Isaac Howlett, front person of acclaimed synth-pop outfit Empathy Test, unveils his latest solo single Spiralling - a raw, dance-floor-ready track addressing depression and anxiety from his own lived experience. Collaborating with the enigmatic European music collective A State of Flux, Howlett delivers a compelling blend of accessible hooks and emotional nuance, transcending genre boundaries.

Drawing from diverse electronic influences, Spiralling creates a soundscape that’s both immediate and immersive, pairing dance-floor rhythms with rich, emotionally layered textures. It’s a musical journey into the depths of inner turmoil.

“I’m in the privileged position of being asked to collaborate a lot, but rarely find time. However, when a deliciously dark demo entitled Spiralling landed in my inbox, I was immediately inspired. The lyrics come from something my late grandfather said which stuck with me; “depression runs in the men, on your mother's side”. I felt like a time-bomb waiting to explode.”
– Isaac Howlett

Behind the production, A State of Flux, known for its creative anonymity and fluid collective ethos, crafted a backdrop that marries both clarity and complexity...

“We wanted to create a musical backdrop that, on the surface, seemed immediately accessible, but also delivered on complexity that mirrored Isaac’s personal expression. It was a highly collaborative and fluid process where the track developed over a series of months with everyone contributing musical ideas.”
– Peter 7, A State of Flux 
credits
released July 3, 2025

Written by Isaac Howlett and Peter Sutherland Burns. Performed by Isaac Howlett and A State of Flux. Mixed and mastered by Pete Burns.

Spiralling

From the new album "abstraction layer": https://holon-subatomic-audio.bandcamp.com/album/abstraction-layer

Finding Ourselves In This New Reality

Sakura

Hisen (2025 Remaster)

Listen/download ➤ https://ffm.colortheory.com/proofofconcept

Why do new ideas come wrapped in self-doubt? Every act of creation is an act of courage, a delicate balance of ambition and anxiety.

PROOF OF CONCEPT
©2025 Brian Hazard (ASCAP)

The craziest notion lurks inside my mind
(Come to the fore greatness)
The dream of a dying afterthought
(Light the fog)
Got nothing to prove to anyone but me
(Some of you may hate this)
A pioneer has to walk the walk
(Should I fall)

The here and now (ever after)
The why and how not yet aligned (twisting)
The strings we pull (tying knots our)
Conceptual visions defined
Enshrined

A novel idea becomes a prototype
(Here is my grand vision)
A complex machine of gears and cogs
(Interlocked)
With beaker in hand, wearing a white lab coat
(Chemical magician)
I beg that you won’t think me a fraud
(Should I fail)

COLOR THEORY
@colortheory
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A Step In The Right Direction

Holon