Tag: En Esch

Wicked Hot Darkscene Jams to Chase away the November Chill

on By

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

I’m Clean | Bombay Gasoline

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.

The Best of the Remixes | NOIR

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.

Paralyzed (Feat. MATT HART) | NORMORIA

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.

Dance Hall Putsch | EN ESCH

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.

Vampire Vs Zombie (Double Feature) | Die Robot

Sounds and Shadows March 2023 Darkscene Singles Chart

Featured By

Yes I know this is coming very late. I unfortunately got wrapped up in my own bullshit this month and didn’t release this in a timely matter. Nor opened voting for the month of April. However, better late than never, these are the top 10 songs voted on by our group of Artists/Djs/reviewers/Lables/and Superfans released in the Month of March. No pay to play, just your votes on great darkwave music.

  1. Lockjaw – Annihilove
  2. Dead Cool – Stranger Kind
  3. Giant Monsters On The Horizon – Secret or a Lie Featuring Arden and the Wolves
  4. Unitcode:machine – Undone (Aesthetic Perfection Remix)
  5. Eva X – Virtualsexual (Braindance Mix)
  6. Kill Shelter and Death Loves Veronica – Sex Tape
  7. En Esch – Push –
  8. Ritual Howls – Dark Ceiling In Tennessee
  9. Self Titled Album – Economic Housing Anxieties​(​STA Mix)
  10. Dread Risks – Machine Identity (in the walls mix by God Module)
  1. Lockjaw – Annihilove – Excited to see a band new to the group and from Milwaukee grab the number one spot with their first single on the chart. Look for an upcoming interview I did with Medavon we will release soon. I was drawn in right away by this lean wolf, untamed wilderness goth. It has a wonderful stalking hungry Iggy Pop feel synthesized with electronic beats. Lockjaw has had some previous success playing with some big names in the scene. Returning with a vengeance of hard rock riffs and recklessly revolving percussion I will be paying close attention to the project going forward.

Annihilove | Lockjaw (bandcamp.com)

2) DEAD COOL – Stranger Kind – Wilmington death pop duo makes their return to this chart with a sizzling new retro trance song with 8bit major motion digital drive and Johnny’s wide beam vocals and lyrical painting. I love the brushstroke of Angela’s phonograph spoken word line.

Stranger Kind | DEAD COOL (bandcamp.com)

3) Giant Monsters on the Horizon – Secret or a Lie Featuring Arden and the Wolves – Glorious across the continent collaboration from St Louis to California. Cyberpunk electronica band Giant Monsters On the Horizon lay down a FILTHY beat that twists and writhes to lay a pathway for my favorite vocal performance by Arden. Something about their voice always feels like lashing motion. The dynamics and venom of this glowing green delivery make every line hit home. Total Banger.

Secret or a Lie Featuring Arden and the Wolves | Giant Monsters on the Horizon (bandcamp.com)

4) unitcode:machine – Undone (Aesthetic Perfection Remix) – Texas native Eric Kristoffer has been on an absolute tear this year. Singing with COP, releasing this instant classic hit with 3 legends doing remixes. Daniel Graves absolutely crushed this slowly unspooling the story and highlighting a premier vocal talent in the modern scene. Pay attention to this future star.

Undone (Aesthetic Perfection Remix) | unitcode:machine (bandcamp.com)

5) INSULIN SHOCKS – Eva X – Virtualsexual (Braindance Mix) – British Colombia Cyberrave single featuring Gaby of Eva X. She delivers this lovely terrifying AI choir you expect to hear right before the machines take over. Let yourself be assimilated, resistance is futile.

Virtualsexual (Braindance Mix) | Eva X | INSULIN SHOCKS (bandcamp.com)

6)  Kill Shelter & Death Loves Veronica – Sex Tape – Everything Pete does will be at the top of my buy list. Add in the smokey embodiment of a David Lynch film in sonic form Veronica Campbell. You have an instant recipe for a delicious sensual club banger. The craft displayed for every subtitle detail in song writing. Veronica’s temptress whisper. Nothing better than a song that starts a conversation while slapping this hard. You need this.

Sex Tape | Kill Shelter & Death Loves Veronica | Kill Shelter (bandcamp.com)

7) EN ESCH – Push – Industrial legend En Esch collaborates with Gabriel Lennox newly on Give/Take with a rawkus 90’s industrial sound with a tent revival spiritual chant. I love the vocal layers and resonant clarity breaking the standard of the industrial roots. That clear breakdown at 4 minutes in particular is an absolutel gem.

Push | EN ESCH (bandcamp.com)

8) Ritual Howls – Dark Ceiling In Tennessee – A different sound for the Detroit band. Personally I am loving this darkwave jangling spurs Violator vibe. Around 1:30 a flaming sword guitar lead cuts the tension. Paul Bancell fully embraces classic goth Baritone, which strikes the mark freshly against the digital chainsaw static. Personally this is my favorite Ritual Howls to date.

Dark Ceiling In Tennessee | Ritual Howls (bandcamp.com)

9) Self Titled Album – Economic Housing Anxieties​(​STA Mix) – Wonderful to see the Utah band back on out single charts. I have tried and describing Self Titled Album is always a Herculean effort. It is deeply honest and vulnerable spoken poetry in a psychedelic haze and electronic glide. A complex mixture i am glad our group reconizes and appreciates.

Economic Housing Anxieties(STA Mix) | Self Titled Album (bandcamp.com)

10) Dread Risks – Machine Identity (in the walls mix by God Module) – My favorite Doomdustrial from Texas remixed by God Module and released on Re:Mission Records. I love everything about this sentence. Jason Bangert really adds a slippery wetness to Dread Risks usually boot stomping destructive power. If your club isn’t working this into your local dance night you are being done a disservice.

Machine Identity (in the walls mix by God Module) | Dread Risks | Re:Mission Entertainment (bandcamp.com)

January Sounds and Shadows Darkscene Singles Chart

Featured By

A new year has started and we are already flooded with amazing releases. Tons of legendary bands are coming out for one final farewell tour or album. Here at S & S we like to focus on the new and fresh. The hot singles of the darkscene not showing up in more reputable charts. All of these singles were voted on by our group of Artists/Djs/Promotors/Reviewers/Superfans. If you have a single releasing in February go to the Sounds and Shadows Facebook group and submit 🙂

  1. Beborn Beton – Dancer In The Dark – (Germany)
  2. Astari Nite – Bowie In Daydreams – (Miami Florida)
  3. Vazum – Night Shade – (Detroit Michigan)
  4. Scary Black – Everything Rots (Louisville KY)
  5. Iamnoone – King Of Pain (Italy)
  6. En Esch – ET NOS UNUM SUMUS – (Berlin Germany)
  7. Klack – New Buildings – (Madison Wisconsin)
  8. Cerulean Veins – Love Won’t Save Us Now (San Diego, California)
  9. Leaether Strip – Last Station – (Vegger, Denmark)
  10. Dissonance – I Don’t Like Who You Are – (Dallas, Texas)
  1. Beborn Beton – Dancer In The Dark – A new year, a new #1 finish for the German darksynth destroyers. This single will crawl into your ears and live there for a week. Pure crooning spun sugar by Stefan Netschio this album really can’t arrive soon enough but the release date is March 17, 2023.

Dancer In The Dark | Beborn Beton (bandcamp.com)

2) Astari Nite – Bowie In Daydreams – What a beautiful tribute to the thin white Duke. It’s sassy, it’s fantastical, and Mychael really captured the Star Man attitude. I feel like I just took a swing around the sun.

Bowie In Daydreams | Astari Nite (bandcamp.com)

3) VAZUM – Night Shade – Detroit Cold Fi duo with this new unseely court fairy driving banger with a nice lyrical shade thrown. They always bring something creative and against the grain of the scene status quo. Loving how vocal forward the harmony is on the chorus.

Night Shade | VAZUM (bandcamp.com)

4) SCARY BLACK – Everything Rots – Every time I hear something new from Albie, I get genuinely mad he isn’t apart of every discussion of the biggest names of modern darkscene. This single is TERRIFYING. The emotional projectile vomit of dark viscus sound is staggering. The first time I played it my hands were shaking. If you love goth music, please go listen to one of the best artists of the last 10 years making it.

Everything Rots | SCARY BLACK (bandcamp.com)

5) iamnoone – kind of pain – Before I even get to this single by the Italian Cold Transmission Music duo, I have to address this amazing cover art. Something about the texture of it just haunts me. The new single and video is a lovely bouncing shadow disco with a bit of Peter Hook Revenge energy and teardrop synth chimes ala The Cure. Grab a cup of tea, this song, and raindrops streaking down the window.

kind of pain | iamnoone (bandcamp.com)

6) EN ESCH – ET NOS UNUM SUMUS – This track is a little outside what I think of as darkscene singles, but it is such an interesting concept by the industrial legend I am ecstatic it was chosen. To really appreciate you have to read the liner notes. An immersive thought piece with brilliant high hats.

It’s based on a very special and unique concept and sound installation I created for the Berlin government, “Kulturprojekte Berlin”.  A stand alone musical piece that is something completely original and inspired – every known national anthem playing together at the same moment. 206 national anthems playing at the same time!

The Untied Nations has 193 member states and I also added the anthems of observers and known non-members.

The German Esch lyrics in the beginning and at the end are taken from the poem “An die Freude” (Ode to Joy) written by German poet and playwright Friedrich Schiller in 1785.

The other lyrics written by me are translated into Japanese and spoken by Keiko Yoshida, translated into Polish and spoken by “fdisk@interia” an internet friend of mine I that I have been unable to contact (please contact me, I want to credit you correctly) and the English part is performed by Sylvia J. Carrasquillo.

ET NOS UNUM SUMUS | EN ESCH (bandcamp.com)

7) Klack / Inconscio Viola Split EP – New Buildings – So in spite of being one of my favorite team ups in EDM music Matt and Eric, this one flew a little under my radar. It was a spit EP on New York label SYNTHICIDE with Inconscio Viola. First thing I notice, it has MORE cowbell, I have immediately bought in. Trademark razor samples and Matt’s cascading growl. Stomp your boots and join the Klack. What if we made the whole track the breakdown?

Klack – New Buildings | SYNTHICIDE (bandcamp.com)

8) Cerulean Veins – Love Won’t Save Us Now – Now I must admit I was not familiar with the San Diego band but they are definitely here now. Lovely pounding late Mission style goth rock with a great ringing anthem chorus. Crisp charging builds mastered to perfection by the always on point Pete Burns.

Love Won’t Save Us Now | Cerulean Veins

9) Leaether Strip – Last Station – With absolutely no surprise for anyone, Claus Larsen releases this shimmering crystalline EDM modern classic as a tribute to Kurt. Poetry, pain, love, I may have misted up a bit.

Last Station | Leaether Strip (bandcamp.com)

10) Dissonance – I Don’t Like Who You Are – Cat is a singular vocal talent that draws in top collaborators like moths to the flame. On this particular track it is Jon Van Herrman and Rath Campbell. I love this new broken glass edge to Cat’s captivating vocals. It distracts you with shine, right before the knife slides between your ribs.

I Don’t Like Who You Are | Dissonance (bandcamp.com)