Hollywood Burns is being billed as one of the next big things in synth music. Label Blood Music, who at this point definitely know a thing or two about the genre, signed the artist because they saw something unique and special in his music that hadn’t yet graced our ears. And I’ll be damned if that isn’t at least mostly true. It’s hard to be fresh in a genre that already has a pretty distinct rulebook for how it should sound. Deviating and trying something new seems easy enough (just don’t follow the book, right?), but does it work in the end? It’s good that the guy behind Hollywood Burns, French producer Emeric Levardon, knows what he’s doing. His debut album Invaders sells the hype very well and he ushers himself in as a promising new artist for synth fanatics to gush over.
If I had to pick only one thing that truly sets Invaders apart from the pack, it’s the cinematic structure. Each song is a vast piece all its own. Thematically, the songs are all linked on the album which gives it cohesion, but each song is the soundtrack for a movie that doesn’t necessarily exist. It’s like listening to a seasoned composer’s collection of tracks that were written without the intent for them to score something specific, like John Carpenter‘s two Lost Themes albums.
Speaking of ‘The Master of Horror’, what distinguishes Invaders from the pack is its focus on soundtracking and capturing a specific science-fiction and camp horror film aesthetic with its sound. It’s more lighthearted than what an artist like GosT or Perturbator would attempt in the past or present. For instance, “Black Saucers” has a wonderfully playful bassline that just doesn’t quit. It’s all over the place and provides a deep, groovy rhythm that’s low key. “Came to Annihilate” has skittering synth rhythms that are bookended by eerie theremin measures. While theremin never oversaturate any one song’s mix, you’ll notice throughout listening to this album that it is most definitely one of the consistently standout elements. It’s used to great effect and really helps embody the cheesy sci-fi mood.
| A01 | Opening Titles |
| A02 | Black Saucers |
| A03 | Scherzo No. 5 In Death Minor |
| A04 | Carnal Encounters Of The Third Kind |
| A05 | Girls With Guns |
| A06 | L'Era Delle Ceneri |
| B01 | Bazaar Of The Damned |
| B02 | Came To Annihilate |
| B03 | Revenge Of The Black Saucers |
| B04 | Survivors |
| B05 | Closing Titles |
