On a steady ascent as one of dark electronic music's most intriguing forces, Aryan Ashtiani, better known as Mareux, is making formative strides into the modern era of  darkwave. 

Mareux first earned widespread acclaim with the release of his lauded full length debut, Lovers From the Past. The 2023 LP featured a special guest assist from King Woman and affirmed that Mareux was more than just viral hype. First landing on the radar with his take on The Cure classic, "The Perfect Girl," - his full length follow up just a year later delivered a 9-track assertion of modern darkwave that translated as both reverently classic and boldly contemporary. 

The album's lasting impact was assisted by Mareux's mezmerizing live performance, maximizing his reach with a healthy slate of tour dates both home and abroad. Capitalizing on his hard-earned notoriety and growing stock in the scene, Mareux has since began his next iteration with the release of his sophomore full length, Nonstop Romance. 

Previewed by a succession of intoxicating singles in "Ébène Fumé," "Wild At Heart" and "Laugh Now Cry Later," Mareux's ability to fashionable craft danceable dread was reemphasized as the anticipation for his next chapter swelled.  

As for the source material that compelled Mareux's next wave, his writing routine was augmented by a healthy diet of visual stimulation. In the constant pursuit of vibe, Mareux looked to film rather than music as inspiration. His rationale in consuming movies is one rooted in better refining his musical craft. “I’ve noticed that as artists get better or more seasoned, they go for a more polished, studio sound and lose their grit,” Mareux shared. “I like when music sounds like found footage.”

Building a bridge between the screen and the soundtrack, Mareux's less than conventional approach has paid off in spades. The arrival of Nonstop Romance has since been met with universal acclaim, further securing Mareux's lofty rank among post-punk, darkwave and synthpop circles. What becomes especially apparent, other than his constant dedication to this craft, is Mareux's distinction as a progressive - intent on moving the culture forward while still paying artistic homage to the greats that have paved the way thus far. 

That balance is evident not only in the tracklist of Nonstop Romance, but in the filmography that served as the creative foundation during the album's development. Pulling back the curtain, Mareux shared his list of films that were in healthy rotation during the sessions that would eventually become his sophomore record. Sourcing elements of cinematic grit, seduction, mystique and suspense, the broad range of films ranging from iconic directors like Hype Williams, Brian DePalma, Andrei Tarkovsky, David Lynch and more, speak to what moves the needle for Mareux, both as a artist and an aficionado.

Rethinking the traditional idea of the soundtrack, here's Mareux's rotation of flicks that crept their way into the making of Nonstop Romance. 

Scarface (1983)

Mareux - This film really lends itself to the composition of electronic music. It's a super cliche, but 80s Miami, the cars, the girls, the gangsters, the flashy houses. It's hard not to feel badass when you watch Scarface. It's a 9/10, the chainsaw scene helped me write a lot of the basslines on the album. 

Belly (1998)

Mareux - During the making of Nonstop Romance, this was the top dog. It's a visually stunning ride through a place and time none of us will ever see again. Hype Williams is a master music video director and it shines through like the sun in your eyes as you head west on the 10 freeway at 5pm. Sexy sexy sexy. 9/10.

Training Day (2001)

Mareux - I love all LA movies. This is the king of LA movies. Again, the key to writing badass electro is to watch badass movies. My favorite scene is when Ethan Hawke’s character is getting tortured in the bathtub by the Mexican gangsters. Very tough, and one of them kinda looks like me. 10/10.

Stalker (1979) 

Mareux - I needed to write pads for one of the songs and had to put something atmospheric on. This one is paced slow, and has a lot of long tracking shots. The general malaise and haunting quality of the scenes helped me create a lot of emotional depth with my sound design. 7/10.

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992)

Mareux - If I see or hear the word “lynchian” again I will dive head first off tower 7. Still, lots to take in from this one as it offers a lot of cool shots of girls crying and weird looking guys screaming, which is what I am looking for as my eyes pace back and forth from my 13” crt tv to the UI disgrace that is FL Studio. 7/10.

Raging Bull (1980)

Mareux - Throwing this in here because its my favorite film of all time. Jake LaMotta is a pretty fugly character who gets into a lot of hijinks, but its the people around him that make the movie special. Can't think of another film with better acting. The scene at the end between Jake and his brother when they try to make good always has me in tears. 10/10.

The Deer Hunter (1978)

Mareux - Man, I wish I had friends like these guys. Putting aside the fact that a bunch of Italians are playing a group of Appalachian Russians, this film is a total knife through your chest. The loss of innocence and dignity, the soft-betrayals, John Cazale’s awesome hairline. There's so much to take in from this one that watching it once or twice isn't enough. Robert DeNiro was so sexy, man. 9/10

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Nonstop Romance arrives June 27th. Pre-order the album - HERE

Mareux is set to headline two Southern California shows December 12th in Pomona at Fox Theater and December 13th at The Novo in Los Angeles. Tickets for both performances are currently available - HERE