Pavel Khvaleev Redefines the Future with "Metropolis"—A Cinematic Journey Through a Retro-Modern Dystopia

The future is what Pavel Khvaleev does… until, perhaps, he doesn’t. Are we about to shatter a decade-long universal truth? Well, in a way.

Pavel’s fifth longform work takes both its name and inspiration from Fritz Lang’s iconic Metropolis, a breathtaking vision of retro-modern grandeur where expressionist dystopia meets soaring skyscrapers and stark industrial backdrops. However, that was nearly a hundred years ago, making little difference now.

In contrast, Pavel only began work on Metropolis after releasing his last two studio albums, Inhale and Exhale, back in 2021.

To do so, he has drawn on a deep well of collaborators from the pool of actors, singers, songwriters, and voice artists he has built up over twenty years of filmmaking and music-making. In the context of Metropolis, this includes Ryan Masson (soon to be seen in Season 2 of The Last of Us) and the recently Grammy-nominated singer Haley Johnsen.

A dazzling collage of progressive and melodic house, fringed with techno, Metropolis finds him ready to release this singular reimagining in February 2025. Welcome to the world of PARAFRAME’s Metropolis.

1927’s Metropolis was a fusion of visual storytelling, uncanny silent-era ether, and strikingly toned music—a modus that Khvaleev has respectfully channeled into his interpretation. When composing, his mind’s eye takes him to visually specific places—spaces that could be, well… Anywhere but here. Naturally, the frustration was that he was ‘there,’ but his audience wasn’t. Waiting for technology to catch up has long been the bane of visionaries, but history shows that the payoff eventually arrives. That moment came for Pavel three years ago, marking the point where he broke step with Lang.

The ‘playground’ afforded to him by 3D engine technology no longer placed him in front of Metropolis’s towering structures but inside them—within them. To achieve this, he used Unreal Engine, the same tool studios employ to power visually rich productions like Fortnite and The Mandalorian.

The Frankfurt-based artist elaborates: “I already had good experience creating short 3D animations with Unreal Engine, so I decided to work on a conceptual, hour-long film integrating my live performances and those of my vocalists. 3D designer Vasiliy Poryagin sent me concept ideas for futuristic locations, which I then rebuilt and refined through Unreal, adapting them to become the visual component of Metropolis. I changed entire buildings, rearranged architecture, and added wildlife, all while seeing the results rendered in real time.”

Completing the project also required a diverse group of collaborators—something Pavel already had close at hand. “Aside from their talent,” he continues, “many of these artists have fascinating backgrounds. Ryan Masson, for example, is a successful Hollywood actor, with one of his latest roles being in the new season of HBO’s The Last of Us. The wonderful and charming Haley Johnsen was nominated for a Grammy last year with her solo project.

“Boticka, whose voice can be heard in the track ‘We Are The Only Ones,’ has the most captivating and sensual tone in the world—or at the very least, in France! The guys from Denton Thrift were simply born to sing, and this is already our second collaboration. Avis Vox, my wife, is essential to every one of my albums; I couldn’t imagine releasing one without her involvement.”

Each of Metropolis’s cityscapes varies in aesthetic. From the worn and industrialized to the borderline pristine, each setting reflects the sonic landscape PARAFRAME has composed for it. The technotic drive of recent single “Mermaids” leans into—if not quite the apocalyptic—then certainly the worn and dystopian. By contrast, “Breathe” offers a refreshingly colorful, hyper-modern vision of mechanized industria.

“I spent almost three years working on this album,” Pavel concludes. “It was a long journey because sometimes it’s hard to know when a track is truly finished and ready to share. Each song has its own story and unique feel, but at the same time, they’re all connected by Metropolis‘ overarching vibe and atmosphere.”

PARAFRAME’s music comes to life through Metropolis. You can experience it in all its stunning 60-minute glory here, and hear its music through all major streaming and sales channels from February 7 via this link: blackhole.lnk.to/metropolisalbum.

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