Soft Crash is the new music collaboration formed by Hayden Payne, aka Berghain resident Phase Fatale and Pablo Bozzi of Imperial Black Unit. Combining references such as William S. Burroughs and J.G. Ballard respectively, the project also functions to explore the fetishization of technology and the body and how the line between those is perpetually blurring. Increasingly, humans are reshaped and controlled by modern technology to an abysmal state; meanwhile, this technologically-made music can reinsert some emotion to try to bring back out a romantic sensibility and connection.

Bozzi and Payne, both based in Berlin, have been at the top of the industrial techno and ebm circuit through the last several years and have shared the stage on numerous occasions in their respective projects. As well, Bozzi released his debut solo EP on Phase Fatale’s label BITE earlier this year. But their mutual love for music outside of that sphere is what brought them together to form this alliance. Attempting to throw off the dark and authoritative stereotypes of the current music scene they helped foster, Payne and Bozzi look to their core influences of synthwave, disco, and early techno to carve a new path as italo body music pioneers.

The Spritzkrieg EP presents 3 tracks serving as just a bite of what will follow in their full length album for 2021. Each song serves as a view into the pool of subgeneres that they are exploring: from Frankfurt prototrance and techno to driving italo disco and new beat to drowned out electro on the verge of 90s Warp-alike ambient. Both trained musicians, Soft Crash brings melody back into the fold, creating intelligent, melancholic hooks combined with sensual, pulsating rhythm. It can convey the artists’ emotions in a picturesque way that just words themselves cannot. Music that would fit perfectly in the largest concrete techno halls as well as the sleaziest lab disco nights.