Exclusive Interview: MURDAH SRVC

Feature

17 Sept

If you’ve ever loved a song that makes you dance first and think later, “THANATOS” is for you. MURDAH SRVC — the art-meets-pop project fronted by singer-songwriter and manga artist CHE, produced by John Lui at the foot of Mt. Etna — has taken an old-school late-90s/early-00s dance vibe and turned it into something bittersweet, cinematic, and weirdly moral. The result is a glossy club cut with a heart that’s been stabbed and stitched back together.

Let’s start with the sound: this is house-adjacent, 90s-tinged dance-pop done with love. Think “Lady (Hear Me Tonight)” or “Groovejet” energy — warm Fender Rhodes, a rotund synth bass that makes your chest hum, and a drum kit that pushes the groove without ever sounding try-hard. John Lui’s production gives the track radio polish, but it never loses the tactile, analog warmth you want from a retro homage. It’s the kind of beat that makes you move before you catch the lyric, which is obviously exactly the point.

And then you catch the lyric. CHE wrote a story — dark, unnerving, oddly tragic — about Dr. Fairman, a mad scientist who erases a woman’s memory of her dead sister so he can marry the twin. That premise flips the song into something deliciously twisted: the music invites you to the dancefloor while the words quietly interrogate guilt, love, and monstrous selfishness. CHE sums it up: deleting a memory, he argues, “is like killing that person.” It’s a provocative, almost cinematic narrative shoved into a perfect three-and-a-half-minute pop confection. That contrast — saccharine beat, poisonous story — is the single’s secret weapon.

Vocally, CHE sits in the pocket between soulful and detached. The delivery leans into the song’s dual nature: seductive enough for the dancefloor, emotionally deadened enough to sell the narrative’s moral rot. It’s an effective performance because you never fully trust the narrator; you feel the tension between the music’s warmth and the lyric’s coldness.

The visuals and broader project amplify the track’s aesthetic. CHE is a manga artist, and the anime music video (nods to Akira-era dystopia) isn’t a throwaway — it’s integral. Watching the video, you get the sense that THANATOS was written to live in a multi-sensory world of neon, ethics, and narrative excess. And the Mt. Etna origin story? Lovely, on-brand: volcanic energy, simmering danger beneath the surface, creative heat that helps the track feel elemental.

“THANATOS” is clever, danceable, and a touch unsettling in the best possible way. For fans of nostalgic dance grooves with a narrative bite (and anyone who enjoys pop that’s slightly dangerous), MURDAH SRVC have delivered a neat little Trojan horse: you boogie, you bob your head, and then you spend the cab home thinking about ethics and memory.

Play it loud on the floor, then watch the anime video and brood. Either way, CHE and John Lui just proved that pop can be pretty and morally complicated at the same time — and that’s a vibe.

We spoke to CHE from MURDAH SRVC about their journey so far.

Do you have an interesting moment or story from your early life that has had a significant impact on your journey into music?

CHE: Hey there it’s CHE here. I’d say my mom used to sing at home very often. I was influenced by her high pitch. When I was about 3 years old I remember singing for my grandpa in his bedroom making up lyrics for “I just called to say I love you” by Stevie Wonder as English is not my first language and back then I had no idea what the song said. But the real turning point was in 3rd or 4th grade when my teacher gave me the lead role in the school play and I had to sing solo. I really loved that so my interest for music got bigger and bigger.

Are there any artists that were influential to your musical journey? How have they inspired your sound as an artist?

CHE: Last month I performed in Bristol, UK. That's the city where Massive Attack and Portishead come from and they're definitely a major influence to my work. Then SOHN, Frank Ocean, The Weeknd but also Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder. Soulful melodies mixed with dark modern sounds.

How would you describe your sound to new listeners? What do you think sets you apart?

CHE: Melody is the core of my songwriting, however heavy basslines and dirty electronic sounds make the perfect juxtaposition. Then mix it with Japanese pop culture visuals and you have MURDAH SRVC. As I love saying Massive Attack meets Ghost in the shell

What’s your creative process? Where do you normally start when it comes to writing and recording? Do the lyrics come first?

CHE: 99% of the times it’s me sitting at the keyboard improvising some chord progression and then adding topline. Lyrics comes after. Or melody first, I make a vocal note on my phone and then I build the progression underneath. Then once I have the lyrics I plug my mic to my laptop and I record a demo. From there, once I have the full song it’s time to sit in the studio with on of my producers and take the song to the next level. Sometimes they send me a beat and I add melodies on it, that’s fun too.

Have you had any challenges or adversities in your life that you feel have shaped you as an artist?

CHE: Oh big time. My music is totally based on my personal experiences and the way I see the world. I’ve always been an outsider growing up, I always had issues fitting in. I had some good friends as well, but I never really felt accepted. I’ve always felt insecure, trying to accommodate other people’s need over mine so I wasn’t seen as a burden. This was not easy, and it’s still not to this day. On the other hand this gave me plenty of opportunities to reflect on myself, and to challenge myself to become a better person. I’m still in the process.

Are there any moments or achievement from your career so far that you’re most proud of?

CHE: My project is not following any trends or fashionable things. Finding people that resonate with what I do it’s already a big achievement. I’d say two UK tours in the last 2 years, several shows across Europe and in Japan however are humbling as I do everything by myself.

Which do you prefer, the creative process or live performance? Or do you enjoy both equally?

CHE: If I had to choose one I’d say studio time for the rest of my life. However the energy you receive from the audience, and then you give it back times 10 it’s an incredible feeling. When you see MURDAH SRVC live you understand I give it my all.

Do you as an artist require fans to fully understand your message in each song or do you encourage subjective interpretation from every listener?

CHE: I believe that art speaks to us in different ways and with different layers. You could be more superficial and still enjoy the basslines in my songs, or dig deeper and understand the lyrics. I love the idea of people having different perceptions on what I do and I’m curious of them sharing it with me.

Does the political landscape have an impact on your music, or do you keep your personal opinions separate from your work as an artist?

CHE: I believe artists should be political. I’m not really interested into being liked by everybody, I’d rather be with like minded people. So if you’re a fascist, a homophobic, a racist, a nationalist please be aware you might not like what I do.

What are your future plans? Any new songs/projects on the horizon?

CHE: In 2025 I released “Placebo Singer” in Feb and “Thanatos” in Aug and another song will be released before the end of 2025. After that I won’t be hitting the road because I want to focus on writing new material and art direction for MURDAH SRVC manga. I believe it’s time for my first album and coming to come to light to the fullest.

“THANATOS” is available now on all major streaming platforms