Thus Live Humans - Art Déco II

Thus Live Humans have released “Art Déco II” their follow-up to their earlier album “Art Déco I.” On this release the band has broadened their scope beyond progressive rock and prog metal, with some classical elements blended in, which is a revelatory contrast to their previous album “Art Déco I” with its heavier progressive psychedelic leanings.

The duo consists of Jérémy Payan and Lucas Serra who handle most instruments and vocals. Clearly their influences are wide, stretching from art-rock, 20th-century classical composers, to metal, and prog. The album contains ambitious compositions including the opening track “Metastructural Abstraction” clocking in over 13-minute and bookending it with the epic “The Cold Train” which forges into a deep structural scope.

Fans of bands like Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, The Aristocrats, and King Crimson are likely to find Thus Live Humans music to be in their court. The composers aim to resent a musical vision of the artistic movement from the early 20th century. They do a great job at this by blending genres, sometimes with a full throttle wall of sound while others are very gentle sounding. Across the album it may seem that all the pieces don’t fit together, yet there is cohesion for listeners that seek evolutionary changes. While I preferred the prog metal pieces over the more ethereal, this perception can easily be changed on one’s mood in the given moment.

I dig the strong guitar solos which are super zesty at points. The mellow and atmospheric sections such as on “After You’re Gone” stand in complete beauty and are a stark contrast to the heavier parts. The key here is Art Déco II is not minimalistic: The album leans dense and sometimes overloaded with ideas. Progressive rock carries forward in a magnanimous way with Thus Live Humans.

For hi-res aficionados, the album is available as a 96kHz / 24-bit download from BandCamp. These offer good dynamics that are especially evident between the heavier and atmospheric sections. In the modern digital age, channel separation is also very good, with a nice wide soundstage. I wish there was a bit more air around the vocals and the bass seemed a bit flabby to my ears. On the other hand, the overall balance is excellent, and guitars and synths are vibrant and clear, plus the drums offer plenty of punch.

Progressive and Fusion rock fans will surely want to get into prog heaven with Art Déco II. It is an engaging stereo release that sounds very good and is a delicious treat for your ears.

Releases October 24, 2025

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 About the Author

Wesley is a lifelong music enthusiast. He started his career in the recording industry in New York City as an audio engineer, producer, and studio manager. Subsequently he toured across America as a guitarist with the short-lived band Land's Crossing. After many years in the technology sector and amassing a substantial vinyl and CD collection, he delved into immersive audio and created Hi-Res Edition to share with other listeners about the sound quality and discrete mixes available on many formats. He recently upgraded his system to 5.1.4 Dolby Atmos and continues to seek out and share about the best sounding releases.