The next VHS PANTY RIOT record is on its way, with the first single arriving on 30 October 2026.

I’m very happy to finally put a name to what I’ve been working on: MY FACE YOUR GHOST.

Following KISS KISS CUT CUT, this record takes the things that made me want to start VHS PANTY RIOT and pushes them further. The clangy bass, distorted riffs and horror influences are still there, but the songwriting has become more ambitious. There’s more weight behind the heavy sections, more character in the melodies, and more space for the music to be something other than aggressive.

I think it’s a significant step forward. Not a change of direction, but a much clearer expression of what I wanted this project to be in the first place.

Why I started making this music

I started VHS PANTY RIOT in January 2026, but the reasons behind it go back much further.

I’ve been a metal fan and musician for most of my life. Outside of film soundtracks, very little electronic music had connected with me in quite the same way. Then I discovered Carpenter Brut.

What grabbed me wasn’t just the distortion or the fact that it was heavy. It was the songwriting, the melodies, the arrangements, the heartache and the tension. It had the energy I loved in metal, but with this nostalgic 80s feel that reminded me of good things from my childhood. There was something familiar about it, even though I hadn’t heard music quite like it before.

I wanted more of that particular combination. I found other artists I loved, including Perturbator, but I kept coming back to a fairly specific kind of music: synth-led, heavy, melodic, with the groove and emotional pull that made me fall in love with it.

Eventually, I decided to try writing the music I was looking for.

That’s still the motivation behind VPR. MY FACE YOUR GHOST is the next step in working out how to make that music sound like me.

Metal at the heart of it

This is instrumental synth music, but I still approach the writing as a metal musician.

The bass carries riffs rather than simply filling out the bottom end. The drums and bass need to work together in a way that makes you physically respond to the groove. Distorted power chords, changes in intensity and heavy breakdowns are part of how the songs are built, not things added afterwards to make them sound tougher.

That metallic, clangy bass sound has become a big part of VPR’s identity, and it remains central to the new record. I like the attack and the slightly ugly character of it, especially when it sits underneath something much more melodic.

But the aim isn’t to spend an entire record battering you with the same sound. The arrangements move between dense, upfront sections and quieter passages where the atmosphere and melodies have more room. A breakdown should feel like something the song has been working towards, rather than an interruption because it was time to put a heavy bit in.

There’s also a lot of playing involved. Much of the music is performed and recorded rather than simply programmed. The instruments may be electronic, but the writing still comes from sitting down, trying ideas, and finding something that feels good to play.

As with the first release, the music is human-made. No generative AI audio.

The melodies matter as much as the riffs

The emotional side of this record is probably the part I’m most excited about.

My favourite heavy music has always given me more than aggression. A melody can make something feel sad, hopeful or nostalgic without taking away any of its weight. Sometimes that makes the heavy parts hit harder, because you’re invested in more than the sound of the distortion.

That’s something I’ve wanted to develop further on MY FACE YOUR GHOST. There are moments where the bass and drums are doing something quite confrontational while the melody is pulling in a completely different emotional direction. Elsewhere, the music has room to become quieter and more exposed.

With no singer, the melodies have a lot of responsibility. They need to give you something to recognise, something to anticipate when you come back to a song. I want there to be parts you find yourself waiting for because of how they make you feel, not just because they’re the loudest moment.

The horror influence runs through all of this, but it doesn’t mean every second needs to sound sinister. What interests me is the contrast: something warm and familiar alongside something unsettling. A little sadness underneath the violence. And enough affection for the ridiculous side of 80s horror that none of it has to take itself quite so seriously.

The music does need to stand on its own, though. You shouldn’t need an explanation of the imagery to enjoy a riff or connect with a melody.

Mixing by Steve Evetts, mastering by Thibault Chaumont

MY FACE YOUR GHOST features mixing by Steve Evetts and mastering by Thibault Chaumont.

Steve’s work includes The Dillinger Escape Plan, Every Time I Die and Glassjaw, giving him a substantial connection to the heavy music side of what informs VPR. STEVE EVETTS

Thibault returns after mastering KISS KISS CUT CUT. His work at Deviant Lab includes Carpenter Brut, Igorrr and HEALTH. Given the role Carpenter Brut’s music played in getting me started, having Thibault involved in my own records means a lot. Deviant Lab

The production goal was to make the music feel immediate and powerful without losing the detail. There’s a lot competing for space in these arrangements: distorted bass, big drums, layers of synths and lead melodies. I wanted the low end to have real weight, but not at the expense of being able to hear what the song is doing.

I’m really pleased with where it’s ended up.

The first single arrives on 30 October

I’m keeping the rest of the record under wraps for now. The first single from MY FACE YOUR GHOST, HIS BLOOD HER HOPE, arrives on 30 October 2026, just ahead of Halloween.

To everyone who has listened to KISS KISS CUT CUT, shared the music or told someone about VPR, thank you. Making the first record was one thing. Discovering that other people connected with it was another, and it’s made sharing this next one something I’m genuinely looking forward to.

There’s music on this record that I’m more proud of than anything I’ve written before. I’m excited for you to hear it. 🎈🔪