Back in the ’70s, crash test dummy flicks were the unsung heroes of the road, turning vehicular mayhem into a teachable moment with a side of uncanny valley. These cinematic PSA gems, brought to you by the fine folks in government and safety circles, were possibly the original influencers, making seat belts and airbags the must-have accessories of the disco era.
Fast forward to the mid-’90s, and leave it to David Cronenberg to flip the script with Crash, a film that makes you wonder whether your seat belt might need a safe word. Diving headfirst into the twisted metal love affair between humans and their four-wheeled death machines, Cronenberg’s adaptation of J.G. Ballard’s novel is as much a psychological thriller as it is an R-rated driver’s ed video.
Now, riding the tailwinds of these cultural crash courses, Nightcrawler’s latest EBM banger, Crash Test Dummy, slams into the scene. It’s a track that feels like a head-on collision between the eerie nostalgia of ’70s safety films and Cronenberg’s kinked-out car crash fantasies.
Using sound samples from one of the 70s instructional videos, Crash Test Dummy’s powerful electronic rhythms mimic the firing pistons of a fiercely revved engine..we’ll let you decide if it’s a metaphor or not. We hear the influences of Asymetrc80’s synth waves, Alpha Sect’s dark beats, and DJ Hell’s techno mischief. Public Service Broadcasting’s docu-samples, Orbital’s electronic odyssey vibes, and The Avalanches’ genre-smashing samples also come to mind with this surefire banger that’s ready to buckle up and take you for a ride you’ll never forget.
The music video, which utilizes found footage from these old films, was created by the artist himself under his pseudonym as art director and designer George Gold Design.
Watch the video for “Crash Test Dummy” below:
Based in Spain, Nightcrawler is a renowned music producer whose career took off in 2011, drawing inspiration from the eerie and fantastical realms of horror and sci-fi movie soundtracks. His prominence in the synthwave scene was highlighted in The Rise Of The Synths, a documentary narrated by the legendary John Carpenter, where he was featured as a standout artist.
Nightcrawler’s music has evolved over time, venturing into more experimental territories with a blend of unique electronic rhythms. His work now incorporates a myriad of influences from Industrial, Darkwave, and EBM music, maintaining his affinity for the darker side of electronic music.
His collaborative endeavors have been extensive, working alongside notable artists such as Antoni Maiovvi (co-founder of Giallo Disco Records), Dead Astronauts, Miami Nights 1984, Lazerpunk, Makeup & Vanity Set, Deus Ex Lumina, WLDV, Asymetric80, Abraxas, Straight Razor, Reviza, and Destryur, among others.
Nightcrawler’s live performances are a synthesis of music and visuals, creating immersive experiences that have captivated audiences at festivals like Low Fest, SOS 4.8, Primavera Sound, Eufònic, Film Festival Fantastic in Sitges, and the In-edit Festival. His talent has also been showcased in major cities including Berlin, London, Cologne, Lyon, Vienna, Budapest, Madrid, and Barcelona, affirming his status as a dynamic force in the electronic music scene.
Dynamics of a Crash has been released on Nightcrawler’s own label (Nightcrawler Music) and is now available on all digital platforms
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