Desk set tensile trepidation alight with caustic basslines and cinematic transcendence in Star 1 –

Star 1 is the first flare in what promises to be an expansive sonic constellation from Desk, the analog-driven industrial electronica artist sculpting emotive distortion into something that feels mythic in scale and meticulous in structure. Serving as a preview of his forthcoming 2026 LP, Starlight, the single delivers pure scintillation through a cocktail of caustically distorted bass, analogue synth pressure, and carefully weighted percussive strikes that land with intent.

Threaded through the circuitry is a melodic human narrative, almost imperceptible at first, but undeniable once the tensile momentum builds and you’re pulled into the track’s emotional orbit. Star 1 grips you with static-laced reverence and then drags you through lightless corridors where trepidation and transcendence co-exist. It’s the kind of track that makes you feel like you’re about to fall off the edge of something colossal, only to be snatched back by the undertow of its rhythm.

Working alongside Derek Linzy, Desk is refining a sound that’s raw, ambitious, and unafraid to hit where it hurts. Inspired by the emotional intensity of Till Lindemann and sculpted for those who crave the cerebral alongside the visceral, Desk’s industrial output doesn’t just follow in heavy footsteps; it carves out its own encrypted path.

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Review by Amelia Vandergast