Seattle’s Dan Powers, through his project Mutual Shock, delivers a haunting debut album with Nervous Systems…

Rreleased on 30 May 2025. Building on the darker synthpop and cold wave textures of his 2024 EP Stimulus Progression, Powers plunges deeper into a soundscape defined by brooding atmospheres and minimalistic yet lush analogue synths. Drawing inspiration from the grim yet elegant melancholy of Black Marble and Molchat Doma, and the industrial edge of Nine Inch Nails and Cabaret Voltaire, the album is an evocative collision of coldwave and synthpop’s best qualities.

The record balances rhythmic minimalism with richly textured analogue layers, crafting a sound that’s both intimate and expansive. Powers’ vocals are restrained and emotive, reinforcing themes of disconnection, societal decay, and the alienation wrought by late capitalism. The lyrical content is sharp and thoughtful, examining the erosion of self amidst a hypermediated world — a reflection of collective unease and personal isolation.

Singles like ‘Destroyer’, ‘Body Together’, and ‘Bore Me’ showcase the album’s darker urgency, merging post-punk intensity with electronic minimalism and darkwave’s hypnotic pulse. The instrumentation is tightly controlled but tense, with synth hooks that cut through the dense, shadowy production. The atmosphere is thick with existential dread, yet it pulses with a kind of defiant energy, urging listeners to confront discomfort head-on.

Nervous Systems is a compelling and timely work, a soundtrack for an era defined by uncertainty and fragmentation. Mutual Shock’s sonic palette is both timeless and modern, providing a chilling yet captivating experience for fans of introspective synth-driven music.

Website