New York electro-industrial duo Fermion return with the five-track EP “Four Dimensions”, out today via Re:Mission Entertainment. The digital release follows the duo’s album “Conflicted“, which arrived in July 2025.

The EP runs through “Call To Arms”, “Myriad Complex”, “Four Dimensions”, “Luminous Screens”, and a closing version of Simple Minds’ “Theme For Great Cities”. While “Call To Arms” draws on classic EBM, “Myriad Complex” pushes that rhythmic approach further, the title track then again adds goa trance elements, and “Luminous Screens” moves into a warmer synthpop register. The closing cover stays quite faithful to the original, albeit in the Fermion’s trademark sound.

“Four Dimensions” was mixed, produced, and mastered by Justin Singer at 10×13 Studio in Media, Pennsylvania.

About Fermion

Fermion is the New York project of Eric Shans and Augustine Backer. Shans is handling programming, songwriting, engineering, and vocals, while Backer takes care of the sound design, songwriting, additional production, and engineering. The project began after they met at a producers’ meet-up in New York City, with the collaboration formally taking shape in 2019.

Their first release was the EP “We Are Nowhere” on October 18, 2019. That was followed by the New Order cover “Vanishing Point” in December 2019, the album “Elegiac” on June 19, 2020, the OMD cover “Messages” on August 31, 2020, and the album “Hysteresis” on October 21, 2021.

Fermion returned in 2023 with the singles “Surveillance” and “Relapsed”, both leading into the album “Infinity Terminal”, released on October 27, 2023. The duo then joined Re:Mission Entertainment and released “Conflicted” on July 25, 2025.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Fermion is an American duo formed by Augustine Backer and Eric Shans. I had the chance to discover them through their very first songs. To be honest, I wasn’t entirely convinced at the time. But this year, after releasing a few albums, they returned with a new opus. “Conflicted”, released on Re:Mission Entertainment, reveals a slightly different musical direction. The duo blends various influences, creating a mix of Electro-Pop, Ambient, and Dark-Electro. At times, the album reminds me of productions by Haujobb and Paracont. It’s an intelligent release that casts Fermion in a new light and is definitely worth discovering. I spoke with both gentlemen. (Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: How do you look back on your previous experiences in the music world before Fermion, and what brought you together to start Fermion?

Eric: For me, it all started when my first project Phenotract was born back around 2000 – the very early years were very Industrial influenced and became more Synth-Pop over time. I released a few albums over the years and also started making more House and Ambient music under my own name, Eric Shans as well as running a House music label as well as an Ambient one (3Bridge Records and 3Bridge Elements). Fermion came about when Augustine and I met at an Electronic music producers’ meetup in NYC back in 2018 or so. We became friends and started talking about making music together since we shared similar tastes — and the rest was history. 🙂

Augustine: For me, it began when I was in graduate school, taking classical piano and singing lessons. I also began dabbling in synths, with my first one being a Kurtzweil K1000. Fast forward to 2015, inspired by the Chrvches use of Ihe Maschine MK2 while performing, I picked one up, and began to make my own music. I released my first solo project album, under the name enitsugua, which is Augustine reversed. The Enitsugua project music is predominantly Ambient, with some Electronica and Noise elements. I soon afterwards met Eric at a Meetup group in Brooklyn for Electronic producers and we immediately hit it off in terms of the musicians we liked, and began to discuss making music together. In 2018 we began to create and the music production went into full force at the in 2019, with our first official Fermion release “Nowhere”.

Q: You’ve already released quite a lot of Fermion and other material in just a few years. Where does all this creativity and inspiration come from, and do you notice a certain evolution and consistency in your work?

Eric: I think it comes from always feeling the need to create — making music still brings me a lot of joy. I have other creative hobbies and work a full-time job because, well, I have to eat :), but it always comes back to the music. As far as evolution and consistency, our earlier material leaned a bit more toward Synth-Pop, but over time it’s grown darker, moving more into Synth-Wave, Dark-Techno, EBM, and Industrial territory. We just felt this transition was natural.

Augustine: I think it comes from this natural high you get when creating. Although you may start with a single note, or sound, or sequence, and it builds from there, at times frustrating, but with patience things start to jell, and a song is born, like a mother giving birth to a child. This high is addictive, and at times when you listen back to what you created, and think, how did I come up with that? Also as Fermion, we got a lot of help from COVID, it was this catalyst that got us creating with fervor, and it helped us keep our sanity. In regards to our evolving sounds, it all came natural, and elements of the next evolution are found in certain songs on the prior album. Our albums have become more complicated, dense, dark, but always maintaining a hopefulness that comes out in some of the songs. I like where we are, and where we are going.

Q: Do you have anything more to add about your main sources of inspiration, and what does Fermion’s sound and style represent to you?

Eric: Definitely older and some newer Industrial, Electronica/Ambient, and new wave sounds inspire us — as well as the crazy world around us. I’ve always appreciated hooks regardless of the style — songs that stick in your head and make you remember and feel something. I’m also really drawn to the visual side of music; we made two music videos for this album, which were a lot of fun to shoot and edit and we’ll do more with future releases. Augustine: Early ‘80s, Joy Division, New Order, OMD, Depeche Mode, Orbital, Front Line Assembly, Skinny Puppy, and operas from Philip Glass and other modern Classical music from Arvo Part, and Ambient works from Aphex Twin, Eluvium, Alex Somers and more modern sounds from Jon Hopkins and Moderat. Songs that are somewhat dark, but haunting, that touch you, and move you. Fermion’s style is about exploring being human in at times difficult world, and the sounds swirling about, combined with the intellectual lyrics bring forth a place to step into.

Q: How do you reflect on the composition and production process of the new Fermion album “Conflicted”? What were you aiming to achieve with this release — both lyrically and musically?

Eric: For “Conflicted”, we enlisted a longtime friend of mine, Justin Singer, who runs 10×13 Studio (https://www.10x13studio.com/) outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We wanted to elevate the sound, and having him at the controls really did that. Between writing, mixing, and all the other work that goes into making an album, it’s great to have an outside perspective. We were amazed by what he brought to the table, and we have more material on the way that he’s worked and we hope you’ll enjoy! Lyrically, the album varies — much of it paints pictures of the human condition and what we all deal with, both internally and externally, on a daily basis.

Augustine: We were aiming to achieve a darker sound, bigger and more professional, yet maintain some hopefulness within some of the songs. With Eric’s amazing lyrics and help with mixing by Justin Singer, we were able to hit the mark. Eric and I are both perfectionists and it can delay creativity at times, but with Justin helping out it really made the process go much more smoothly. I’m really looking forward to continue to work with him, and know our sound will continue to evolve.

Q: To me, “Conflicted” feels like your most fully developed and refined work to date. What’s your own perception and do you follow specific criteria to decide when a Fermion song or album is truly finished?

Eric: We definitely feel it’s our most consistent work, both sound- and production-wise. I’d say we’re pretty critical — and Justin even more so — which ultimately makes the final product stronger. As far as criteria, we try not to take too long to finish things, because you can get lost in the minutiae, and that doesn’t always move the creative process forward. We don’t like to rush things either, though — we enjoy experimenting and having fun too!

Augustine: When is a song or album truly finished is sometimes difficult, because you don’t want to go past that point and start overworking the project. I agree, “Conflicted” is our most fully developed, realized and refined work to date, but yet I know we can go further on our next full-length album. When you can listen over and over to an album you created, in the gym, walking outside, driving around, and it sounds solid, you know you are there. We do like experimenting, and there is no way to even begin to guess at where we are taking the next album, but I am excited to see it being born!

Q: I couldn’t find any information about Fermion performing live. How does that side of the project work, and are there any plans to play live now that the new album is out? What other plans are on the horizon, and how do you see Fermion evolving in the future?

Eric: We actually did a Fermion live show back in August in Brooklyn which was fun – it had was the very first one for Fermion ever! Since Augustine lives in the southern United States and could not make it to NYC, I had my friend Mike Goetz from the band Vuzz fill in and play guitars while I did keyboards and sang. We plan to do more shows in the coming months. I thought the live guitars added a really cool element too. Augustine: Eric is in NYC and I am in Charlotte, so a few hours by plane separates us. We did do a live show recently, with Eric singing & doing keyboards and even banging on the drums on one of the songs, with another standing in for me playing guitars, and we do plan to do more live shows in the near future.

“We’d also like to thank Wes Turner from Re:Mission Entertainment for putting out the “Conflicted” and believing in the music!”

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Eric Shans and Augustine Backer have been active as Fermion for several years now. “Conflicted” is the American duo’s fourth full-length album, featuring ten tracks.

Fermion’s sound remains subtly Pop & Ambient-infused, yet clearly shaped by darker and heavier influences. The music feels intelligent—sophisticated and enveloped in a misty, dark atmosphere—perfectly enhanced by the production of their somewhat robotic vocals. Occasionally, grandiose arrangements surface, and a few guitar notes cut through, but the whole remains cohesive and deeply engaging. There are influences here that will undoubtedly appeal to fans of Haujobb and Paracont. This album also reflects the duo’s artistic evolution over the years, arguably presenting their most accomplished work to date.

Fermion may not yet be a household name, but “Conflicted” is a release I strongly recommend to any Electro enthusiast seeking something beyond the usual clichés. (Rating:8).

Listen to “False Oracles”:

https://remissionentertainment.bandcamp.com/track/false-oracles

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

New York-based electronic duo Fermion have released their new album “Conflicted” via Re:Mission Entertainment. The album is available as a limited edition CD and across all digital platforms.

On this new – excellent – album the duo – comprising Eric Shans and Augustine Backer – continue refining their hybrid style of synthwave, darkwave, industrial, and EBM. “Conflicted” was written by Shans and Backer, and mixed, produced, and mastered by Justin Singer at 10×13 Studio in Media, Pennsylvania.

The record also includes the previously released single “Unity With Chaos” released earlier this year . That track, along with “Impetus”, show the album’s trademark sound.

Thematically the album explores contrasts between emotional states and sonic textures, something the band has developed since their earlier releases like 2020’s “We Are Nowhere” and “Elegaic”.

The video for “Unity With Chaos” is available via YouTube.

About Fermion

Fermion was founded by Eric Shans and Augustine Backer in New York, USA. The project emerged from the duo’s shared interest in darker electronic styles, combining retro synth influences with industrial sound design.

Previous releases include the 2020 mini-album “We Are Nowhere” and the full-length “Elegaic“. Their music has consistently drawn comparisons to acts like Front Line Assembly, :Wumpscut:, and Noise Unit.

The current lineup remains Eric Shans and Augustine Backer.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

The electronic music duo, Fermion, Augustine Backer and Eric Shans, has joined the Re:Mission Entertainment roster. The first single from their new upcoming album “Conflicted”, titled “Unity With Chaos“, will be released tomorrow Friday, February 21st. But you can already check it out on Side-Line first.

The single features two exclusive remixes of the title track “Unity With Chaos” from label mates Dread Risks and Frontal Boundary.

On the forthcoming album you can expect a fusion of synthwave, EBM, industrial, and darkwave influences. or “Conflicted”, they collaborated with Eric’s longtime friend, Justin Singer, who mixed and produced the album at 10×13 Studio outside of Philadelphia.

About Fermion

The duo who met at a producers’ meet-up in New York City formed Fermion in 2019. Since then,
Fermion has released an EP and three albums, with a fourth, titled “Conflicted”, on the way via the
Re:Mission Entertainment label.

Eric also leads the two-decade-old project Phenotract and produces ambient, house, and techno tracks under his own name. Augustine, on the other hand, brings a background rooted in analog synthesizers, classical music, and purely instrumental electronic sound. Next to Fermion he also has his solo project, Enitsugua.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Wave-Pop, Cinematographic.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: American duoAugustine Backer – Eric Shans (also involved with Phenotract) is back on track unleashing their second album one year after “We Are Nowhere”. They in the meantime accomplished a few cover versions of OMD and New Order, which also says something about their sources of inspiration.

Content: The tracklist is covering different influences, which are moving in between EBM (cf. “Colors Monochrome”) and darker Wave-Pop on New Order’s cover version of “Vanishing Point”. The sound became more evasive and Cinematographic at “Diode Glow” while the retro elements are always easy to remember, but more explicit on “White Dust”.

+ + + : The least I can say is that Fermion strives for a personal approach in sound and style. I think it works for the most Minimal-driven songs, but especially on “Colors Monochrome”, which sounds a personal interpretation of EBM. In a totally different style I also have to mention the ambient-like “Blurred Projections”, which is a well-crafted composition.

– – – : I can’t get away from the feeling there’s a kind of monotony supporting the songs and, which is also coming back in the production of the vocals. I’m missing a true passion.

Conclusion: This new opus by Fermion can’t again totally convince me, but might appeal to some retro-Electro heads.

Best songs: “Colors Monochrome”, “Blurred Projections”.

Rate: (6).

Artist: www.facebook.com/fermionofficial

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-wave, experimental.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Fermion is the meeting between Augustine Backer and Eric Shans (Phenotract). Both American, artists started to compose music together, unleashing their first six songs in 2019.

Content: It’s not that easy to seize all elements running through this composition. That’s maybe what explains the rather experimental touch hanging over the songs. But the main basis of their writing appears to be some electro and new-wave music. The songs have been supported with mysterious moods accentuated by some space-like effects on the vocals.

+ + + : “We are Nowhere” has something retro-like merged with contemporary influences. It’s a unique production, which is hard to label, but probably appealing form some electro-pop audience. I like the mix of influences, which creates a kind of experimental/pop/ambient hybrid. One of my favorite cuts is the instrumental “Bubble Chamber”, which is driven by a slow, bombastic rhythmic.

– – – : The global approach sounds cool, but I’m missing real highlights. A bit more melodic arrangements would be cool.

Conclusion: This new project brings an easy listening, but not groundbreaking debut work!

Best songs: “Bubble Chamber”, “Echoes Reverse”.

Rate: (6½)

Artist: www.facebook.com/fermionofficial

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com