Scenius has today released their new album ’13 Billion Dark Years’. Darkly electronic with a musical message that lets you know that Scenius are more than a band, duo, or simple music project. There are layers upon layers within a box holding a universe of possibilities here. Take from that what you will here but, there is a substance within ’13 Billion Dark Years’. Something that demands attention, from curiosity as much as admiration.
Part audio atmosphere and part pop sensibility, there is signature within that substance that feels with hooks and hoopla amid the rhythm of the processor. Electromagic at a new level.
About Scenius
Scenius is an Anglo-French dark synth-pop duo formed by UK producer Steve Whitfield, based in Leeds, and singer Fab Nau, based in Angers, France.
The two share a passion for vintage synth sounds from the pioneer era (Kraftwerk, Brian Eno, John Foxx), the post-punk spirit of icons such as Joy Division, New Order, and The Cure, and the modern approach to electronic production brought by bands like LCD Soundsystem and Boards of Canada.
Scenius’ distinctive sound is defined by the use of vintage synthesizers and drum machines: no guitars, live drums or sampling.
Praised by critics for their atmos pheric textures and emotional depth, their first two albums, Enough Fears (2020) and Life Is A Thing (2023), have received consistently enthusiastic reviews and worldwide airplay in both the synth-pop and darkwave underground scenes. The band has also released several non-album singles and remixes for or from acts such as Nature of Wires (UK), Promenade Cinema (UK), BlaKlight (US) and Lowpkin (FR).
Initially a studio project, Scenius have since become a live act, launching a series of gigs in France and the UK in 2022, and opening for icons The Mission in 2024 at the invitation of the band’s leader, Wayne Hussey.
Their third album, 13 Billion Dark Years, finds the duo exploring more spacious arrangements and simpler song structures. This approach gives greater room for the vocal melodies to flourish and for the listener to step in. Shorter tracks, uptempo rhythms and syncopated grooves also make for a record that feels more accessible than its predecessors, while retaining the duo’s signature dark edge.
In cosmology, the Dark Ages refers to a period of darkness in the early universe that ended when the first stars ignited and began to spread light across the cosmos. The album’s title plays on the slightly cheeky idea that, some 13 billion years later, these dark times may still be with us.
After all, there are still many stretches of shadow in which we find ourselves waiting for the light to break through.
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/sceniusband
https://www.instagram.com/scenius.band
https://scenius.bandcamp.com
