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While synthwave and similarly oriented electronic music have been around for awhile, the 2010s brought about a slew of artists that took a much darker approach with horror aesthetics that paid tribute to classic soundtracks and everything 1980’s. This was helped by games like the Hotline Miami series which catapulted this darker take on synth into the public consciousness, with French musician Carpenter Brut gaining additional traction during this time. Carpenter Brut had started off with a trilogy of EP’s that showcased a bleak aesthetic with equal amounts of pulsing, danceable beats and more experimental moments, later going on to much larger sounding synthwave. Like other artists that started off paying tribute to the likes of John Carpenter and Goblin, the music has evolved over time to incorporate additional genres and now features quite a bit of vocals compared to the instrumental soundscapes of those earlier days. This continues on Leather Terror, which finds Carpenter Brut building a new trilogy off 2018’s Leather Teeth and leaning just as much into metal, industrial, and even some straight up synthpop. It’s clear that the approach here is to be bigger and bolder while finding a balance between brooding synths and earworm melodies, and while not every track fully manages to nail it there’s still plenty here that will stick with listeners.
Leather Terror covers a lot of ground, and while not being a soundtrack to a movie like 2020’s Blood Machines it’s structured thematically to act as a soundtrack to an imaginary one. With the album split equally between instrumental only tracks and those that feature guest vocalists, that could have easily led to a disjointed release but Carpenter Brut has avoided that as everything flows in a way that leads to a cohesive listening experience. The variation in tempos is an element that jumped out at me during those first few times through, as rather than simply going full speed the entire album and relying on those huge dark synths and driving beats there are just as many moments where things slow down and explore some softer textures. “…Good Night, Goodbye” and “Stabat Mater” in particular have a very different feel, showcasing some much softer and sometimes ethereal tones that provide a respite from the gritty slasher vibe of the harsher moments. The tracks that feature guests don’t overshadow Carpenter Brut’s focused instrumental moments either, as “Day Stalker” and “Night Prowler” feature the type of huge, booming beats and rougher synths that he does so well. Other songs deviate things further, with “Lipstick Masquerade” sounding more like straight-up 80s synthpop and the title track bringing in Converge’s Ben Koller for a harsher clash of electronic and metal. Despite how high some of the peaks were, I did still feel that the straightforward structure of some of the pop-oriented tracks resulted in them sounding a bit too similar and the second half didn’t quite stick with me the same way that the first did (even with the metal flourishes at the end).
Prior to Leather Terror’s release it did feel like the amount of big-name guests was one of the biggest focuses, and while this doesn’t take away from the instrumental tracks some of those with singing are the ones I found standing out the most upon repeat listens. The list here is sizeable, with Greg Puciato, Ulver, Sylvaine, Gunship, Persha, and Tribulation’s Jonka all contributing to Carpenter Brut’s vision on this album. Gunship and Greg Puciato’s appearances add a bit of an industrial sheen to the proceedings, while Persha transports you right to the peak of 80’s pop. Each vocal style fits well with the track they are featured on, as the transition over to live drums and a gothic/metal vibe when Jonka comes in with harsher screams works perfectly while the ethereal nature of Sylvaine’s piece suits her vocal range. Admittedly I was a bit underwhelmed by the Ulver feature on “…Good Night, Goodbye”, as while it’s a solid track that adds some slower, moodier instrumentation it felt more like something off their recent two albums rather than a true merging with Carpenter Brut’s sound.
Those that really liked the pure synth exploration and some of the unexpected instrumental elements of Carpenter Brut’s earlier EP’s may not click with all the pop elements and vocal oriented songs, but it’s great to see his scope increase and bring in new elements with each release. The balance between moodier and dance driven synth tracks and softer moments work well, and while a few of the pop moments come through as a bit too simplified structurally I’ve still found myself drawn back to this album. It also proves that Carpenter Brut can retain some of the dark and horror driven synth from within his niche while also expanding out in ways that will grab a wide audience, and I’m excited to see where that continues to lead his music in the coming years. Leather Terror is available from No Quarter Productions/Universal Music Group.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg
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