5imulator Plays a Dangerous Game With Their First Synthpop Single “iLie”

I must have been intoxicated
And I shouldn’t go back for more.

As an homage to their early influences such as The Cure, Nine Inch Nails, Placebo and Interpol, the duo of 5imulator reassemble goth and synthpop styles into their own unique concoction with the announcement of their first single, “iLie.” Leo Luganskiy (FOiRMODA, Stranglelove: Depeche Mode Tribute) and Franko Carino’s collaboration revels in a silky, sensual darkness—”iLie” is an immaculately produced tale of lust and deception.

Luganskiy’s distinct baritone vocals grip and tantalize as he sings about the throes of desire and risky clandestine activities… two things that often go hand in hand. “I’ve overdosed on you and that’s a price I pay for not resisting,” he admits. “I should have walked away.” As most of us have at one time or another, he gives into temptation—if only for a moment—and becomes drawn to the danger of the situation. He’s now a slave to a forbidden love, caught in the mangled web he’s created for himself.

The song holds a chilliness that is reminiscent of Chino Moreno’s vocal output with The Deftones, but also blends a sultry melancholy that reflects 2000s-era Depeche Mode with dance-oriented electronics. However, its sound reflects contemporary artists such as Vandal Moon or Vowws with its gloomy sensibilities and colossal chorus that is not only catchy, but addicting. 5imulator adds to the darker side of dance with a sincerity few have achieved.

Listen to a clip of “iLie” below before its Halloween release on October 31st.

Follow 5imulator and Leo Luganskiy on IG for updates.