SYDNEY VALETTE - "The Healer" Album Review
|
The Healer is the new LP by Paris based electronic artist Sydney Valette. After the success of "Other Side", and "Home Alone", among his many other albums and releases through the years, he once again re-affirms his high-quality offering and his potential to build a wide global following. His music transcends the vast expanse of the dark wave spectrum, seamlessly blending elements of EBM, trance, cold wave, classical music, synth-punk, and ambient. A fair amount of Sydney's production is cut from the same cloth as the fragile, gloomy melodrama of dark wave, but his music does more than just flirt with obscure affectations and nostalgic synths. What really elevates this album are its modern razor-sharp productions, and a strong sense of narrative. One element I have always appreciated about this artist is his creative lyrical ability. His lyrics could easily be regarded as "contemporary poetry". A talent he previously showcased in tracks such as "Station Stop" back in 2022. This new album has preserved those qualities, while simultaneously embarking on a more dynamic and courageous route through stylistic crossovers. His music evolution is ongoing and always evident, especially if we compare "The Healer" to some of his earlier PSG and more arcade-sounding releases. His geeky flair has morphed into something considerably more elegant, complex, and introspective. The first track "The Confession of Bernard" is testament to that. An evocative instrumental opening to what is one of the most accomplished songs in the album: "So Lost". This composition is the enchantment of its own mood. It encloses a polarising amount of urgency and introversion while its icy production makes it one of his most balanced yet contrasting works to date. The repetitive sequencing neatly frames a moment of beauty peering through the oblivion that surrounds it. This is an aspect that Sydney Valette has truly mastered and perfected: the hypnotic and trance-like nature of this genre. "Pharmakon" has a clear EBM structure and is a raging club anthem. It takes you straight to an underground club in Berlin. Production-wise it reminds me of a Gesaffelstein track mixed with a discreet amount of Kalte Liebe. "The Healer" depicts a saviour’s syndrome in post-modern society and a quest for healing through our ultimate obsession for "a cure". Most of the subjects Sydney Valette touches seem to be paradoxical in nature, and are clearly the result of his insightful observation of humanity and society.
"The Wanderer" has a more colourful palette. Here, is an artist who has found himself and his favourite colour (black), but who can occasionally wander in between the shades of its dark tones and create vibrant catchy tunes. It's a natural centrepiece for the record. There's also a rare moment of transparency for the vocals as Sydney's post-apocalyptic narrative is articulated and given a soul.
The ethereal chorus towards the end perfectly matches the crisp and impeccable production. “Relax” is the kind of dark electro track that has the jackhammering synths and stuttering beats that could have dropped off an old Nitzer Ebb single. "The Avenger" is more than a collection of cleverly assembled references. It splits the difference between the more glacial hymns and intricately-layered synth tracks. It is, without a doubt, one of the most melodically accessible tracks on the album, while still retaining Sydney's trademark of elegance and meticulous attention to detail. "L'Ecran Bleu" is structurally one of the most interesting tracks (it also happens to be the closing one). It displays an extraordinary level of compositional maturity and confidence. it's a progressive slow burn that eventually evolves into what is for me the highest moment of the album. A spiralling vortex of obscurity framed by a familiar embrace of raw feelings against an industrial-inspired backdrop. A few contemporary artists have managed such a clever reimagining of dark wave and electronic music in a way that sounds both familiar and somehow fresh. All in all, this album is intellectually intricate yet direct and honest in its delivery. His ongoing appreciation for "Slavic" culture is definitely evident in this work both lyrically and instrumentally. If I was to describe Sydney's compositions in two words I would say they are "dynamic" and "unapologetic". 1. The Confession of Bernard
|
