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.
Radio Shows Mentioned Above 🙂
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.
https://dogtablet.bandcamp.com/album/muscle-bone-the-remixes
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.
https://adorationdestroyed.bandcamp.com/album/you-should-see-me-in-a-crown
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.
https://ghostoflugosi.bandcamp.com/album/dia-de-los-muertos
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.
https://thencomessilence.bandcamp.com/album/machine
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 Cure Pornography. Olli Ohlander voice has a great range and romantic crooning quality. Intelligent and introspective music for a cold rainy night.
https://thesecretfrenchpostcards.bandcamp.com/album/out-of-you
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.
https://bigmanleacock.bandcamp.com/track/m-gis-megtal-lt-az-sz
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.
MaÅ¡Ä«na – 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.
https://masina.bandcamp.com/?fbclid=IwAR07sowinA8nq7eMWgQ2L42bq3R9jWFL7ToMqA_dUbnMupV7IA0hx8VK-LI
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.