Karl Kave’s latest album is the perfect blend of lo-fi, garage, electronic beats, and post-punk. It’s vibes range from outlaw country to pogo punk, but it rocks the entire time. When I listened through, I was reminded of bands like The Exploited, The Cramps, Gap Dream, and Orville Peck.I was also reminded of the original soundtrack of the show “Twin Peaks”. These albums are of my favorites.
The instrumentation ranges throughout from clean and almost sappily romantic-sounding to dark and bruiting. Vocally, all the songs have hints of darkness. It’s the way the vocals and instruments are mixed together and the effects added that drive the impact of the album to the next level. There are twists and turns throughout that make the album more fun the more you listen to it.
Some favorite tracks
Dreaming– This song starts out and sounds like it will be a super sappy love song.Once the lyrics come in, the story and it’s setting suddenly change. I’m a huge fan of relatable lyrics and this song has some that really resonate with me.
We Are Sun- I really enjoyed this song because it was so different and bluntly sad sounding in comparison to many of the others. The beat is really cool, like its made mostly from patting lets and clapping hands. This song is really minimalistic in comparison to the others with only vocals, a drum machine, light effects, and an acoustic guitar.
You Left My Heart in New York City- This song is a really great mash-up of indie and country. The lyrics are sad, they tell a story about heartbreak and the big let downs. The lyrics tell a vivid story, but the instrumentation pushes it along. The slow pace adds to the longing feeling the lyrics spell out and adds a heaviness to your heart that words can’t achieve.
Listening through this album made me really miss going to shows.All I could think about while I listened through was how fun this show would be to see live. I could imagine it. Everyone dancing to songs like “Dreaming” and “Yesterday We’ll Be Dead” and then the crowd falls silent during the slower songs as to not miss a single word. I would love to be at that show.
I really enjoyed listening to this album. The ups and downs were paced perfectly. It was lo-fi, moody, romantic-sounding, and generally amazing. If you’re looking for something new and different that pays heavy homage to the post-punk, indie, goth, and outlaw country genres, then this is the album for you.
As isolation has crept on I have felt myself turning more and more to the solace of music to both find peace, and to feel a sense of connection. I have been listening to a lot of great live streaming shows like Obscura Undead, The Witching Hour, and PostEverything. So I am picking up on a lot of new releases and thought I would share some of what is currently kindling the dark fire in my heart.
DogTablet – The first release I want to discuss is the Muscle and Bone Remixes from Dogtablet. This project is an amazing team-up of Martin King (Test Dept/Pigface) and Jared Louche (Chemlab) . The original album was an exciting homage to totem culture with beautiful high art aspects seldom heard in traditional industrial. Here they have brought in an impressive who’s who of Electronic music to re-imagine this breathtaking album. 20 tracks each with a different lens and feel. This album really needs it’s own in depth review but I wanted to call out a few tracks. Listen to this all star list: Hepster, Mary Byker, The Joy Thieves, Stoneburner, Bootblacks, Jim Marcus (GoFight), Curse Mackey, Sapphira Vee, Melodywhore. This whole album is an emotional powerhouse and a fitting tribute to King/Louche two of the most beloved in this scene.
Adoration Destroyed – Our favorite glitter gloom rockers from Austin Tx have released a new EP with a cover of Billie Eilish “You Should See Me In A Crown” Look the young pop star has a divisive effect on the goth community, one thing that can’t be denied is she does badass hooks. Erik and Ritch have made this track positively explode. I really enjoyed the song “Tonight” as well. It has that tension building scene in an 80’s action film feel. Erik’s voice drips with oil soaked longing while crawling towards that chorus on the floor. Then everything leaps forward like a vampire in fast motion. I understand the cover was the focus of the release, but this song is the real gem.
The Ghost Of Bela Lugosi – Just when I think Vin can’t surprise me any more with his ability to zig and zag in new directions he does a perfect latin flavor deathrock. It shakes hips, it sizzles, he rides that baseline like a chopper through downtown. That cutting upstroke guitar is a blistering cadence. Vocals calling like ancestors from beyond the veil. I love everything about this song.
Then Comes Silence – The newest album Machine from the Swedish post punk stars is tight, modern, and crackling with life. Vocalist Alex Svenson has this deep rich Micheal Hutchence flavor and star appeal. The more I listen the more impressed I was by the blood pumping through every song. This is not that post punk that sits in the back of a room smoking a cigarette trying to look cool. This is that post punk jumping off the stage getting in the crowd dripping sweat and sending it’s precision out with reckless abandon.
Secret French Post Card – More greatness from Sweden, this Cold Transmission band has a new release Out Of You. A great contrast to Then Comes Silence they have a beautiful more subtle flavor. The music put me in mind of The CurePornography. Olli Ohlander voice has a great range and romantic crooning quality. Intelligent and introspective music for a cold rainy night.
Sóvárgás – Really cool Hungarian post punk sent to me from Brandon of Sonsombre, so you know it’s good. Really dynamic time changes here. That organ effect melody that floats through the background really creates movement. Crunching thick guitars give it some teeth. The vocal delivery is bottom of the well deep with an intense cadence. They only have a few tracks out but i hear a lot of potential here.
Costume – New album from the Italian electro-pop band. I’m feeling a cool art house Suzanne Vega 99 degrees vibe. Thumping base and spoken word vocals like a slow drink of whiskey. 16 tracks and quite a bit of range here. What would happen if SYZGYX got really excited and bright. This is welcome at my party at 4am.
Mašīna – Newest album from the London band Awake Again With You with a slinky trip hop vibe, but with an up tempo to dance to. I really liked the vocal harmonies here. I found this from the remix they did of Loveblind and kept coming back to the style. It’s almost a Patsy Cline beautiful love song vocal with Tricky throwing beats behind it. It’s a really captivating effect.
Keep sending me music and keep supporting bands. Next Friday Bandcamp is waiving it’s fee so artists keep all the revenue. Great time to get some new music.
This will be my third review of the Steven Archer project Stoneburner. I’m lucky to be in close contact with Steven who is a bit of a pioneer not just in music and art but also in his interaction with fans. When it comes to allowing you an inside glimpse behind the curtain of his artistic process and an active effort to engage with thoughts and questions he sets the standard. As someone who has followed closely the releases of this project I continued to be impressed by the way each offering reveals a new head of this hydra breathing a new kind of energy. Red in Tooth and Claw does this with a rolling thunder of napalm. In parallel to April’s release Massdriver , this EP follows the story of a world destroyer. This time taking the form of an enormous rampaging wolf.
This record gets back to the core concept of industrial sound for me. It is heavy breathing machinery powerful and hydraulic. I feel the struggle of two clashing forces. The rampaging fiery beast, and the indomitable will of the modern world. Building sounds and textures on top of each and releasing the tension at that essential moment are trademarks of Stoneburner. I feel the fresh element here is how clean and isolated each of those parts are as they fit into the world that was created. Instead of a blending buzzing chaos, here my ear is drawn to shining aspects, only pulling back to see the whole picture in revealing moments of power. It is music that sounds like my mind would process data.
Sounds and Shadows Podcast with Steven Archer
Red in Tooth and Claw – Open with the teeth and meat. That’s just what this EP does. The creature stalks forward, slow and deliberate. Waiting for the moment to charge. Stevens vocals ring with a clarity until those slashing claws of distortion crush down on concrete and feel the crumbling buildings give way beneath their weight. Just like an attacking animal the onslaught is furious and abrupt drawing back to view the damage.
The Wolf World – Here the beast is running fast, closing the distance, in full flight or fight mode. You can feel the muscles, and sinew expanding and contracting. The wind rushing through fur. The hunger on the breath. The vocals build in chanting cadence with the pounding guitar in a Psalm 69 feel. Unbridled aggression and boundless freedom.
And All Things End – Here the heavy breath of post battle. I see a broken field of bones and ruin. A chance to observe the destruction of a world and the birth of a new one. The simple but powerful beat change really changes the tone and matches the vocals with a more melodic and introspective quality.
My Love is Never Ending – I love the change up to a dance beat feel. Again taking ideas and sounds which are familiar in old school industrial. Just taking that armor plating and giving it spikes and flamethrowers. This song has what i think of as night driving power. That song you put on when you are rolling down Woodwood avenue in Detroit at 1am with the window down feeling the wind hit your face. It’s a drastic break from the other songs on the EP and one that adds a needed contrast. Something to sharpen the other edges.
I’m Not Done – Who is the Alpha? What is made of cloth? How do you say you’re sorry? And there’s nothing to be afraid of
This is a cover of Swedish band Fever Ray off their self titled record from 2009. It’s a powerful closer where the drums have an intricate use of sounds that hold melody beyond the percussion. Steven uses a seldom heard vocal style with an almost Peter Gabriel quality. For this in spite of being a cover it ended up being such a powerful track for me.
Original Fever Ray version of I’m Not Done
In closing Stoneburner continues to find a way to make me more of a fan with every release I hear. This is no small feat. At the rate Steven is putting out art and music the true fear is stagnation. So far I see nothing but a boundless energy to charge in new directions at full steam. I feel envious whenever I hear a new Stoneburner release because it seems to never feel like the last offering was enough. Always reading, researching, refining, growing, that hunger inside Steven to find a new story and a better way to feel it never gets quenched. As long as that keeps being true, I will keep telling you that you need to buy this record. You need to buy this record.
Newest release from British electronic indie soul Empathy Test has once again hit the mark and rocketed beyond it. Isaac Howlett, Adam Relf, Christina ‘Chrisy’ Lopez, and Oliver Marson have tapped into a world brimming with tension and isolation to strike a chord with beauty. This follow up to the 2019 EP Empty Handed is a creative stride forward as well as a more complete offering. Also this record was crowd funded and done totally DIY. For this highly anticipated album I thought it might be fun to pull in a few or our writers and get some different perspectives on howMonsters effected us.
Ken – This album has crisp body moving drums. Smoke slithering synth lines that build castles which sparkle. What really strikes me is how easily I forget all the layers and textures. Just to zero in on the singer/songwriter core of these tracks. The power and familiarity of the lyrics. The way the songs would be great songs on an acoustic guitar, or with a full band . It’s hard enough to achieve one or the other, when both happen at the same time in isolation it’s a powerful magic.
Damien – I was hooked on this record within seconds. The vocals are absolutely beautiful and I don’t know if I have ever loved the way drums sound on a record more than I have on this one. It felt like the ether reached out to me with this record, shook me around and said you need to have this record in your life.
Katy – This album is a synthwave banger from the first smash on the drums. The amount of energy behind each note is enough to power a city. This album is cinematic without being a score. I love it when an album creates vivid imagery with sound. When I listened through this album, I kept imagining myself in a world lit up like “Tron” but inhabited by the beings of “Labyrinth”.
Technical Feel:
Ken – Dare I say masterful mastering? The vocals on every song just ring in such perfect clarity. They sit on the front of the mix perfectly without seeing where they end and the music begins. The percussion really changes the tone on each song. Those snares are crisp. Really effective use of marching cadence and rarely used beat patterns. They synths are vibrant like watercolors behind a character. 1st rate execution.
Damien– The drums on this whole record sound huge. From start to finish the percussion drives this whole record. The vocals sound perfect. Layers are added and subtracted with precision. I particularly love the way instrumentation swells in this record to slowly build transitions so the feel as huge as they sound.
Katy– The mixing and mastering of this album is incredible. The amount of dryness and saturation creates such an emotionally evocative feeling for each song. The amount of reverb on the vocals and instruments creates a constant hugeness that they’ve perfected. The beats used are addictive. You won’t be able to sit still. The synths used throughout have such a classic synth-pop sound that is much appreciated. It’s utilized so perfectly to create the feel and carry the song with seamless flare added throughout. I love it when a band uses electronic drums and live drums. This is top-tier and perfectly synced up.
What did it make you feel:
Ken – This one really took me on an adventure. I had highs, lows, moments of doubt, moments of elation. It had hooks, and had that shake that ass factor. I think more than anything this record made me feel in on a secret. It’s very personal yet easy to access emotionally. That true inspiration of an indie album. Something to share that you know everyone would be into, but they aren’t in on it yet, and you are.
Damien– I felt motivated when I heard this record. I’ve been wrapped in my own material for the last week nonstop and as soon as I heard this I felt like someone set the bar. The lyrical content is exceptionally potent and the way the drums, bass and synth all come together sent me back to the drawing board eager to step my game up. This is a masterwork, if you’re an aspiring artist or a casual listener this record is absolutely compelling.
Katy– This album is relatable in content and driving instrumentally. It made me feel like I wanted to dance and move while contemplating my relationship, my friendships, society, and more. There were things that are so hard to say that this album dictated so perfectly. It’s got tracks you can blare from your boombox on someone’s lawn if you want to make a statement about love. It’s got tracks that make you want to get all sweaty at a rave during. There are some songs you may want to listen to alone in your room with the lights off. There are even some songs great for road-trip playlists when you want to get hit with waves of beautiful sounds.
Monsters:
Ken – Opening the album with the title track and those powerful snapping snare hits. I’ve felt the daylight creeping in, and thought maybe it’s time to go. The vocals are elegant and cutting. When the chorus drops it’s a smashing wall of sound done with driving weight instead of distortion. What a strong way to open a record.
Damien – THIS IS HOW YOU START AN ALBUM! This track absolutely slaps. It reached through the cosmos and grabbed me. I knew I was in for the full ride this record had to offer within seconds of hearing those drums. This track absolutely slaps. It is quite possibly one of the best side one track one’s you’ll ever hear and I’m willing to be the test of time will side with me on this one. This track absolutely slaps! I honestly felt floored it hit me so hard.
Katy– First track and I was sold. I needed to hear more. I needed to know what this band was all about. The tempo of the track is a fast-paced stroll and the initial feel is like it’s the perfect track to walk around on a sunny day and feel awesome while listening to. When the vocals start, my heart absolutely melted. The story is about having the “monsters” creeping back in and sensing that it’s having an effect on whatever is happening in the story pushing the storyteller to feel compelled to leave. It’s something that is so relatable and so real. I agree with Ken. This was a strong start to the album that kept me thinking well after the track ended.
Doubts:
Ken- This song transports me to a place. The image where this conversation takes place Then those drums take a marching cadence and build “There is no substitute for love, no feeling tell me when you’ve had enough” This is a great song for showing the synthesis Empathy Test achieves. Pulling from familiar sounds that are far from each other and blending them in ration to create a fresh idea.
Damien– The beginning of this song is downright ominous. The ebb and flow of the synths and drums take me to a dark place emotionally when it comes to love. This track reminds me of times when I’ve been upset with a lover and felt confrontational about it. Somehow still lusting for them despite the agony they were putting me through. Desperate to resolve conflict find a passionate embrace but not being satiated or satisfied.
Katy – I love this track. Ken said it best. When you listen to it, you’ll be transplanted to a place and tells a story with its instrumentation alone. The drums start as a march guiding you to a lonely sounding chorus. When the drums come back in during the second verse, they have a tribal feel that made me feel like I wanted to dance with my entire body at a rave. I kept having this mental music video playing those drums would kick of sweat and fire and strobes. I love it.
Empty Handed:
Ken– I love when a song tells me a story. This track feels so full of narrative. The vocal lines stack on top of each other expertly. The continuous synths ringing like bells to create movement. This track is a gentler one pulling back the tension.
Damien – I love the slow build of this song. I can honestly feel the animosity build slowly through vocal delivery and the urgency of the drums. As The Duchess already commented on, this song very clearly tells a story. It’s a story of scorn, lament, and anguish. Lyrically it feels like narrator was used and through the course of this song is slowly beginning to realize it but they’re not the type to just let it go.
Katy – This song is incredibly visual with the lyrics and the story is haunting. Instrumentally, the song is perfectly orchestrated to carry the story along. It’s mostly minor with arpeggiators adding to the rhythm that conveys loss and obsession. The drums and rhythmic synths gave me nervous energy. I felt tense, but not uncomfortable.
Incubation Song:
Ken – Sweeping gentle builder that resonates waves until the vocals fill the space breathing and warm. Asking to be obliterated and made new like a phoenix. I like how it never stops growing, just expanding and becoming larger.
Damien – This song has a more sunny disposition. It is very aptly titled as the song begins slowly and blossoms. The way the vocals are delivered, particularly when she sings “consume me” leave me longing to be devoured with affection. The hook is downright intoxicating. I love how the last chorus builds into an absolutely mega instrumental section and then slowly lets you go at the end. It’s done in a way that makes you want to listen to the track all over again.
Katy – This song makes me swoon. This track is uplifting from beginning to end. It keeps building into this huge, beautiful, orchestral piece until it ends. I loved this track because it’s chorus is such a great hook with such a positive feeling behind it. The way it’s sung is enough to keep it stuck in your head for days, but the words won’t be escaping my mind anytime soon.
Skin:
Ken – I try not to do too much comparison to past bands. However this track in particular has such a vibe of Radiohead “The Bends” which I consider one of the most important of the 90’s. Not so much the sound, although there is a bit of that. It’s the soul, the isolation, and the introspection. Capturing that very human aspect of being more than one thing at a time. It lends an honestly to the song. The insecurity, blended with a courage. This was the track for me I just couldn’t let go of. Maybe it speaks to my current isolation.
Damien – The open progression to this song is absolutely gorgeous. The drums are a constant thumping rhythm that cascade beautifully with the lyrics until that subtle rest when the song transitions. The way the instrumentation drops out in this song in sections really make it feel absolutely epic. It builds slowly until a climax at the end and fades out beautifully.
Katy – This song makes me think of a dreamy place with 60’s go-go dancers. The synths are light and airy, but the drums make you want to dance. It made me feel like I was at a party in a cloud. The vocals have a kind of romance behind them, but convey a relatable story about having a hard time in your own skin. I love it when songs have a feeling that leans one way, but vocals that tell a story that makes you feel the opposite when you really hear them.
Love Moves:
Ken – Not sure if everyone feels this way, to me, writing a genuine love song is the hardest thing to do. To not sound cheesy, or forced. The beauty of this track is striking. It really seems to dance on the edge of the razor to pull it off. Plus it’s such a pretty song.
Damien – The first word I can think of with the starting feel to this track is sultry. It elicits low-light imagery of two slightly sweaty bodies eager to get lost in each other. Lyrically, this one seriously hit me in the feels. I’m always a zero to ninety when it comes to matters of the heart. Without question this song absolutely nails the feeling you get when your soul cosmically binds with another. There’s a twinge of melancholy in the track that leads me to feel that this is just as much about losing that love as it is experiencing it. Sheer perfection.
Katy – This song starts and has a sexy vibe to it. This dream-pop song is a banger with a slower tempo and an overall blissful atmosphere. The synths and drums provide an optimistic feeling behind a heavier underlying theme. Though the song isn’t meant to be sad, it feels very much like a direct message to someone saying that love moves. It chooses a pace and moves forward, it changes locations, and sometimes… it changes its intent.
Closing Thoughts:
Ken – I’m pretty staggered by this record. I listen to so much dark music now a days and this whole record felt fresh. It’s expertly done from a production stand point. That’s not what really sold it for me. It’s the song writing. I really feel like you could play these songs in any style imaginable and they would stand up. In a world broken down into tiny boxes and genres, these are just good songs. So i feel pretty confident saying no matter what your preferred sound, you need this record.
Damien – I’m absolutely shook. Every so often I get hit with a record that just feels important. The last time I felt this with a record was with the Japandroids “Celebration Rock” in 2012. That is of course, not counting every Noel Gallagher release that makes me feel that way. This is going to be my top contender for album of the year. You can feel every track. Everything sounds amazing throughout the whole record and you can tell that this is an artist’s labor of love.
Katy – It’s hard not to get hypnotized by this album. I can’t tell you which track is my favorite because I can’t choose. There were so many aspects of this album that I really enjoyed. I’m a sucker for a good synth-based dream-pop album, but this album is like the gold standard for the genre.
These tiny beings that we let into our lives change us in ways we cannot imagine. The relationships we build are the supporting blocks of our existence. That which gives it perspective and texture. When my three year old cat Freyja was diagnosed with a very aggressive cancer in her leg the full power of how much we invest in our tiny companions really struck me. My fear of a future without her and the big questions of how to proceed. What that would mean weighed heavy on my soul. Cats were once worshiped by the Egyptians and many cultures as deities. There is no other creature save humans that truly embodies the idea of pride and love. When I created the review page Sounds and Shadows I found in my love for new music the power in hearing and understanding the lives of the artists who make it and shared that with people around the world. In these dark moments with Freja’s life hanging on a knife edge these artists who I had woven a connection with reached out to me and ask “How can I help?” This was an affirmation which touched me to my core at a time I needed most to believe in the importance of those around me. From around the world they came together in collaboration and kindness to offer their time, their art, and their charity. Freyja required an amputation of her leg which was successful and I am happy to announce saved her and left her the same glorious, loving ball of warm energy as she was before, albeit on three legs. The cost of her operation was quite substantial but it was a sacrifice worth making for my tiny goddess. Buying this compilation of songs contributed by dear friends is directly funding Freja’s care and operation. Any additional funds beyond direct medical costs will be donated to a non kill shelter charity to help other animals in need. A special thank you to Pete Burns for the immense task of mastering the compilation. Cate McFarland for the wonderful cover art which I feel really captures the concept. Slade Templeton for releasing it. Collin Schipper for being my rock and helping me put it together. As well as William Zimmerman for helping me promote. To anyone who has ever written a song, recorded it, and released it, you know how much effort goes into each one. How much love I have for all the artists below is hard to put into words. I never could have imagined something so beautiful and powerful could arise from this dark event. I hope it’s power touches you and reminds you to pay a special homage to your tiny God today.
Also Here is the podcast Part 1 where we discuss the first 8 tracks
I wanted to do a quick breakdown of all the artists who contributed a song to save my baby. When I look at the list of the amount of talent here it is a bit staggering. We had submissions from all over the world and quite a few collaborations of people who never knew each other before this project.
Lorelei Dreaming – (Edge of the World Dj Senseless mix) Chicago based dystopian electro dance. Comprised of Laura and AJ remixed by Madison WI’s Dj Senseless. This song is such a different sound for Lorelei Dreaming, it was the perfect opener with it’s emotional swell.
2. Amaranth – (For Freyja) Goth/Industrial/Synth Rock from Kalamazoo MI. That’s us 🙂 I had some really deep emotions that needed uncorking with this song. Collin wrote a great song way out of our normal wheelhouse including Derick on a mandolin and Kam with some very delicate brushwork. It’s the loudest I ever screamed in anguish on a song. Hope you enjoy it.
3. A Covenant of Thorns the lovely sweeping romantic goth synth from near Chicago. What an amazing voice with this song remixed by Chicago Rock/Industrial super group The Joy Thieves. This is my favorite ACOT song and I don’t know how I could have liked it more. Enter Dan Milligan, this remix found another level of what I already loved in beauty and clarity.
4. Corlyx – England by way of LA and Berlin glitter grunge electronic duo remixed by EDM Industrial noise mechanics Electronic Substance Abuse (ESA). This song Deform is such a wonderful combination of both styles. Caitlin’s voice is ethereal and airy, floating through the void when the creeping digital build starts burrowing into your mind.
5. Antipole – Norwegian post punk revivalist of Karl Morten Dahl. Ft Paris Alexander and Eirene are experts of taking what is glorious of the past and making it rise again into the present. They are the most reviewed band in Sounds and Shadows history and true masters of the music craft. This song is such a different flavor for them and one I immediately fell in love with. That same signature Karl guitar but with this crisp sizzling dance beat. Together with Eirene’s smokey sultry voice it’s a real burner.
6. Ego Likeness – Maryland dark rock industrial duo of Steven and Donna have been such an important part of this scene for decades. This Dräcos Deep remix by Sombre‘ of the song Darkness really places a cool highlight on Donna’s voice and a crisp dance beat.
7. Machinery of Desire – Traditional goth rock of Adrian Auchrome. I trade music back and forth with Adrian often. I say as no light sentence I think this is the best song I ever heard from them. I was touched beyond belief that they shared it with me for the compilation. The vocals really cut loose and highlighted their unique and romantic darkness. Gentle crawling guitar lines of piercing intensity.
8. Adoration Destroyed – The glamour gloom stars of Austin TX remixed by Philly’s Authentic Impulse. I really liked the way Erik’s voice sits on the bouncing glitchy effects and pounding drum beats. AD does such a great job on remixes themselves it was really cool to see what William was able to do with their song.
9. Crying Vessel – Swiss dark glam star Slade Templeton gets a double credit here. Both for this amazing song remixed by Dead Agent, but also for helping me release the compilation. Ed Finkler (Dead Agent) did a sizzling breakneck dance song and let Slade’s voice ride on top like the crest of a wave. Such wonderful movement and balance. This was a beautiful team up that happened for the first time on this compilation.
10. I Ya Toyah – Chicago’s one woman sonic explosion Ania has been remixed here by Arcontas Blank for her single Code Blue. This sizzles with her intense soul and some intricate and beautiful synth pad work. I really love how varied and dynamic the different sounds used here are.
11. Twin Tribes – (Dark Crystal) The lovely princes of Texas darkwave. Twin Tribes was the first band we reviewed for Sounds and Shadows and they remain one of the bands that inspires me in the modern scene. This track is a beautiful, swirling ritual of emotion and pageant. The future is so bright for this band.
12. Radiograph – (Catnipped) This is the solo project of John Edwards Palais Ideal in the Netherlands. I love this sizzling disco prog synth with a early New Order guitar line. Palais Ideal is always finding ways to step outside the box of what post punk could be.
13. Caustic – (Fuck that Fascist Beat) Silverwalks Remix – Madison WI old school Industrial/EDM brings an intense shoulder tackle political hailstorm. Remixed in a smoother synth slither dance style by Pennsylvania based Silver Walks. This track slams so hard both in your mind, and in dat ass.
14. Seven Federations – (Syzygy) – North Dakota based goth Industrial full of rolling bluesy soul and electronic glitch. I love how hard it is to classify what I am hearing. This song has a really cool sample/spoken word effect that reminds me of 90’s VAST.
15. Vlimmer – (Schnittstelle) – Alexander’s Berlin based ambiant darkwave project is a masterclass in structure and sound creation. The rate and quality of the music he puts out never ceases to amaze me. This song is a intense and terrifying well of emotion and abstract prism to twist the mind.
16. Dogtablet – (Showtime Melodywhore Slave Remix) – The project of industrial titans Jared Louche (Chemlab) and Martin King (Test Dept) created this wondrous album based on the concept of totemism. Every track feels like a different creature embodied. This track is a sultry triphop prancing creature of grace and agility. It has a very feline quick quality.
17. Kiss of the Whip – ( The Pain is Ours) – I have been a fan of the Baltimore based retro synth weavers on Cold Transmission for a while now. Beautiful familiar feels with modern edge and a layered beauty. This track is a roller coaster of peaks and valleys gliding though a rainbow landscape of color.
18. Steven Archer – (The Showroom) – The amazing artist of (Ego Likeness and Stoneburner) appear once again showing his range in this synth prog builder. I really love how different his vocals come across in this song. Theatrical and with a Nick Cave flare. What is it he can’t do?
19. Cliff and Ivy – (Will to the Power) – Alaska’s darkest couple have been creating batcave punk fueled witchcraft for over a decade. It is raw, fierce, and intelligent. I love the drive and bloody claws of this track. Ivy and Cliff really show the power of two people in perfect lockstep making eachothers art stronger.
20. Orcus Nullify – (March of the Lost) – South Carolina’s Bruce Nullify creates a brand of unapologetic terrifying rumble of old school death rock. I love the over the top imagery and slashing guitars. I feel like this track perfectly captured that style but with a focused clarity which added extra weight and power.
21. Ritchual – (You Lied) – Austin TX based Ritch Napierkowski of Adoration Destroyed and Nimbus has done this synthwave solo project and it is absolutely lights out. This song could have been a missing track on Depeche Mode “Sounds of Faith and Devotion” Just a delicious dark ear candy jam.
22. Sister Sarin – (Split) – Baltimore Percussion specialist Hemlock has done this solo project where she weaves intricate texture and pulsing drum beats to create lovely isolated sonic paintings. This song has a driving dance beat and saber slash keyboard melodies to create an instrumental full of movement and dynamics.
23. Swansect – (Clovermouth) – Norwegian noise artists Adrian Kjosnes of Missfit Toys and writer for Sounds and Shadows unleashes this terrifying and avant garde solo project. It has this brimming intense Goblins feel of sinister noise and stealthy builds. This track is a haunting horror movie soundtrack to grab your nightmares with it’s claws and leave you screaming for more.
11 Grams – (DNA) Half Washington DC half Australia the industrial electronica dance floor lords have been a part of this scene for a long time and always bring the highest level of precision and technique. This track is a slow dark builder that crackles with life and a whisper that draws you in.
Sombre’ – French post punk with a very cool organic world beat feel. They always remind me a bit of the Happy Mondays. Cedric has a resonant and soothing voice and the baselines always really drive. Here he does a wonderful remix of Ego Likeness. I really love how Donna’s vocals are highlighted here.
Band: Karl Kave
