Synth duo Paradox Obscur is a fantastic music project comprised of the brilliant pairing of otherworldly darkwave chanteuse Kriistal Ann, and minimal maestro Toxic Razor, both of whom have made a name for themselves with their powerful live performances that exclusively utilize real hardware synthesizers & drum machines.
Paradox Obscur have a strong production ethos where each studio work is comprised of real-time recordings for their albums capturing spellbinding dynamics of a live presentation, without any use of additional DAW’s or Plug-ins, ultimately remaining true the old-school sound of their electronic music and coldwave forbears.
Following the release of their critically acclaimed 2017 LP Artifact, plus a pair of cover EPs. Ann and Razor are back with SYNΘESIS, the fourth album inspired by the mysterious composition of the human spirit, or as they phrase it, the “nous”, and how the power of positive vision and thinking can be utilized for the betterment of mankind.
Today the duo have unveiled the for the third single from the album, titled “Réflexe”, a song seductively sung by Kriistal Ann with French lyrics reverberating with an unreal quiver over a sequenced arpeggio.
With a script is loosely based on the Matrix and the manipulation of the masses, both Ann and Razor don visors over their visage, evoking the sci-fi aesthetics of the 80s with sleek and modern cinematography and editing of collaborator Nikos Chatzis, and production from Press Eject and Give me the Tape.
Watch the video for “Réflexe” below:
Also featured on the record SYNΘESIS are videos for the tracks Abeyance, and X- Spell.
The video drug-induced dark disco synth-laden groove of “X-Spell” was Directed & Edited by Pavel Vishnevsky, and filmed at IDDQD Bar in south-east Russia with an ensemble of young club-goers local to the area.
The striking visuals in the clip are courtesy of two Directors of Photography: Ilya Protcenko, and Maksim Olenikov.
Watch below:
The pulsing ominous, and slightly Giallo “Abeyance”, had its spellbinding video also Directed & Filmed by Pavel Vishnevsky, which was released last December.
Watch Below:
Paradox Obscur’s SYNΘESIS is out now via German label, Young & Cold Records. The album was issued on March 15th, 2020 on LP, CD, and Digital, with the cover photo taken by Kostas Kovaios.
The record was Mastered by Nikolas “TheMute” Chalntoupis at SoundCave Studios in Athens. The CD version of the record includes two remixes by Protector 101 & Tanya Baltunova.
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