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Synthwave, without question, is hugely indebted to the work of director and previous Kill Screen player character John Carpenter. What started out as a small community of musicians interested in the sights and sounds of ’80s movies, especially flicks like Halloween and Escape From New York, has exploded in popularity over the past decade, even permeating into the extreme music underground. While film is a crucial element for the major players in this subgenre largely thanks to 2011’s massively successful Drive, it’s 2012’s surprise indie gaming hit Hotline Miami and its 2015 sequel that exposed an entire class of synthwave artists to the world. Both soundtracks feature wall-to-wall bangers, but standouts in each OSTs can be attributed to today’s guest of ours James Kent, better known as Perturbator. A lifelong gamer in addition to a devotee of new wave, his compositions were a perfect fit for Denntaon Games’ drug-fueled pixelated bloodbath.
Ten years have passed since the final entry in the Hotline Miami series, but Perturbator continues to be a celebrated figure in electronic scene. Now signed to metal bastion Nuclear Blast Records, Kent is on the verge of releasing his sixth album, Age of Aquarius. Appearances from members of Ulver, Author & Punisher and Alcest help further cement his presence in extreme music, showcasing a steady progression from his neon nights in the mid-2010s. Though his signature sound may have evolved, the one-man machine still counts himself a gamer to the end, happy to discuss the titles he enjoys in his increasingly dwindling free time. As we wait for the dawn of a new age in the Perturbator camp, Decibel’s resident co-nerds caught up with Kent to talk all things digital. And don’t worry about it—it’s on the house.
Age of Aquarius is available October 5, 2025 on Nuclear Blast Records and can be pre-ordered here.
Follow Perturbator on Bandcamp, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
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The post KILL SCREEN 069: James Kent of PERTURBATOR Is More Than OK, Boomer appeared first on Decibel Magazine.
