Since their debut album Ultimatum emerged from the depths of the cosmos in 2020, Macrowave has taken its time. Kilian Ebel's project became a duo with the arrival of drummer Aurélien Knob, and while they have released a few singles, it is mainly on stage that their dark universe has come to life in recent years. The EP Imminent puts an end to what was starting to feel like a long wait, especially as we firmly believe that the future of the darksynth scene in France lies with Macrowave.
Stripped of 80s fetishism, the music immediately takes on an icy darkness, something that evokes the immensity and nothingness of space. The sound has futuristic textures but also the depth of a timeless monolith, like an ancient ruin that has not been touched by starlight for a very long time. The title track, with its intense pulse and cyberpunk undertones, draws us in. It's rhythmic, catchy, hypnotic. Macrowave craft their melodies with care, and the crescendos bring to life a cinematic universe with a dramatic power that is at times epic.
Macrowave leaves a few breathing spaces here and there, creating mystery (Emergence) or melancholic contemplation (the delightful No Return or the twilight-like Shattered and its liberating conclusion, reminiscent of an apocalyptic cosmic revelation). The tracks are short, but that doesn't prevent them from creating suspense and even twists and turns with a break in rhythm, a weightless synth layer, or a theme that lodges itself in our heads. There's an organic energy in there, emotions that shine in the darkness and warm up the synths. It's done with intelligence and subtlety, but also with guts and a desire to get you moving... plus it's short enough to make you want to play it on repeat, as if you were caught in a cosmic prank in a place where time and space no longer exist. Exactly the kind of feeling we're looking for!
