I may be a bit thick, but it sure seems like Franco/Anglo synth duo Scenius are drip feeding us singles from an upcoming album. Possibly with a luminous vibe. There have been three in the last four months, and each of them have a very similar distinctive cover image, differing only in coloration. And if that’s not enough of a clue, two of the songs have “Light” in their titles. But don’t pay attention to me. I have been wrong before.

evidence…

Scenius: Swift As Light – EURO – DL [2025]

1. Swift As Light 3:26

But the pair have brought plenty of charm to the delivery of this one. The slow BPM of the intro made for a relaxed pace and was that a manipulated CR78 drumbox I heard ping-ponging between the channels in the intro? The synth pulsating in the music bed hinted at the joviality of a seaside boardwalk organ and it’s almost the soundtrack for a summer romance with Mr. Nau’s earnest vocal conveying the wonder with which love can arrive…”as swift as light.”

The classicism of the performance and arrangement puts me in a Sparks frame of mind this time out and that suits me just fine. The chorus soars in the manner that Sparks often bring to the game while Fabrice’s more relaxed delivery is a little more “poolside” than what we get from Russell Mael. And if the instrumental middle eight dares to explore the disquieting ambiguity of this new love affair while the singer ultimately succumbs to the inevitability of it all in the dry, abrupt climax of the song. Listen in below.

The single was released on Friday and it’s yours for €1.50 in their Bandcamp store. It’s funny that the band’s self-description on their Bandcamp page cites “dark-wave,” but if anything was the case, these latest singles on offer just might be the dawn of a new Synthpop subgenre… Lightwave! DJ hit that button!

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