fi, you’ll love this record. There are influences from all over the spectrum of sci-fi pop culture, all given a fresh, pumped up, nightmare sheen on this record. Here, you’ll encounter some of the sharpest, most effective fusions of theremin, choral motifs and heavy electronica you’ll come across this year. Front runners The Age Of Saucers and Abomination From Planet X pulse between the human sounding beats and melodies of keys, string and vocals, and end up in some of the dankest, darkest places we’ve seen this year in synthwave.
Abomination From Planet X in particular is deliciously nasty, it could easily find its way onto a Doom OST from the likes of Mick Gordon. The tone is hellish, harmonic and unnerving. There’s some classic guitar riffing going on that hits just right, and even the lighter moments where the crushing beat lessens are just as filled with creepy childlike vocal modulation akin to the quieter introduction of INFECTED MUSHROOM’s Heavyweight.
Likewise, the short A Moment Of Bliss explains itself in the title, but acquires a sort of constructed vocalisation that is in no way made with a human voice, an uncanny valley of quiet audio that stands your hair on end. Like on Silent Fortress, these moments where there’s plenty of atmosphere, with layers upon layers of building pressure, bring a sense of that post-apocalypse that HOLLYWOOD BURNS is chasing. There’s a sense of dark, cold nights, but it’s a human experience and there’s something beautiful in that, even if there are spooky and death-inducing sounds under the blanket of synth.
There are plenty of fun moments to really lose yourself to and indulge in this dark synthwave too. First single Saturday Night Screamer is unsettling and massively catchy in equal measure. Things never repeat on this record, even while it sits firmly in the synthwave pocket. Skylord, with its glam-rock-disco style and dramatic vocals is wonderfully layered dance track, and Fear In The Eye Of The Tyrant feels like a boss theme in some crazed, bloodthirsty arcade game. If you’re more inclined towards the cinematic stylings, then The Heist Of Area 51 is more than epic enough to satiate your needs. There’s enough for any electronica fan and more on this album.
The biggest progression on this record is Fallen Haven. It’s a complete journey, stomping from old school, spooky synth work and arcade game music inspired crunches and planes of droning. It’s all the same melody, evolving and changing into something groovy and heavy. It plays out like the development towards a boss battle, the tension breaking at the end to a most satisfying completion.
If you’re in the mood for spooky, sci-fi storytelling in your music then HOLLYWOOD BURNS has it in spades for you on The Age Of Saucers. It’s layered, great fun and moves into new, weird spaces in synthwave. What’s more, this is clearly HOLLYWOOD BURNS coming into his own, and finding a new part of himself on his musical journey.
Rating: 8/10
The Age Of Saucers is set for release on November 12th via Blood Music.
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