The "DRK" project marks a key milestone in Them Lights' journey: it's their first EP, conceived as a cohesive block of dark electro-pop, where each track explores a different facet of their nocturnal universe. Released in 2024, this short but dense record (four tracks totaling approximately fifteen minutes) condenses several years of sonic research, live testing, and residency work, notably at the Kulturfabrik. Sacha Hanlet's signature style is evident: a pronounced taste for arpeggios, 80s synths, heavy grooves, and meticulous attention to textures. Designed for both headphone listening and live performance, "DRK" unfolds a sonic narrative that oscillates between tension and release. Some tracks, like "GN," function as more up-tempo, almost club-ready pieces, with a direct energy and rhythmic bounce tailor-made for live performance, while other tracks cultivate a more introspective atmosphere, where the vocals float amidst synth pads and enveloping bass. The whole creates a cinematic soundscape, in which light and shadow interact, true to the dark pop and electronica aesthetic that has defined Them Lights since their inception.

Artistically, “DRK” functions as a calling card: it crystallises the project’s sonic identity while providing ideal material for an immersive live show. Many of the EP’s tracks have been tested, refined, and staged during production residencies and indoor concerts, where the music combines with meticulous lighting design to create an experience that blurs the boundaries between concert and audiovisual performance. In this sense, “DRK” is not just a record release, but the foundation of a contemporary, exportable live set that is immediately legible for programmers seeking a dark‑pop/electro project that is both demanding and fully realised.