Dark, icy shoegaze is just what the musical doctor prescribed for this midweek evening, and it comes via "Chain of Days" by San Francisco's Topographies. It is the second single from the band's upcoming second album, Interior Spring, and it certainly raises both our interest and expectations for the release.
Topographies are Justin Oronos, Jeremie Ruest, and Gray Tolhurst. The album will be out February 2 via Dark Entries Records.
A new band for our ears is Empathy Test. Putting a fresh spin on the '80s synth pop sound, we expect they will make a big splash with their upcoming album Monsters. But you can form your own opinion with the album's title song, which also is the lead off single. Dealing with themes of isolation and anxiety, the song has a dark cast to accompany its big sound. Slightly unsettling, but undeniably compelling, we have it on repeat this evening. I hope the neighbors like it.
Empathy Test are Isaac Howlett (vocals), Adam Relf (production), Christina Lopez (drums), and Oliver Marson (synths).
Tryants had an interesting beginning. The Scottish artist who now records and performs as Admlithi had given up music. But a chance discovery of an '80 keyboard in a trash bin inspired him to create a party album in honor of Prince. However, the twin occurrences of the right-ward shift of politics and a diagnosis of adult autism led him down a different path. Working in his bedroom (except for some field recordings), Admlithi created a cinematic darkwave tapestry -- grand in scale, emotional in content. Put on your earphones and dive into the swirling shadows, it is a surprisingly rewarding journey. And no, it isn't a party album. But we think Prince, a man who thrived on inspiration and invention, would heartily approve.
Tyrants is out now in digital and CD formats via Armellodie Records.
Renee Barrance and Tim Player are OV PAIN, a band that dwells in the musical landscape of Gothic darkwave. On their new self-titled album the keyboards create thick layers of swirling sound over pounding percussion, with haunting vocals partially hidden in the fog. The effect is claustrophobic and dissonant, but ultimately vital and majestic. Through earphones, late at night, this album has become a first choice way to end the day.
Put on your earphones and surf the darkwave dreams of Dunedin, New Zealand's Èlan Vital on their debut LP Shadow Self. Synths groan and drone, rise and fall, lasers shoot, but all with a sly dance-able undercurrent, veins of analog warmth, and a human touch with the female vocals. The overall effect is as if the band threw their dreams and nightmares in a big pot and cooked it to trance/dance soundscape. Oh, and we should mention that it is highly addictive and, like all addictive substances, becomes more so with prolonged exposure.
The album commences with a Gothic tone and static fog, but as it unspools we are treated to increased dynamics (e.g. the spacey, funky "Space") and lighter moments, such as on "Janina", break through like rays of sunshine. Èlan Vital seem to have a strong sense of what they want to do, and the ability to execute their ideas. Impressively, they stay within their desired groove while keeping the compositions accessible to the listener. I chose a few representative tracks below, but I recommend the final stream, which will give you the full album. To my ears, the songs on the last half of the record are especially recommended, but it is all good.
If we understand correctly, the genesis of the band was in Berlin, where two of its members resided. A following stop was Auckland, on New Zealand's north island, and then a relocation to Dunedin. The band's current rehearsal space is the None Gallery which, before it became an artist-run creative space served time as a pharmaceutical factory and then a strip club.
Èlan Vital is Renee Barrance (keyboards, vocals), Danny Brady (synths, drum machines, effects, vocals) and Nikolai Sim (bass). Shadow Self is released on vinyl, CD and digital formats via Fishrider Records on March 24, and by Occultation Recordings in UK/Europe on May 12.
Cats of Transnistria are Tuomas Alatalo and Henna Emilia Hietamaki. The Helsinki, Finland duo makes dark and dreamy atmospheric pop. Their debut record, an EP titled Away for Helsinki label Soliti Music, was released in January. The band's multi-faceted compositions balance experimental and gentle elements that easily hold the listener's interest. I highly recommend that you stream all four songs of the EP at the Bandcamp link below. But first watch the enchanting video for EP track "The Departure".
Strange Harvest is an appropriately named darkwave duo from Dunedin, New Zealand. Combining minimalist electronics and guitar, they create soundscapes that are dreamy, cold, and a bit unsettling. They released an LP titled In A Replica City in May 2013, which you can stream it at the Bandcamp link below. Two young video directors, Phoebe Mackenzie and Emily Berryman, have made an intriguing video for "Amnesia", the closing track on the album.
It is interesting to discover how different spinoff projects can be from the original group. Sometimes the new project isn't dramatically different, but gives a musician a chance to do it their way. In other cases, the new project reveals a surprisingly different take on pop music. SISU, the band formed by Dum Dum Girls' drummer Sandy Vu is an excellent example of the latter. On the recently released Blood Tears, Vu, a talented multi-instrumentalist, weaves a captivating tapestry of Gothic dream pop and synthwave. The album is a adept blend of contrasts. Vocal harmonies have a soft touch over the often bass-heavy arrangements. Soft sounds contrast with loud sounds. Dreamy arrangements are slashed by a Siouxsie Sioux-style vocal abrasion. Ultimately, it is dream pop for people whose dreams are a bit tortured, perhaps more echoing The Cure more than Slowdive.
On Blood Tears demonstrates the key characteristics to making it apart from Dum Dum Girls. First, Vu is a good vocalist and songwriter. Second, she has assembled a band that helped her turn those songs into something distinctive and enjoyable. Third, she is an able frontwoman. This album is a delight from start to finish, and I recommend it.
SISU, which is the Finnish word for extreme perseverance, is undeniably Sandra Vu's. For Blood Tears, she wrote the record, played instruments, sang and produced. Additional musicians were Ryan Wood, Nathanael Keefer and Lars Stalfors. Fellow Dum Dum Girls member Julianna Medeiros joins the band for live shows.
Blood Tears is out now on Mono Prism Records. The label is a relatively new collective for artists in various media.
Happy Noose is a trio, playing a darkly psychedelic, heavy yet upbeat take on punk and darkwave music. In their 4-song EP Amagosa I hear traces of Joy Division (whose unreleased "Pictures In My Mind" they cover), Peter Murphy and the solo work of Richard Lloyd - the music is evocative, as is the voice of lead singer Ryan Scott, who conveys a lot without a lot of inflection. The band consists of Scott (vocals, bass), Timothy Grisham (guitars) and John Dahlin (drums). All three previously played in different bands, but they bring together their experience into a unified approach that's somehow dark and evocative yet upbeat and exhilarating, with crashing drums and guitars that alternately slash and swirl.
Here's the title track:
The second track, "Eye of the Storm" has some beautiful guitar work, and the Joy Division cover shows their (and Joy Division's) punk roots clearly. The final track is "End Song", and it bears a strong resemblance to "Pictures In My Mind", but the band stretches it out to over 4:00 with some terrific guitars.
Amagosa is out now (released Oct. 1), through Dead End Social Club Records and was produced by Tim Green (The Fucking Champs, Nation of Ulysses). It's terrific, a bit of a time capsule in a 4-song EP. I eagerly anticipate more from these three.
On days like this, I love my job. I really love my job. I get to listen to new music that is interesting and exciting, and then tell you about it.. And I really am excited about Bring Me the Head, the new two-track single from Glasgow's Aggie Doom.
It seems to me that the starting point for Bring Me the Head is minimalist '60s garage rock. Then add a dose of voodoo glam and you've got something quite striking--primitive, insistent rhythms, music and lyrics with a fangs-exposed and claws-out edge, and some very nice girl-group harmonies. But unlike their garage rock second cousins, Aggie Doom allows a lot of space in the music, which builds tension without ramping up the volume. Some have called it "darkwave", and I think that is a good tag.
So, be our guest and take the single for a spin. The entire run-time is about 6:15, and you wouldn't want to miss the B-side, "Cakewalk". If you're like me, you'll want to allocated enough time to replay it a few times.
Aggie Doom are Claudia Nova, Scott Caruth, Hillary Van Scoy and Joan Sweeney. The band has drawn comparisons to Bush Tetras, Romeo Void and Keenex, and while I can understand the comparison, I think this band takes their own path with a higher dose of atmosphere and less emphasis on punk.
At the moment the single is available only in a limited run of 300 vinyl 7" records. One hopes that broader distribution or, even better, inclusion in an EP or LP happens in the future. The label is the small, Livingston, Scotland label Soft Power Records. The folks that run the operation clearly have a good ear for emerging bands, as their groups have featured on these pages more than one would expect given their size.
Here are some new singles from a few bands we follow:
Winnipeg, Canada's uber talented Hipster Death Squad offers "Good Times Again" as a free download. The guy is unsigned, so everyone's A&R guys are not earning their keep.
And someone's A&R people are doing the right job, because Seattle's Hardly Art has La Sera on their roster. La Sera is the delightful side project of Katy Goodman of Vivian Girls. And we have this new song from Ms Goodman, "Please Be My Third Eye" -- La Sera - Please Be My Third Eye by The 405 Hardly Art will release the band's sophomore release, Sees the Light, later this year. Website Facebook
Aloha Tigers are a dream pop band from Bloomington, Illinois, consisting of consisting of singer/multi-intrumentalist Nick Aister and producer Michael Wharfield. Their new single is "The Kind of Girl U Like". It is being released by Scottish label Kirkcudbright Tape Club. The guys have recorded a self-titled EP as well. Aloha Tigers - The Kind of Girl U Like by kirkcudbrighttapeclub The band is offering some free downloads at this Reverbnation link. Website Facebook
We highlighted Glasgow darkwave band Aggi Doom a few moths ago. Here is their cover of "Boys are Boys" by '60s proto-punk band The Monks. This version is called "Boys Are Boys (and girls are choice)". If you like it, it is a free download:
Aggi Doom is Claudia Nova (vocals, keyboard), Hillary Van Scoy (vocals, guitar), Joan Sweeney (vocals, bass), and Scott Caruth (vocals, drums). The are associated with the We Can Still Picnic collective that includes Wake the President, POST and other bands I've written about here. And while we're at it, "Loving Kind" is set for release in May:
The Mallard, from San Francisco, is releasing an album, Yes On Blood, early this year on Castle Face Records, and we are anticipating good things. In advance of that release, we have the single "Vines": Vines by The Mallard
The Mallard is comprised of Greer McGettrick (guitar/vocals) and Dylan Tidyman-Jones (drums/vocals) and Dylan Edrich (bass). Their music is a garage/psych rock. There are several more songs at the Soundcloud link below. Here is "I Listen to Lyrics Last" -- I listen to Lyrics Last by The Mallard
