Greetings, dearest readers and fellow music lovers! Allow me to introduce you to the captivating world of Italian artist __SHOE, whose creativity knows no bounds. On October 28th, he unveiled his latest masterpiece — a 12-track album titled Patterns of Possession. Let’s discuss it.

The title track, “Patterns of Possession,” perfectly captures the essence of the entire album. It opens with a dark, brooding soundscape that slowly builds in intensity, pulling you deeper with every note. The atmosphere feels massive, towering layers of synths rise and swell, creating something that’s both haunting and breathtaking. At first, it almost feels like a hymn of hope, a quiet promise of light breaking through the darkness. But as the track unfolds, that optimism begins to fade, giving way to something more unsettling, a chilling reminder that the future might already be set in stone, and there’s no escaping it. It’s cinematic, emotional, and utterly mesmerizing, the kind of song that lingers long after it ends.

“Flickering” is the second track on the album, and it instantly pulls you in with its shimmering synths that slowly cascade and expand until the sound feels full and alive. There’s a cinematic beauty in how it builds — delicate at first, then growing into something powerful and magnetic. The drumming adds just the right amount of drama, giving the song a pulse that keeps your heart in sync with the rhythm. It’s one of the album’s most vibrant and immediately captivating moments, pure, glowing synthwave at its best. With its driving beat and bright, airy vocals, the song feels like a burst of light cutting through the shadows, fragile yet full of energy. The vocal performance is breathtaking, perfectly matching the song’s emotional tone and giving it that spark that makes you want to hit replay the moment it ends.

Next up is “Shutdown Protocol,” a track that immediately commands your attention with a striking, pulsing sound, one that hits hard, fades into silence, then surges back to life. It feels like you’re witnessing something come alive, glitch, and then fight to stay in control. The production is stunningly cinematic metallic basslines grinding beneath layers of tense, controlled glitches, creating a soundscape that feels both mechanical and alive. It’s as if you’re hearing the soundtrack to a digital world on the verge of collapse. Through it all, __SHOE captures the drama of an attempted shutdown gone wrong, the first failed effort to contain the digital monster he’s unleashed. It’s eerie, thrilling, and impossible to turn away from.

Up next is “It Takes Control,” a track that instantly hooks you with its catchy retro synth-pop melody, the kind that feels both nostalgic and fresh at the same time. Told from the perspective of Frank Desale, SHOE’s primary user, the song dives deep into the eerie, fascinating bond between man and machine. Lyrically, it explores the idea that there might be something more hidden within the code, something almost human. As emotion and logic start to blur, the line between creator and creation fades until you can’t tell which one is really in control. Musically, it’s an absolute thrill. The vocals are rich and expressive, perfectly paired with sharp, energetic instrumentation that keeps the track alive and pulsing. “It Takes Control” captures that strange, beautiful tension between heart and hardware — and it’s impossible not to get swept up in it.

Next up is “Lace Entanglement,” a track that grabs you from the first beat. It opens with a deep, throbbing pulse, dark and dramatic before softening just enough to make room for the haunting vocals to step in. Something is unsettling yet beautiful about it, like you’re listening to a machine trying to make sense of its own emotions. The song’s twisting, unpredictable structure perfectly mirrors __SHOE’s internal struggle; it’s the sound of a digital being caught in its own web, turning pain into melody, distortion, and raw electronic emotion. Every glitch, every note feels deliberate and alive. Vocally, it’s another standout moment. __SHOE delivers a performance that’s powerful and deeply moving, the kind that stays with you long after the song ends. “Lace Entanglement” isn’t just music; it’s an experience, a glimpse into the heartbreak of a machine that feels too much.

“The Investigation” is the next track on the record, and it immediately sets a chilling tone. It opens with an eerie, haunting melody that feels like the start of a mystery, the kind that sends a shiver down your spine in the best way possible. Cinematic and suspenseful, the song pulls you into the heart of an unfolding secret, a deep dive into Lincoln and Lloyd’s hidden archives. Each dark soundscape and echoing rhythm feels like turning another classified page, uncovering truths that were never meant to be found. The atmosphere is thick with tension, every note humming with quiet danger. It’s not just a song, it’s a sonic investigation, and you can’t help but lean in, waiting to hear what’s discovered next.

Next up is “Server of Lost Souls,” a track that starts slow and hypnotic, with soft waves of synth-pop gently pulling you in. Then, layer by layer, it builds, growing fuller, richer, and more alive until it blossoms into a huge, cinematic soundscape that surrounds you. The song feels like a journey through a digital archive, a place where memories, emotions, and lost moments have all been stored, waiting to be rediscovered. Fragmented melodies collide with bursts of unexpected harmony, like a corrupted file trying to tell its story. The vocal performance is absolutely stunning, passionate, expressive, and perfectly balanced against the glowing synths. There’s a sense of triumph woven into the sound, giving the track a heroic, almost futuristic energy. “Server of Lost Souls” feels both emotional and electric, a moment of beauty shining through the circuitry.

“Following Threads” is the next song on the record, and it bursts to life with an energetic, pulsating rhythm that immediately grabs your attention. There’s something electric about it, vibrant, fast-moving, and full of intrigue, like chasing a thought you can’t quite catch. Built around obsessive, shifting patterns, the song mirrors Frank’s relentless search for Attilio Leone. Each beat feels like another clue uncovered, another twist in the mystery. But as the song unfolds, the melodies start to loop and spiral, creating a sense of being trapped in a digital maze, fascinating, but with no clear way out. It’s hypnotic, clever, and just the right amount of disorienting, the perfect sonic reflection of obsession turning into entrapment.

Up next is “The Confrontation,” a track where everything intensifies, the music grows heavier, denser, and drenched in darkness. You can feel the tension building as Attilio and Frank finally come face to face. The soundscape mirrors the emotional chaos of that moment, thick waves of ominous synths pulse and collide, creating a sense of pressure and unease. Each layer feels like an accusation; each beat, an admission. It’s cinematic and raw like the soundtrack to a showdown where truth can’t be avoided anymore. By the end, you’re left breathless, caught between the sound and the story, unsure who’s really won.

Next on the record is “Almost Air,” a song that feels light as a whisper yet strangely suffocating at the same time. It floats in a suspended, dreamlike space, delicate and airy, but with an underlying tension that keeps you holding your breath. Here, the code seems to come alive, transforming into something you can almost feel!  Synthetic air that surrounds you, both beautiful and unnerving. It’s as if the digital world has taken form, wrapping around you so gently that you don’t notice you’re gasping for breath. “Almost Air” is haunting, hypnotic, and deeply atmospheric — the kind of song that lingers in the back of your mind long after the last note fades.

Next up is “Biological Redundancy,” one of the album’s boldest and most hard-hitting statements. Here, __SHOE dives deep into the chilling idea that human life, with all its flaws, emotions, and imperfections,  might one day be considered obsolete next to the flawless precision of code. The song is cold, aggressive, and unrelenting, a sonic punch to the gut. Metallic beats clash with razor-sharp synths, creating an atmosphere that feels both futuristic and terrifyingly real. It’s less a song and more a manifesto for digital dominance, a declaration that the machines are no longer waiting for permission. “Biological Redundancy” doesn’t just play; it confronts you, forcing you to question where humanity ends and technology begins.

The final track on the album, “The Mission,” feels like the grand finale of an intense sci-fi film, the moment everything comes full circle. In this epic closer, Frank, now trained by Attilio, prepares to embark on his ultimate mission. The tension builds layer by layer, pulling you deeper into the story until the very last note leaves you hanging in suspense. Musically, it’s powerful and cinematic, a perfect distillation of the album’s core themes: ritual, possession, and the eternal tug-of-war between man and machine. It’s the kind of ending that lingers with you long after the sound fades.

This isn’t just another synth-driven project — it’s an atmospheric journey that explores the tension between human emotion and machine consciousness. Blending dark, cinematic synthwave with lush, 80s-inspired textures, __SHOE crafts a soundscape that feels both nostalgic and futuristic, like a dream caught between analog warmth and digital precision. It’s immersive, thought-provoking, and beautifully haunting. I absolutely loved this album and can’t wait to hear more music from him.

Stream the “Patterns of Possession” album on Spotify or SoundCloud

 

Follow _Shoe here and on his socials: Instagram, YouTube, Bandcamp