Artist: Scenius
Title: Swift As Light
Genre: Electronic / Post Punk / Industrial / Electro Pop / Dark Wave / Computer Music
Release Date: 18th July 2025
Label: Self Released
Single Review
Ladies & Gentlemen of the “Musosphere”, it is now July, the height of the summer. The sun is out and the sky, for the most part, is blue. The heat vacillates between pleasant and darn right annoying. But there’s plenty of light. SCENIUS as promised release another new track in lieu of their new album ‘13 Billion Dark Years’ which will be released this coming autumn. SCENIUS have been around for half a decade now and released over a dozen tracks, one of which is ‘Chinese Room’ one of my favourites. You can check out histories and back stories in the review I did for the single ‘Funny Sky’ if you like.
Anyway, the previous single is called ‘Beat The Light’. This one doesn’t beat light but it’s just as swift, see what I did there heh, heh? How do I describe this? Well, it commences with the now familiar easy nonchalance that nods to those German computer music pioneers from the 1970s. The groove isn’t bullying its way into your space, you just let it in. I find myself dancing in the vane of a biological step sequencer occasionally quantising my steps to the beat. An image flashes in my head of myself flailing on a dance floor, a spotlight illuminating black eyes and metal fangs.
The opening lyric I hear as “It’s an old way, a lack of foresight, you can’t tell exactly what’s the draw”. When you experience something or someone for the first time, its secrets, motives and agendas aren’t fully revealed. Time reveals if you are open and paying attention. If you are as ‘Swift As Light’? “Now that the world is on fire, we should be looking sharp, and when the flames are all out, I’ll kiss you in the dark”. Now I can see I don’t need my eyes, it’s all clear to me now (my words).
The overall vibe is Pop but it does retain the dark elements. It’s not sugary saccharin but more burnt honey. And the “poppiness” is not over-burdening the listening engines and the ears. I don’t feel my ear drums are being sloshed about like a skiff on a tumultuous sea. More like rolling waves under a few clouds. The accompanying video which can be viewed on YouTube is the only thing I don’t like. Something a bit more, erm, expansive, scenic and with allusion to swift movement would be better, in my opinion. But you know what they say about opinions, right? Here’s the link: https://youtu.be/xg6W4NP0TIY. What do you think?
Line-up
Fabrice Nau – Vocals
Steve Whitfield – Keyboards / Programs / Production
Website
https://www.facebook.com/sceniusband
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 8
Sound: 7
Total: 7.5 / 10
