It’s been five years since we last heard from Silent EM, aka NYC-based musician Jean Lorenzo. While the world has changed several times over, Silent EM’s brand of incisive, cold, post-punk flavored electronics has not lost its appeal in the slightest. With that in mind, we’re pleased to announce the release of REAL LIFE, a stunning full-length LP, which is released today on DKA Records in North America and Kernkrach throughout Europe. Each edition features a unique cover designed by Lorenzo.
The album features eight tracks of caustic synth bliss, each which twist and turn at breakneck speed. Each track builds on the tense energy of the last, giving the record a passionate, yet unified feel. Highlights include the appropriately named “World of Sin,” which touches on world-weary issues, the incredibly catchy “Europa,” which features guest vocals by Quebec-based synth artist Xarah Dion, and “The Hunger,” which features razor sharp leads and throbbing synth bass and percussion. The record on the whole is rather politically charged, a visceral artistic reaction to the rather surreal and distressing political climate we’re experiencing on a daily basis.
The album was fully recorded and immaculately mixed in Montreal under the guidance of Xavier Paradis of Automelodi, adding a touch of the producer’s incredible flair to the recordings. This is also the first Silent EM recording to feature guitar on a handful of tracks, which call bands like A Split Second or Parálisis Permanente to mind, resulting in a refreshing and engaging combination of past and present sensibilities.
In addition to releasing the album today, Silent EM has also released a video for lead single “Institution,” shot and directed by Dino Kužnik. The video begins with a nod to the video for “Wraith” from 2019’s The Absence, but doubles down on the track’s condemnation of organized religion with a series of Catholic imagery, shadow play, and performance clips. Watch below:
Check out the track listing and cover art for REAL LIFE below, and order a copy of the North American release here and the European release here.
Silent EM – REAL LIFE
1. Heart Sinking
2. World of Sin
3. Survive
4. Europa (Ft. Xarah Dion)
5. Institution
6. My Versions of Hell
7. The Hunger
8. Real Life
Follow Silent EM:
I’ve been swimming in an ocean of tears I went swimming in all of my fears And every day is…
Our entire life Was like a spell of beauty and despair This old delusion Hectic with our own selfish thirst…
Yesterday is history And today is just misery So we say "Long live the King" Oh, he ruined everything Hailing…
I don’t mean to rain on your parade But sometimes when I bend, I break Australian artist Claire Birchall, Melbourne's…
You can keep your revolution if we can't dance to it. Because we're not going out on our knees. We're…
The Replacements' guitarist Bob “Slim” Dunlap has passed away at 73, leaving behind a legacy as enduring as the melodies…