Syntheism Unveiled: Exploring Eprom’s Musical Odyssey

As a mastermind of electronic soundscapes, Eprom (real name Alexander Dennis) has carved his own unique lane in the music scene with his innovative sonic and visual creations. Eprom has become renowned for his ability to blur the boundaries between genres, leaving fans eagerly anticipating his every next move.

Hailing from the vibrant and fertile electronic music scene of the Pacific Northwest, Eprom has spent the last several years carefully crafting the masterpiece that is now known as, Syntheism. With his first album release in ten years, this monumental moment prompts the question, “Why now?” MP3 MAG spoke with Eprom ahead of this latest milestone to discuss his creative process, touring and all things, Syntheism. 

The goal of creating Syntheism was for Eprom to not necessarily make an album that would work well in a show setting, but to make music that he could create with liberation and experimentation. By doing so, it allowed him to produce something that wasn’t so rigid and defined by what worked on the dance floor. Amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 lockdown, Eprom found himself in a unique position where he could allow his creativity to flow unhindered by the constraints of deadlines or the need to rush off to perform at shows. 

While the world experienced an unprecedented era of isolation, Eprom harnessed the solitude and transformed it into a catalyst for inspiration. Dennis practiced social distancing within the confines of his Portland residence, which conveniently housed his backyard studio, seizing the opportunity to embrace solitude and safety. In this time, Alix Perez joined him, where the two spent time together creating an entire Shades album. After Perez left, Eprom knew he needed to keep his creative process going, and with that, Syntheism was born.

Eprom, while introducing the term Syntheism for an album, disrupts the traditional ‘atheism versus theism’ debate. He defines Syntheism as, “A rejection of that duality… proposing, what if, and how can these two concepts be reconciled?” Hence, it offers a fresh approach to ponder upon the existence of God, blending conflicting beliefs.

With this definition in mind, he started to think about the minimal space between those two philosophies and how it relates to his own experience. “As synthesis means creating and ism is based on creativity, what would a religion be if it was constructed around what humans can make in their minds?” 

Eprom not only devised the innovative concept of Syntheism, but also found inspiration in the artistic style of Telefon Tel Aviv. He admired the artist’s fluid rhythmic grid, a distinctive characteristic where the pace continuously fluctuates – a common feature in classical and some jazz music, but a rarity in the electronic genre.

Intrigued by this concept, Eprom sought to create his unique interpretation, in dialogue with Telefon Tel Aviv’s approach. Furthermore, he combined elements from his favored music styles: experimental rave tracks, break beats, 90’s samples, and drum and bass tempos, leading to the creation of the 14-track Syntheism album.

Eprom provides a glimpse into his creative process with the song “Motion Blur”: “It starts out with this arpeggio that moves up and down, and the speed changes… then a very strong kick and snare comes in and contextualizes that abstract rhythm and straightforward rhythm.” This illustrates how he blends abstract and precise rhythms to craft his unique sound.

The songs, “Whats Her Name”, “Untitled Emotional Acid” and “The Circle” are all singles from the album that have already been released. These three songs combine melodies and intricate layers, painting a picture of how Eprom skillfully crafts an auditory journey that leaves you yearning to unravel the secrets concealed within the rest of the album.

Further solidifying his status as an avant-garde performer, Eprom presented his mesmerizing ‘Syntheism Robotics’ live show at The North Warehouse in his hometown of Portland, Oregon, in late April. This extraordinary spectacle was expertly guided by the renowned lighting designer Christian Jackson, who skillfully integrated state-of-the-art robotics technology into the performance. Working closely with the robotics company, Motorized Precision, Eprom combined the elements of robotics, synthesis, and surrealism to create a multi-sensory experience for the audience. 

Eprom Announces “Syntheism Robotics” Show at Mission Ballroom

The actual robots themselves have arms extending up to 21 feet tall and include LED screens to showcase the visuals. Onstage, Eprom has a MIDI trigger integrated into his setup, which transmits signals via ethernet to the computer system, to coordinate the movement of the robots with the music. Within a brief window of around five to ten seconds, the robots swiftly move to their designated home positions in anticipation. Once the system receives another MIDI note signaling the go-ahead, the robots spring into motion, executing their choreographed sequences in sync with the music. 

The robotics show specifically features brand-new music and visuals from the Syntheism album. Eprom, Jackson Green, Steve Teeps and Phillip Peters created this visual world in which this show exists, from the typography to the 3D modeling and album cover design. 

While collaborating with Jackson Green, they pursued innovative typography ideas inspired by the Akkadian Empire from the Middle East. This exploration evolved into an entire alternate reality that they scripted, which included fictional entities like microchip manufacturers. In an attempt to actualize these imaginary entities as sponsors within the context of the album, Eprom created a video featuring all their logo tags, accompanied by stinger sounds reminiscent of a 20th Century Fox film. These invented brands were then integrated in post-production, becoming the foundation for most of the visuals in the robotics show.

Having experienced a resounding success with a sold-out show in Portland, Eprom and his team were acutely aware that they had something truly extraordinary on their hands. The undeniable demand compelled them to put together the next one-off ‘Robotics’ tour stop, set to take place at Mission Ballroom in Denver on July 29. This is also expected to be the largest Eprom show in Dennis’ career.

Eprom’s sonic palette truly knows no limits, as he fearlessly explores uncharted territories while crafting soundscapes that challenge conventions and ignite the imagination of his listeners. Eprom’s music is a universe unto itself, a labyrinth of intricate rhythms, mind-bending textures, and melodies that take the listener on a transformative journey. 

From his early breakthroughs to his latest explorations in Robotics and Syntheism, Eprom remains an enigmatic force in the world of electronic music, forever pushing the boundaries of what is possible and challenging us to question what’s possible.

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