“In the towering skyscrapers of downtown LA, psychologist Jennifer listens to the problems of the city’s wealthy and powerful. But despite her success, she feels a growing sense of disconnection from her clients until she meets the chanteuse, Scarlett. As their sessions progress, her infatuation with the singer intensifies and she becomes entangled in Scarlett’s hedonistic world of clubs, drugs, and sex. When Scarlett’s life comes to a tragic end, Jennifer becomes a prime suspect in the investigation.”
Brixx, the Melbourne-based producer, delivers a cinematic fantasy with her conceptual LP, Erotomania. The ten-track album (that includes two remixes) delves into the steamy erotic thriller genre, one where sexual prowess, desire and a flirtation with death have no bounds. Erotomania feels like a long-lost soundtrack to a turn-of-the-90s film—one that spills over with lust and seduction—as synth melodies purr and the gated drum machines exclaimate overtop driving basslines.
“I wanted to create a soundscape that was an amalgamation of the musical palette defined by these films—icy synths, gated drums and arpeggiated bass,” says Brixx.
“The challenge was to create instrumental pieces I could imagine in such a film, and then to use the defining elements of these scores to create music that could also be played on a dancefloor.” Inspired by scores from Wang Chung (specifically To Live and Die in L.A.) and Harold Faltermeyer, to Tangerine Dream and Claudio Simonetti, Erotomania is an adventure of twists and turns—and not without a little sleaze.
Erotomania begins with “Between Two Worlds,” a track that immediately captures the essence of the erotic thriller genre.
It is the lead up between the two protagonists’ initial meeting. “The Kindest Smile,” featuring Alex Akers of Forces, adopts an alluring new beat groove while “Private Practice” is a romantic interlude track that includes a saxophone solo. Here, the sparks between lovers ignite. “Out of the Fog Into the Fire” contains a ferocity and darkness that reflects a turn of events between the two main characters, Jennifer and Scarlett. The danceability of the track symbolizes the seedy avenues of unbridled fascination as Brixx’s domineering SH-101 bassline returns to her EBM roots. Finally, side A ends with “Alley Encounter,” an interlude track brimming with suspicion and terror.
Side B begins with the title track, “Erotomania.” Featuring the vocals of Kim Little, the song “is about escapism, obsession, and the abuse of power between a psychologist and her client,”
Brixx says. “The [lyric] ‘under the guise of concern for your health, the snake eats itself’ conveys a situation where someone appears to be acting in a helpful manner but is actually causing harm and engaging in self-destructive behavior.
The snake is a reference to the ouroboros myth signifying death and rebirth. In relation to the narrative, this signifies someone who is discontent with their life and looking to reinvent themselves through new experiences.” Little’s emotional and ethereal vocal performance only enhances the weight of Brixx’s storyline.
“Crash on Highland Avenue” depicts an early morning car chase scene, a score fueled by a building tension as its percussive disco elements drive it to its bitter end. The closing track of Erotomania is subdued a melancholy realization of the finality of death. Scarlett dies from the impact of the car crash and the melody reflects the hazy, dust-filled dawn that soon turns grey: rain begins to fall as Jennifer realizes what she’s done.
The Erotomania remixes are dance floor primed with Alpha Sect’s injection of brutal EBM and the electro element added in the Stockholm Syndrome Au Remix.
Out October 6th on both a limited number of cassettes and digitally.
First single, “Out of the Fog Into the Fire” is out September 12.
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