“It’s crazy that people think electronic music is emotionless,” declares a magazine cutting I have blue-tacked to my bedroom wall. I’ve long since forgotten who shared this much disputed opinion, but it undeniably still rings true. Since Kraftwerk and the dawn of the synthesiser, genres from synthpop to electronica have been stereotypically branded as soulless tones and bleeps, and some artists even prided themselves on not allowing the technology du jour of the 1980s tarnish their records (most soon changed their tune, ahem, Queen). Even in the 21st century with the skyrocketing success of EDM, electronic acts feel the pressure to express themselves as something more than robotic – and that’s exactly what London duo Empathy Test do beautifully on their double A-side ‘Demons / Seeing Stars’.
Taking their namesake from eighties sci-fi movie Blade Runner, Empathy Test – that’s Isaac Howlett and Adam Relf – are deeply influenced by eighties sci-fi soundtracks, nineties guitar bands and underground dance music, married with the modern edge of a M83/CHVRCHES-inspired sound; hence, they create a soundscape that is at once nostalgic yet unmistakably fresh. The pair’s previous releases are characterised by dark, cinematic electro-pop, combining a mixture of analogue synth sounds which have been a hit with audiences from across Europe.
The duo’s latest double A-side provides a taste of their forthcoming debut album, due to be released later this year. ‘Demons’, a slice of brooding electronica featuring vocal delivery à la Violator-era Depeche Mode, is almost perfectly crafted, spaced out indietronica. Dealing with the nature of jealousy, the track’s flickering, pulsating synths teeter on the edge of a huge chorus that never quite arrives, and the listener is left hungry for more than the addictive 3:36 track affords. “You’ll never know how much it hurts / to fall so hard you see stars,” laments follow-up ‘Seeing Stars’, a moody, atmospheric offering that is icy, but undeniably human. Empathy Test’s sound is sophisticated and lingering, underpinned with a pop subtlety that hints at mass appeal.
Boasting collaborations with MTV and Clash Music under their belt, the prismatic music that Empathy Test create marks an intriguing dark wave of talent emerging from the UK music scene.
Words by Kristen Sinclair