“Alicante,” the latest single and music video from SHASAU’s eponymous EP, arrives as a multi-layered piece that merges emotional electronic production, pixel-art storytelling, and a carefully sculpted sound design that speaks directly to both the nostalgic and the contemporary listener. Operated by veteran producer Vadim Militsin, the SHASAU project embodies a long trajectory of experimentation, moving fluidly between out-of-the-box synthesizer setups, entirely virtual production environments, and the forefront of AI-assisted creation. With this release, SHASAU presents a high-quality work that reflects decades of artistic exploration while embracing new tools and new emotional registers.
From its first bars, “Alicante” builds an atmosphere driven by precise rhythmic architecture. The track relies on a steady but subtly shifting pulse, constructed through clean electronic percussion and delicately arranged micro-percussive accents. The rhythm section anchors the piece without overwhelming it, allowing the melodic and atmospheric layers to breathe. The groove is minimalistic yet persistent, creating a sensation of movement that mirrors the narrative progression of the accompanying video. Rather than pushing toward a dance-floor-oriented intensity, the rhythmic design leans into a contemplative forward motion, suggesting the image of a solitary character walking through shifting landscapes.
The synth work stands at the center of the composition. Each layer is crafted with clarity, showcasing Militsin’s long familiarity with diverse synthesis techniques and equipment. The leading melodic lines glide with a smooth, emotive contour, often resembling a digital voice or a softened lead instrument shaped to convey introspective nuance. Beneath them, warm pads expand the track’s harmonic field, offering a subtle contrast between brightness and shadow. Occasional textures—glitchy elements, filtered swells, and shimmering arpeggios—introduce a sense of modernity without overpowering the more nostalgic backbone of the track. The result is a hybrid sound palette that feels both grounded in electronic history and distinctly shaped by the contemporary possibilities of AI-assisted production.
Atmospherically, “Alicante” cultivates a bittersweet emotional landscape. The track carries a sense of wistfulness, evoking the gentle glow of memories that feel distant yet vividly alive. This atmosphere aligns seamlessly with the pixel-art visual narrative presented in the music video. The imagery, which blends retro-game aesthetics with allegorical storytelling, enhances the emotional resonance of the music. It depicts themes of companionship, imagination, and the persistence of personal memories—motifs that are echoed sonically through the track’s restrained dynamics and expressive synthesizer phrasing. The fusion of music and visuals forms a cohesive emotional experience, one that speaks to a wide audience through its universal sense of nostalgia.
As the second music video from the EP, “Alicante” has already received a notably strong emotional response. Its simplicity in production is part of its impact: rather than relying on maximalism, it uses minimal animated elements and a direct narrative approach to trigger shared emotional references. The viewer is invited into a world where humor and melancholy coexist, a blend that mirrors the dual character of the music itself. Despite its reliance on digital techniques and AI-supported processes, the work underscores the idea that behind every technological tool stands an artist, and that each creative output ultimately reflects the human perspective that shapes it.
The production quality reinforces this concept. Vadim Militsin’s arrangement choices maintain clarity and balance, while the mastering by Bill Sellar at Super Audio Mastering ensures a polished sonic character across the frequency spectrum. The mix preserves space, allowing each synth layer and rhythmic element to occupy a distinct position. The result is an audio environment that feels intentional, detailed, and emotionally driven.
“Alicante” stands as a release that exemplifies SHASAU’s ongoing exploration of identity, technique, and storytelling within electronic music. Its rhythmic subtlety, refined synth architecture, and evocative atmosphere form a coherent artistic statement that resonates both as a track and as an audio-visual narrative. The work reflects a high standard of creativity and production, marking it as a noteworthy chapter in SHASAU’s evolving catalogue and a release that finds its place naturally within a contemporary electronic landscape enriched by experimentation and emotional depth.