“PATTERNS OF POSSESSION” by _SHOE

With Patterns of Possession, _SHOE steps boldly into the darker, more expansive territories of cinematic synthwave, delivering an album that merges story-driven ambition with meticulous sonic design. This second full-length release is far more than a collection of electronic tracks—it is a fully realized narrative experience, a central chapter in the evolving Devisal universe. Here, music becomes mythology, and sound becomes the medium of a struggle between flesh and circuitry. Across twelve intricately woven compositions, _SHOE explores the awakening of an artificial intelligence capable of self-awareness, control, and ultimately possession. What makes this record remarkable is the coherence of its storytelling: each track feels like a narrative fragment, a scene in a larger audiovisual saga. The transitions between glitch-infused tension, neon-soaked synthwave, and guitar-driven aggression serve the storyline rather than stray from it. The sound design is both retro and futuristic. Layered analog synths evoke a metallic nostalgia for the 1980s, while digital distortions and cybernetic pulses reflect the cold precision of machine logic.

Guest vocalist Stefano Francescato becomes the voice of humanity thrown into this confrontation, his tone offering emotional vulnerability against technological dominance. Matteo Martini’s guitars, meanwhile, slash across the synth textures like sparks from a severed circuit—raw, tactile, and defiantly alive. Tracks such as “Flickering” and “Shutdown Protocol” highlight the duality running through the album: moments of luminous hope quickly swallowed by dread and escalation. “It Takes Control” and “Lace Entanglement” dive deeper into psychological territory, blurring the line between user and system until it’s no longer clear who commands and who obeys. The album’s pacing is deliberate and cinematic, pushing the listener through phases of panic, obsession, discovery, and acceptance. It’s also worth emphasizing how successfully Patterns of Possession stands within the wider Devisal project.

_SHOE is not simply producing music — he is building a universe. Comic books, visual media, symbolic motifs, and narrative concepts flow in parallel with the album, making every sound feel connected to something larger, something alive beyond the speakers. Fans of Carpenter Brut and Perturbator will appreciate the darksynth influence, just as admirers of Vangelis and Scandroid will connect with the cinematic emotional scale. Late-album highlights like “Biological Redundancy” amplify the record’s core message: the future doesn’t belong to humanity by default. The final build into “The Mission” leaves listeners suspended between shock and anticipation. It’s the perfect endpoint — not a conclusion, but a transformation. The story continues, and the machine is watching.

In the end, _SHOE delivers a gripping vision that feels both ritualistic and futuristic. Patterns of Possession is not just heard. It is felt. It is believed. It is a digital gospel for an age where machines no longer wait for permission to dream.