Silent EM, the coldwave/synth punk project of Jean Lorenzo, takes its name from the initial “m” in mnemonic. His music, like a good mnemonic exercise, makes us remember past decades, although layers his compositions with modern sounds. Among his works, the magnificent Real Life from 2024 and the intense The Absence from 2019 stand out, in addition to some albums with a rawer sound like Entierros del Ayer. He will perform next Sunday, 7th December, at the Ombra festival, and we are sure he will give a concert to remember.
Cover photo: Michael Marcelle
Photo: Michael Marcelle
—You started you music career in Miami, playing in punk and post-punk bands, can you please tell us a bit more about this?
—I formed my first Post-punk band with 2 friends back in 2006, we were called The Wrong People, I was 18 years old playing guitar and singing. We listened to a lot of The Chameleons, Joy Division, The Sound, Interpol, bands from la Movida Madrileña like Décima Víctima. It felt a bit strange at the time since we were basically alone, most bands in Miami were punk or indie rock. The band ended in 2008, then I started a punk band called No Children before moving to NYC, I played bass and sang in that band, also a 3 piece.
—Then you moved to NYC in 2010, sold your guitar and got a drum machine. Did you want to do something different or thought that in a new city (even being that city NY) at the beginning was going to be difficult to find people to play with?
—I honestly needed to pack very light since I was staying at a friend’s place in Queens. I had very little interest in electronics, I really wanted a full band again, so I thought maybe a drum machine would allow me to write music in the meantime while I found people to make music with.
—Being a blog ourselves, I want to ask you about Systems of Romance, A Viable Commercial and all that, how did they influence in you interest for electronic music?
—The current music scene wouldn’t be what it is right now without those blogs, a lot of stablished record labels started by discovering bands on there, then they reissued albums that we all listened to. Nick of ‘Crispy Nuggets’ is a very close friend of mine, and I live in the same neighbourhood as Phil (A Viable Commercial) who’s also a long-time friend. I found many obscure cold wave and synth punk bands on those blogs, that otherwise would be very hard to find. I can’t believe I have to say this in 2025 but… close your Spotify and go search in those blogs!
—What´s the idea behind the Silent EM name?
—One day I was reading about mnemonic devices (memory exercises) and found that ‘mnemonic’ is one of the few words in English with a silent ‘M’.
—What bands from the French Coldwave have influenced you? I am also a bit fan and follower of the Infrastition label that has released a lot of this material lately.
—Ooph… that’s my true obsession. I’d say Opera de Nuit, Club de Rome, Complot Bronswick, Réseau D’Ombres, Bunker Strasse, and of course End of Data, Ausweis, Trisomie 21, I can go on and on.
—You said that you started going to the Wierd nights , where you saw live shows of Martial Canterel, Automelodi, Led Er Est, Frank Alpine, Epee Du Bois… Can you please tell us more about this as I already heard about those nights in another interviews? How was the scene back then?
—It was a very different NYC! That was a truly special period of time, and I feel very lucky to have been there. Weird Records and their weekly parties showcased a lot of rare bands you wouldn’t see anywhere else (Eleven Pond, Tobias Bernstrup, UV Pop, Genesis P-Orridge, etc) the DJs were playing super obscure songs on vinyl with people dancing til 4am in thick fog. Bands would play with a lot of vintage analog gear, no laptops. A lot of us started bands there and made many friendships. I think most musicians back then just had better intentions in general. Social media really destroyed the scene, now we have too many cheap marking tricks from people who don’t care about the music. Since the scene is no longer truly underground, there’s a lot of people suffocating real art.
Photo: Michael Marcelle
—Your first track featured in the “Function Operate Volume: One” cassette compilation with Buzz Kull and Some Ember. Most of your first material was released on this format. Do you think it´s a practical format or do you see it in a more “romantic” way?
—I think it’s an affordable format, and a romantic one, definitely not practical. It’s a less expensive way to solidify your music (which is important, you shouldn’t have only digital), especially when you’re starting, less of a financial risk for cold wave / postpunk artists who are considered ‘niche’. I love tapes though, I think they have a very intimate/personal feel.
—Your first EP, Specter appeared in 2013, and it´s a bit more experimental or atmospheric. What was the direction you wanted to take with the project at the beginning?
—Specter is exactly that, me experimenting with electronics for the first time. I had bought vintage synths and drum machines, and Shawn from Led Er Est gave me my first sequencer (an Alesis MMT8). I wanted to make minimal synth music. I remember I wrote and recorded that entire EP in one month in 2012, after spending a year obsessing trying to understand these instruments and finding my sound. A lot of trial and error, mostly error.
—Being Spanish, I am really curious about Entierros del Ayer, the only album you released entirely in Spanish, although from then you included some tracks in Spanish in many of your later releases. Why an album with all your songs in Spanish?
—I think it was a bit of a homage to my native language. This is something I haven’t done in a while but lately I’ve been writing in Spanish again
—You released a split with Ortrotasce, another artist we should interview for Ombra as he is also playing this year. He is your friend, right? What do you find interesting in his music?
—Nic is a brother. His music has been a source of inspiration to me since the first time I heard his work back in 2012 or so. I think the most interesting part of his music is the elements of surprise, the way he builds melodies and textures is unpredictable, emotionally smart, and the craziest part is how effortless he makes it look. Not many can do this, and I’m not just saying this because he’s my friend. You should interview him.
—Silent EM’s album Foreign States was written between 2015 and 2017, your most prolific era. In the notes it says had solidified your song writing. Can you please tell us more about this?
—I think when I wrote Foreign States, I was able to apply all my influences into something that felt like myself. I looked back into punk which is what I grew up with and applied that spirit to electronics. I was experimenting a lot with the contrast of tension and melody at the time as well, which is something I still do to this day, that’s why I say it solidified my writing. I would stay up ’til 3 or 4am writing and deleting demos over and over trying to surprise myself.
—From The Absence, the vocals are more prominent in your music. Did you feel more confident singing or just wanted to change a bit your style?
—Glad you noticed, because that was intentional. If Foreign States was about the music, The Absence was definitely about vocal delivery and clarity. I have to thank Matia Simovich for his production help on this one, he pushed me to be more upfront vocally in certain moments. I think is a very important aspect in music that I just didn’t want to overlook anymore, because if I think about it, most of the music I listen to has clear powerful vocals.
—And the first question about lyrics, in an interview you talked about “the abandonment of emotional restrains and whatever was left from my Catholic upbringing”. With songs with names like “No God´s land” I would like to ask you about what happened at this period?
—I wanted a few songs to play with atheist and religious themes. It felt like a goodbye to the morals and guilt coded into you when you grow up Catholic, shedding whatever traces of that were still hanging on.
Photo: Dino Kuznik
—You also said that your work doesn’t fall into a specific genre but how would you define your music to someone that has never heard it?
—If it’s to someone who understands the subculture, I simply say “Coldwave”, if is an outsider I usually say “Synth Punk” or “Post punk”, but all these names of genres sound kinda stupid if you think about it.
—Talking about genres again, sometimes you are labelled EBM, although I have never read you talking about body music. Is something that you like? Do you also see the influence in your music?
—Yeah, I like EBM, is not my main influence but there are aspects of it that I use for rhythm. I only like this genre when is more punk or a bit melodic. The Invincible Spirit, Klinik, Portion Control, those come to mind. I just don’t like when EBM is heartless and too close to Techno. I don’t like Techno.
—In your last album, Real Life, you incorporate guitars. Did you miss them from your post-punk days?
—Very much so. I think it was a matter of time ’til I included guitars in Silent EM.
—The new album is also more melodic and danceable. Do you think that this is the definitive “Silent EM” sound or you will continue exploring new music territories?
—I’m very happy with the sound I achieved in this record, but I don’t like having the same sound in every record, I think is important to push and have something new to offer to yourself and your audience.
—The second question about lyrics is about politics, an important subject in your last album. Do you want to make people think while they dance? Do you think that music can make people more conscious about problems in the world?
—For sure, music is a great way to send a message. I’m a latino artist living in the USA in 2025, it’s just simply impossible for me to not be political with my work. The same thing with why I’m writing songs in Spanish again, it is, in its own way, a form of resistance. Ultimately, it would mean the most to me if my music reached outside of this music scene and resonates with a non-alternative person. Maybe making people dance is a way to make them pay attention.
—What are your plans for the future?
—Next year it will be 15 years since I started Silent EM. I’m going to do something to celebrate this, hope I can share it soon!
—What can we expect of your concert at Ombra?
—I’m playing a mix of songs from my new album, brand new songs, and new versions of old songs, maybe a cover too? I’m very excited to play Barcelona for the first time, and this is a perfect platform for this.
