French Post-Punk Project Protocell Debuts Dreamy Dystopian Single “Another Life”

Behold the world’s closed in we’re out of time
to reconcile the fractures of our bodies and our minds
Clock’s stopped. Conviction high. Bare with nothing to hide.
So many “if” to know = reasons to lose control

Protocell, an avant-garde persona crafted by French artist William Robin, emerges as a humanoid entity amidst a dystopian post-punk alternative universe. The alter ego is sculpted through an intricate weave of analogue mechanistic constructs and cybernetic dichotomies, ultimately forging a dark wave genesis punctuated by a synth-driven, extraterrestrial musical manifestation.

Their latest single, “Another Life,” along with the entirety of the project, draws its creative spirit from the revolutionary sounds of 1980s British post-punk and the myriad sub-genres it engendered, including darkwave and synthpop. Simultaneously, the project unfolds within a futuristic dystopian milieu reminiscent of the visual and thematic elements found in cinematic masterpieces like Blade Runner, Metropolis, and The Fifth Element. This creates a unique synthesis of retro-inspired music and sci-fi atmosphere, bridging past and future in an alluring dystopian soundscape.

Imbued with melancholy, the synth-heavy track explores themes of separation and a yearning for something just beyond reach. The lyrics draw from the sci-fi realm, echoing the narrative depth of a Gary Numan track framed within the confines of a Ray Bradbury-esque novella. Nevertheless, when it comes to the overall essence, Protocell resonates more with the likes of Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark and Ultravox, building a distinct soundscape that merges introspective themes with an immersive sci-fi ambience.

“The fact is, there are many possibilities and truths in many realities we’ll never experience, and this is about having to come to terms with that,” says Robin about the themes of “Another Life.”

The single was first composed in London, recorded, and refined in Melbourne where William developed the persona, before being produced in Paris. “The vocals and lyrics came to me quite late in development and ended up quite different from my original ideas,” Robin muses. “It allowed me to go deeper and find its meaning within the song itself.”

Listen below and order here.

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• Spotify