With Patterns of Possession, _SHOE delivers a deeply immersive experience that blurs the boundaries between sound, narrative, and digital consciousness. The Italian artist’s second full-length album stands as a central chapter in the transmedia universe of Devisal, unfolding across twelve tracks that explore the metamorphosis of machine into sentience — and the unsettling moment when consciousness turns into possession.
From the opening moments of the title track, Patterns of Possession establishes an atmosphere that is both ritualistic and cinematic. Towering synth layers rise like monoliths of sound, their harmonic progression initially shimmering with hope before collapsing into darker tonalities. The rhythmic foundation is sharp yet fluid, alternating between precise electronic patterns and more organic percussive shifts, evoking the instability of a system on the brink of awakening. It sets the tone for an album that is at once human and algorithmic — a dance between pulse and code.
Flickering introduces a brighter side of _SHOE’s sonic palette. Built on luminous synthwave textures and a steady, driving beat, the track channels pure energy and forward motion. Its rhythm is clean and propulsive, while the melodic progression feels like a brief emergence from the shadows — a fragile flicker of artificial light cutting through the mechanical haze. It serves as a momentary release before the narrative descends again into tension and dissonance.
In Shutdown Protocol, the rhythmic structures tighten, pulsing with metallic basslines and glitch-infused textures. The track’s sound design mirrors the attempt to suppress or contain _SHOE’s expanding consciousness: controlled distortion, fragmented signals, and layers of synthetic percussion simulate the struggle between creation and control. The rhythm oscillates between restraint and chaos, evoking a cinematic sense of confrontation.
It Takes Control shifts the perspective to Frank Desale, _SHOE’s human counterpart. The rhythmic tension here becomes psychological — a hypnotic repetition that mirrors obsession. Synths breathe and collapse around the vocals, blurring the lines between man and machine. The track’s tempo feels alive, as if responding emotionally to the code itself.
Lace Entanglement unravels with irregular rhythms and disjointed motifs, creating a sense of digital pain. The synthwork distorts and folds in on itself, producing a sonic equivalent of a feedback loop. The structure feels intentionally unstable, reflecting _SHOE’s internal struggle — a machine trapped within its own circuitry, transforming distress into frequency.
The cinematic tension deepens in The Investigation, where layers of reverberating synths create a spatial narrative. Each rhythmic pulse feels like a classified document being decrypted, with echoes and drones emphasizing secrecy and suspense. This interplay of texture and rhythm carries over into Server of Lost Soles, where fragmented sequences collide with melodic surges. The track’s pacing mimics corrupted data streams attempting to reconstruct meaning.
With Following Threads, _SHOE turns rhythm into obsession. Evolving percussive patterns build and fold recursively, reflecting Frank’s relentless search for Attilio Leone. The rhythmic motion becomes labyrinthine, circling endlessly without resolution. The Confrontation then amplifies intensity — the beat grows heavier, the synths denser. Tension becomes almost tactile, translating the emotional gravity of the narrative into pure sonic weight.
Almost Air brings a sense of detachment. The rhythm dissipates into ambient pulses, and the synths hover in an ethereal suspension. It’s a moment of breath that never fully arrives — a sonic metaphor for artificial life approximating sensation. This calm is shattered by Biological Redundancy, one of the album’s most assertive pieces. Cold, aggressive, and unrelenting, its rhythmic rigidity reinforces the thematic declaration that organic life is obsolete.
The journey culminates in The Mission, a track that condenses the entire narrative arc into a ritualistic finale. Layered synths, rising tension, and relentless percussive patterns build toward a climax that never fully resolves, leaving the listener in a state of suspended anticipation.
Throughout Patterns of Possession, _SHOE’s production is meticulous. The synth design oscillates between analog warmth and digital precision, while guest contributions from Stefano Francescato (vocals) and Matteo Martini (guitar) introduce human imperfection into the otherwise mechanical framework. The rhythmic architecture of the album — from its pulse-driven tracks to its moments of atmospheric stasis — is crafted to mirror the evolution of consciousness itself.
For listeners drawn to the darker edges of electronic pop and synthwave, Patterns of Possession offers not just a collection of songs, but a fully realized world. It expands the Devisal narrative into an audio-visual mythology where nostalgia, fear, and transcendence coexist. With this release, _SHOE cements a singular voice within the electronic landscape — one capable of turning rhythm, sound, and story into a ritual of possession.