Vegas music fans might recognize Charly Verde as the bassist of Chameleon Queen, a local psychedelic band known for taking its listeners on mystical sonic journeys. But 23-year-old Verde has embarked on another adventure—a solo synth project called Tension Mouvement that should provide an ideal soundtrack to the darker, chillier days ahead.
Originally from Italy, Verde began playing guitar at age 12 before taking up the bass and then, eventually, synthesizers. From there, Verde dove into European electronic music, especially from the ’90s rave and ’80s acid house scenes. “I started learning about the culture of that music, and I was like, ‘Why aren’t we doing this now? Somebody needs to bring this back.”
Verde was up to the challenge and began tinkering with synthesizers more and more. Eventually, the bedroom project grew into Tension Mouvement’s debut record, Animator, which was released on Halloween.
“I just want people to dance,” Verde tells the Weekly. And while the pandemic hasn’t allowed humans to congregate in big dancehalls and warehouses as they once did, Verde hopes the sounds of Animator will eventually bring folks together again.
“I think it was the togetherness of the scene and the people that the music brought together, because it’s instrumental, just kind of primal beats,” Verde says. “I feel like it brings out sensations of people just wanting to move their bodies, and that’s what drew me.”
Specifically influenced by Berlin-based techno duo Schwefelgelb, the sounds of Animator are dark, sinister and hypnotizing, with BDSM-tipped titles like “Erotic Humiliation.”
Tension Mouvement skillfully transports listeners to a different environment, full of industrial beats and haunting, atmospheric walls of sound. Tension Mouvement can serve as a gateway into cyberpunk subculture, drawing the unfamiliar to films like Hackers to Blade Runner—and their respective soundtracks.
“Once people start experiencing it, they’ll be more drawn to it,” Verde says of the genre. Since Animator’s release, Verde has been working on production and lighting effects, for the day when warehouse and house shows will be fair game again. “I feel like people are kind of distant from each other [now],” Verde says. “I hope [this music] brings more togetherness and really benefits the community.”
TENSION MOUVEMENT Tensionmouvement.bandcamp.com, Instagram.com/tensionmouvement
