prospexx is a synthpop/darkwave project by Hafiz Bastard of SIAL, with its 4 track Demo recorded from home over the May/June lockdown in Singapore. A self-described “Dark Punk band from Singapore”, it might not seem obvious on a casual listen with constant synth-bass thumps and gated reverb snares harkening back to 80s neon lights and disco balls. However, a closer listen opens up Demo 2020 into the dark retro-futuristic dystopia that it claims we are living in right now. The Demo tackles the global pandemic, modern cynicism, and fascism (on a surprising sythwave cover of Secret Police by Danish punk band No Hope For The Kids).

Standout closing track Into The Night has the perfect blend of cynical post-punk lyricism and musical sensibilities juxtaposed with undeniably dance-inducing 80s grooves. The mood is set immediately with steady, driving low end synths set to a nihilistic drawl (“Desire, ready to die/ No more, no more future”) before settling into a groovy krautrock motif that just grabs your attention. This sets the stage for the excellent refrain that eventually builds over it when the vocals kick in (“You will die, while I’m still looking for them/ When the sun sets, I will be on my way/ Into the night”).

Taking the reigns from vocalist Vanessa, who has done a tremendous job on the rest of the Demo, Hafiz delivers an outstanding vocal performance that evokes the likes of Ian Curtis in my mind. Into The Night is also a surprisingly dynamic track, with prospexx tastefully adding or stripping away layers of synths, including vocal ad-libs, and changing up the drums with banging fills making for an extremely fulfilling listen despite its simple song structure.

The track ends with the word “Desire” sung repeatedly, with the final one rung out in a reverby echo as if to ask the listener what it is that they desire, and for me that would definitely be more fresh music coming from prospexx.

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