“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 the release of 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 exclaim 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.
With collaborations alongside Alex Akers of Forces and remixes by Alpha Sect and Stockholm Syndrome, Erotomania is a twisting tale of lust and obsession. The title track, “Erotomania” featuring Kim Little, “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.
Listen below:
Out now via SYNTHICIDE on limited number of cassettes, digitally and all streaming platforms.
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