Paraframe

Pavel Khvaleev’s fifth longform takes both name and inspiration from Fritz Lang’s iconic Metropolis - a vision of retro-modern grandeur, meeting expressionist dystopia, high above cloudscraping edifices and stark industrial backdrops. That, however was as so close to a hundred years ago as to make little difference. As Paraframe, Pavel, by contrast, only began work on his ‘Metropolis’ after the release of his last two studio albums (‘Inhale’ and ‘Exhale’), back in 2021.

To do so, he’s drawn on a wellspring of collaborators from the pool of actors, singers, songwriters and voice artists he’s built up over 20 years of film and music making. To put that into ‘Metropolis’s context, it includes Ryan Masson (soon to be seen in season 2 of The Last of Us) and the recently Grammy-nominated singer Haley Johnsen.

A collage of progressive and melodic house, fringed with techno, this month finds him ready to release this singular reimagining. Welcome to the world of PARAFRAME’S ‘Metropolis’.

1927’s Metropolis was a fusion of visual storytelling, silent era ether and toned music - a modus that Khvaleev’s respectfully channelled into his interpretation. When composing, his mind’s eye will take him places visually very specific.

Waiting for technology to catch up has long been the bane of the visionary, but historically the payoff is it gets there in the end. That was where he finally found himself three years ago, and is also where he has broken step with Lang.

The ‘playground’ that 3D engine technology now afforded him allowed him to place himself, not in front of ‘Metropolis’s towering structures, but inside them - within them. And to do that, he used Unreal Engine - the same tool that studios employ to visually power games like Fortnite and shows like The Mandalorian.

Paraframe’s music and film comes to life through ‘Metropolis’.