There are a few states that are currently producing an unexpected surge in kick ass dark music. Colorado springs to mind, every time I look into the scene there I find new exciting bands. A second is Georgia. With bands like Vision Video and Tears For the Dying leading the charge the scene seems to be fertile ground for modern dark scene music. I recently did an interview with Now After Nothing which will be releasing soon. Matt Spatial is bringing a frantic urban decay sound with punk rock tinge of Warsaw and Public Image Limited. Orange molten guitar solos and cavernous bass lines ride the line between nostalgia and contemporary. No matter how complicated and dark each song gets, you can never shake the frothing punk energy.
Matt Spatial : Vocals, Guitars, Bass Guitars, Synths and Programming Michael Allen : Drums
Written, recorded, and produced by Matt Spatial Mixed by Carl Glanville Mastered by John Davis and Felix Davis
Additional Guitars by Mark Gemini Thwaite (1,5) Additional Vocals by Simone Elise (6)
Favorite Tracks:
Fixation Fantasy – This one growls hard and mean right out of the gate. Then contrasts with this lovely chime sounds and Matt’s vocals take on a grungy Lane Staley quality. Another comparison are the poetic imagery that remind me a bit of Dirt. “You’re lost with every turn A giving tree of indignity Now welcome to the world anew And take a look around You’ll find a way unfound Now welcome to the world anew yet again”
Dare – This is what I call a Soundtrack song. Conjures such a great image of cool people doing cool stuff that feels like perfect background music to a film or show. Matt’s vocal’s are smooth and dripping with effortless confidence. The drums here really create constant motion. Absolute banger.
Really excited to post the interview I did with Matt and see what the future holds for Now After Nothing.
A sneaky early pick for top albums of the year from Ohio based artist Kali Dreamer. In October 2022 Derek Christopher of Wandering Stars put Kali on my radar and I was an immediate fan. I love watching an artist grow in vision and technique. “Imperfect Dark” is a monumental leap forward in execution for the talented artist. Hearing this album again and again fills me with hope for the future of goth music. Markise voice is enchanting and complex. Using a unique cadence and timeless beauty. Streaming pastel colors of shoegaze guitar lines make majestic sounds to lift nightmare fuel lyrics.
Tiara – I am such a sucker for romantic goth and this track is forlorn and wonderous. The guitar line has a dancing Smashing Pumpkins “Gish” feel and Markise is spinning out poetry with masterful inflection. This song leaves me shook every time I play it.
New Twilight – I love the slippery back beat and higher range vocals here. It’s like a beautiful blend of The Cure and R & B. This one has a brighter hopeful tone but it makes a really nice accent when you are on your third play though of the album in it’s entirety. This whole record hits all the buttons for me.
This is a don’t skip a single track record in 2025. which isn’t something I get to say often. people need to take notice of one of the most fresh and exciting voices in modern goth.
New Project from Toronto Dj/Fashion Expert/ and Performance Artist Kate Mior with this wicked new single full of thorny turns and misty imagination. Captivating and narrative this image conjuring fairy tale uses beautiful world beat Projekt Records tones to transport you through the veil. Matt Servo paints a sonic world of percussion for Kate’s synthesizer stories. Alle Psallite Cum Luya is an anonymous three-part Latinmotet from the late 13th or early 14th century. I love the historic reference of celebration. An intelligent artistic concept in an ever simplified world.
The German synth pop trio released it’s newest EP of synthpop hymns with four new remixes. BEBORN BETON were founded by vocalist Stefan Netschio, keyboard player and drummer Stefan Tillmann, and keyboard player Michael Wagner in 1989. There album “Nightfall” is widely considered one of the top albums of the genre. Stefan has a distinctive voice that silver surfs that line between husky chant and gorgeous melody. The song construction has a wonderful complexity you can get lost in like staring at a clear sky. Tiny pinpoints of light and detail that draw your attention for a moment while letting you drift in the moment. This EP hits a maturity of sound that feels so effortless in it’s precise quality. With a long gap between “Tales from another world” and “A Worthy Compensation” then several more years until “Darkness Falls Again” the world of electronic music is a much better place with Beborn Beton putting out consistent releases again.
Favorite Track: Progeny – At 6:36 this doesn’t seem like the dance floor single, but this track is such a captivating banger. Soulful revivalist southern synthpop gospel complete with sliding steel guitar effect. A slow grinding beat that feels thick with substance and blood. “I am the heir, of my fathers dream. I am the progeny.
Favorite Remix: Electricity (Tenderlash Remix) – Always a fan of the North Carolina solo artists on Swiss Dark Nights. I love the ringing pulse in the intro that slides into a cracking snare beat and isolation of Stefan’s vocals. The energy of this gets a little run away locomotive and the urgency translates perfectly with the vocals. This is a bop and belongs on your dancefloor.
I’m so excited to hear what comes next for Beborn Beton, they have live performance dates coming up in 2025. As well as a remix on the recent Rohn-Lederman album “Steal The Light”
Finally freeing up some time to start up interviews again. Which means it is also time to start working through my catalog of new darkscene releases you need to know about. I have a lot to cover so time to put the proverbial needle to the metaphoric record and share my thoughts on what the cool kids are listening to.
Bombay Gasoline – I’m Clean – New single out of Asheville, North Carolina. I’m not sure how it found it’s way on my radar, I think it was a post in the group. Elements of 90’s alt rock with a POWERFUL vocal delivery by Madison Maxwell. Absolute sky splitter of a voice. The structure is complete chaos in the best way, shifting time, tone, and instrumentation with a jazz tornado in a bottle abandon. Sizzling guitar leads makes it feel like the roller coaster car is always only half on the tracks. I’ll definitely be looking for more from this band.
Madison Maxwell – vocals, keys, lyrics, music Gregg Webber – backing vocals Joel Shuman – guitars Grant Yost – bass Eliza Hill – drums
NOIR – The Best of the Remixes – Athan Maroulis (Spahn Ranch, Black Tape for a Blue Girl) is New York City darkwave royalty. He has one of those beautiful and distinctive voices that makes every project he is involved with shine. Featuring Kai Irina Hahn and Jamie Parganos on live keyboards, NØIR debuted with ‘Darkly Near,’ (2013). ‘The Burning Bridge‘ (2016) added guitarist/producer Erik Gustafson. When it comes to remixing there is nothing more satisfying than pulling out a 10/10 vocal melody and swirling it with your own sauce. It’s no wonder Athan was able to pull in some of the top talents in electronica willing to place his voice against another canvas. This compilation of remixes pulls tracks from Noirs catalog and fires them back into the world through a fresh lens. I got to listen to the live bandcamp streaming premier and take the journey with Athan and some of the remixers.
I will give some quick hit impressions of some of my favorite tracks.
1) My Dear (Assemblage 23)Tom Shear the master of futurepop absolutely crushed this. This melody is infectious and it soars on translucent angel wings. You always want an opener that cooks. This one is scorching holy fire.
2) Timephase (Die Sektor) – Slowing things down a bit to a filthy slither is Atlanta GA based Die Sektor featuring the electro psychedelic mind of Vlad McNeally. A band that is always coloring outside the lines they took this mix true to the title with a staggering lilt that phases across the dancefloor. You really feel the density of the drum strikes while being pulled towards the apex of a black hole.
4) A Pleasure To Burn (FIRES) – I’m a huge FIRES fan and here she really turns the sensual David Gahan aspect of Athan’s voice up to 11. A spinning vortex of light. Wicked modular solo into a Tangerine Dream breakdown with ethereal backup vocals. Gorgeous, sexy, and weird. Three of my favorite things.
8) Fallen (Silverwalks) – Daniel McCullough is a synth texture gourmet. Building layer upon layer with sonic flavors into a shadow disco jam that makes it impossible to remain stationary.
I merely scratched the surface. If you haven’t dug into NOIR’s catalog before now you are in for a treat. This compilation is a great way to get a taste.
NORMORIA – Paralyzed (Feat. MATT HART) – Brand new single from Sweden to California transplants featuring British Industrial Pop star Matt Hart. A stomping blend of hard progressive rock and Industrial mayhem. Angel belts out operatic pleas over Matt’s sinister snarls to simulate the horror of sleep paralysis. The crunch of these guitar riffs really make the walls close in. I think we are all relating to this image of crippling anxiety right now.
EN ESCH – Dance Hall Putsch – I recently had the opportunity to interview the Industrial legend about this new solo album which I think is his most cohesive razor crisp offering to date. I’ll be releasing that soon as well as seeing him play with longtime collaborator Raymond Watts on Saturday at Smalls in Detroit. This is another stellar release by up-and-coming indie label GIVE/TAKE. Lot’s of amazing contributors on this album, to me it was the most En Esch focused of his solo albums. Always one to push artist boundaries over continuity “Dance Hall Putsch” holds more focused cohesion. It started at the beginning of the pandemic and continued to take shape as Russia invaded the Ukraine just 500 miles from Berlin. As an American I sometimes forget how much closer that felt to home for Europeans as a world power moved the machinery of war to their doorstep. You can hear the tonal shift from hopeful dance bangers towards fear and despair. The album also reminds me that En Esch is originally a percussionist. These songs start with a beat in their core and expand outward. That central circulatory pulse is the binding force through each rise and fall.
Favorite Tracks:
2) I’m So Sick feat. Mea Fisher aka DJ Mea (Lords of Acid) – A big weaving organ synth sound crashing into a throbbing club beat and crystal specter vocals. En Esch echos back with snarling poetry. A whirling dervish of energy to establish a sharp and reckless tone.
4) Eden feat. Gabriel Lennox – This is a Mona Mur song that I love, feat Gabriel Lennox of Seraph Sin who appears a few times on the record. Mona’s original version has a sorrowful space opera delivery. The En Esch version while stalking and wild feels brighter and more hopeful. It’s a beautiful homage of respect. I’m a sucker for an artist covering the song of someone you can tell they really respect as an artist.
Photo by Chris Cardi Photography
7) Wumms feat. Raymond Watts (PIG) – This track is just immensely fun. I think the German roughly translates to bang or an onomatopoeia. The intro is a swirling whip that sounds like two friends playing a theremin in call and answer. It’s strange, electric, and feels like a percussion conversation.
10) Epic feat. Mea Fisher aka DJ Mea (Lords of Acid) – I had to include this for the sheer absurdity. The best covers are always ones where you make the song your own. En Esch told a story of KMFDM pulling into a festival and while setting up hearing Faith No More and being taken by this banger track. All these year later we get this reimagining with Mea Fisher. I feel like I was listening to Mike Patton fall backwards into a K hole.
If you are a long time En Esch fan like me I highly recommend grabbing the coke bottle limited edition vinyl. The whole album is fun, reckless, and deep. Tackling an uncertain future with bravado and spirit.
Die Robot – Vampire Vs Zombie (Double Feature) – Die Robot the pacific northwest duo Barbie Saint & Vince Christian with this sizzling monster themed minimalist electronic shadoweave. They have really honed this Electropunk meets retro rockabilly feel into something dangerous. I love how both tracks feel connected but with such contrasting styles. A modern day monster mash up.
