The embodiment of the “monstre chic” figure whose fragile voice emanates from the depths of Paris, Ezekiel Gauthier is able to turn the gloominess of dark electronics into a shelter for all those seeking the ultimate experience. With his impeccable aesthetic vision, he moves around in the world, easily oscillating between the sharp edges of reality and the limitless expanses of the digital dream world. For him, music is not only an art form but also a place where fashion’s impeccable elegance meets the vertigo of the unknown. With Ezekiel, the listener is no longer simply a consumer but a wanderer of the night who searches for their heart among the beats of the synthesizer. He released a three-song EP called “Teenage Dark Love”. Let’s talk a bit about these songs
The journey starts with the title track, “Teenage Dark Love”, a track that starts with a beautiful, atmospheric sweep of synthesizers that spreads into a vast and lonely space, and a beat that sounds like taking a stroll back home from a desolate world where all hope seems lost. In essence, this track is the soul of the project, where teenage love is not just explored in the sense that it represents an old and tired trope, but rather as a kind of haven against the overall bleakness of the world. The lyrics are very touching and speak volumes about a common need to find happiness at any cost. The musicality is grand; the synth layers are imbued with a majestic quality, which is both lovely and sorrowful to hear. It is here that Gauthier is at his most expressive, bringing out the “vertigo of nocturnal romance” through a delivery which sounds weary but optimistic. The effect of listening to it for the audience will be to evoke a feeling of nostalgia, recalling the passion of those first, fiery romances which burn even as they slowly die away at daybreak.
Going further inside the mind, “Bones and All” changes course for the organic and the unrefined. The music starts out with a distorted and atmospheric hum that evolves into a rough and jarring post-punk guitar riff, clearly indicating that the digital beats of the previous song have been exchanged for a different tone altogether. This is not a romantic love song. It is a song about consuming one’s own identity in the context of a romantic partnership. The subject matter goes further into what can be described as the “organic baring of emotions,” which entails removing the façade until nothing remains except the bare reality, regardless of how skeletal it might be. This track makes use of a rich array of sounds; the guitar parts introduce a more grungy texture, with an EBM-style sound cutting through the beautiful synth lines. Gauthier’s vocals become more insistent, as if pleading, drawing the audience into the “shadow zones of identity.” This is a grounding, avant garde and intense experience, like listening to something that should have stayed hidden from prying ears.
“Bliss and Kiss” are the closing tracks on the EP, ending the EP on an intense high. While the track does not start with a bang, there is a rhythm and pulsation that makes one feel the beats. The track begins with a hypnotic mechanical drum beat, a sound similar to the ticking of the synth percussion, which seems like a heartbeat in a room full of silence. There is a thick bass line, making for a dark and alluring backdrop. The idea is to examine the first moment of attraction where rationality falls away and the senses take precedence. The theme of the song is the exploration of the moment when the mind goes blank and the senses take over in that fleeting and electric moment of attraction. The song lyrically captures the dizzying heights of being in love for the first time, when everything else disappears except for that “bliss” and the “kiss.” The music itself showcases Gauthier’s impeccable singing technique in that it is understated, ethereal, and almost ghost-like in the face of heavy, richly layered synthesizers. The combination is incredibly powerful and conveys a message of intimacy, sensuality, and fragility in the midst of an icy, electronic soundscape.
“Teenage Dark Love” comes out as a stunning three-track journey, one that takes us on an emotional ride with stunning perfection from the pulsating beats of “Teenage Dark Love” via the stark, bareboned truth in “Bones and All” to the sultry heat of “Bliss and Kiss.” Having made his mark on the legendary stones of the European underground scene, Ezekiel Gauthier is all set to make his mark at home in Paris. The musician’s upcoming residence at the iconic Machine du Moulin Rouge will be not only about music but also about taking over the place with a high-end audiovisual assault that will see cutting-edge video art breathe and take life. This venue will be one where the night itself turns into an oasis of complete creative freedom. Delving into the world of his EP has been nothing short of a thrilling experience, a unique opportunity to be immersed in the distinct and mysterious universe that Ezekiel has created. Ezekiel is not just a musician; he is an artist in every conceivable way, with an ability to combine style and substance to a level where they become indistinguishable from one another. I cannot wait for his next release!!!!
Stream the “Teenage Dark Love” EP on Spotify
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