Browsing Tag

darkwave

Alien Al and the Juperoids welcome you to the future of dystopic pop with their standout single, Alice.

Posted on 21 September 2021

After a successful debut with their single, Probe, the electronic space rock outfit Alien Al and the Juperoids, fronted by actor and singer Alyx Nazir, have released their ground-breaking self-titled debut album.

The perfect introduction to their conceptual, expressionist style is the pop track, Alice, which starts with the same arresting atmosphere of existential sci-fi films that welcome you into cold dystopic futures. Through the eerie progressions, the single picks up some more archetypal pop tendencies along the way before a frenetic rock outro. In the strangest and most beautiful way, Alien Al and the Juperoids prove the value and warmth of music in our embittered world through Alice.

The debut album from Alien Al is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Narcissists have made their psychedelically jarring post-punk debut with their EP, Conflict.

Posted on 10 September 2021

The Narcissists claim to be the best thing to have come out of Australia’s Capital City’; based on their debut EP, Conflict, it is safe to say that many noise-rock fans would be inclined to agree.

The lead single, Alcohol, creates a jarring introduction to The Narcissists’ sound that is just as nefarious as their moniker. The extended prelude finds itself on the darker and dingier side of no-wave as the 3-piece weaves in elements of post-punk and psych-rock. While the remaining duration of the 7-minute single toys with your rhythmic pulses as you’re shunted through unpredictable progressions and left at the mercy of The Narcissists tumultuous furore.

Their debut EP was released on September 10th; you can check it out for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

That Dreamy World: Welsh DJ Keltech takes us to an exciting planet on ‘Off Grid’

Posted on 29 June 2021

With a breathtaking tone that enters your mind as it reminds you of a thrilling movie that you can’t stop enjoying, DJ Keltech marvelously takes us really far away from this stressful madness to totally reinvigorate ourselves gloriously on ‘Off Grid’.

DJ Keltech is an experienced synthwave, cyberpunk and darkwave scratch DJ and music producer from beautiful Wales in the United Kingdom. He makes that thumping music full of tasty intrigue – that spices up your day – and put that little bit of hotness back into your hungry tongue.

”Influenced by the sounds of John Carpenter’s bleak analog horror scores and Stranger Things” – Keltech

”His eclectic background in Hip Hop, turntablism, electronic music and film scoring give him quite a solid foundation for capturing that nostalgic vibe.” – Keltech

‘Off Grid‘ from the wonderful wizard Welsh scratch DJ DJ Keltech, shows us a place where we need to be, as its miles away from the current affairs which dogs the world back into its undesirable kennel. He has a terrific ability to show us what we are all feeling in music creation art form, as this talented DJ takes us into his flashy car to hide us from what is really going on outside. This is a powerful song that smashes through the windows willingly, to slide our minds into a good place again.

Stream this fiery new single on Soundcloud and see more via the IG music page.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Another World: London-based darkwave producer Daverage J. Normal takes us to an exciting planet above on ‘Dark Stars’

Posted on 21 June 2021

With his much-anticipated upcoming EP ‘General Dysfunction‘ lacing up for action soon, Daverage J. Normal takes us to a planet far away from this strange world that we find ourselves stuck in with ‘Dark Stars‘.

Daverage J. Normal aka DJN, is a creative London, England-based space-driven synthwave electronic music producer and bassist, who fantastically fuses retro-futuristic music into our hungry souls to immerse head-first into.

”Inspiration is mostly just cooking away in the back of my mind and from noodling around with synths, generally leaning towards a retro-futuristic and science fiction vibe. I have a very simple process, power on, mess about, oh, I like that, let’s evolve it..” – Daverage J. Normal

‘Dark Stars‘ from the superb London-based electronic darkwave/cyberpunk music producer and bassist Daverage J. Normal, shows us brilliantly upwards to a new place that full of life and promise. The blazing electronica is dazzling and pulsating throughout, you feel like this might be the perfect fire dance music and get lost easily into this terrific creation. The dark elements capture your vivid imagination and things get more intense as the song heats up, putting your headache at ease and helping you bathe in pure water, that is full of crystals and healing energies.

This is what excellent electronic music sounds like in 2021.

Stream this buzzing new single on Spotify and see more on his IG page.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Simulated Youth smashes the premise of the totalitarian state with his dark electro track, ‘Ghost in the Machine’.

Posted on 14 May 2021

Phoenix, Arizona-based dark electronica artist and producer Simulated Youth has switched up his sound from his previous releases, N.B.T. and Kill the Messenger by introducing a galvanising urban twist. With rap bars flowing as veraciously as his euphorically-swamped signature beats in Ghost in the Machine, fans of trance to harsh industrial electronica alike will want to pay attention.

As with all of Simulated Youth’s tracks, Ghost in the Machine is so much more than a smorgasbord of adrenalizing sound; the mix falls on the very valid anxieties of our surveillance state. We may be in the midst of an Orwellian nightmare, but at least we have apt anthems which thrash and slap in the face of dystopic oppression and totalitarian control.

Of all the artists I’ve heard breaking through this year, no other artist holds as much promise, authenticity and escapism from the bleakness of our current socio-political structures as Simulated Youth.

Ghost in the Machine is now available to stream along with the rest of Simulated Youth’s 2021 EP via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Vex Message slams the surveillance state with their darkwave earworm, ‘Data Regime’

Posted on 13 April 2021
Vex Message

If you share Vex Message’s hatred of our surveillance state, you’ll definitely want to introduce yourself to the earworm which resides in their latest darkwave post-punk release, ‘Data Regime’.

Vex Message may be fresh on the scene, but founding member, Derek Meins, was formerly part of Rough Trade-signed Eastern Lane, The Famous Poet and The Agitator. They brought all of their rhythmically astute professionalism to Data Regime; an unforgettably catchy hit that allows their enigmatic personality to shine through.

If you could imagine what it would sound like if Peter Murphy embraced his playful side and brought funky gothy grooves into his sound, you’ll get an idea of what is on offer in the danceable mix that will be a hit with any fans of Talking Heads and The Wire.

Data Regime officially released on April 9th. It is available to stream and download via Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Judge Silver is coming off the bench with ‘Angeline’

Posted on 9 April 2021

‘Angeline’ is taken from Judge Silver’s debut album ‘Still On The Bench’, nine tracks of relatively gentle alt-flavoured-rock with a lyrical bent and a certain nod to football-related metaphors here and there. There’s some synth and dancey bass across the album, along with the more ‘rock’ flavoured guitars – think Orange Juice and Edwin Collins, a little of the Presidents of the USA, and maybe a touch of Tin Machine-era Bowie, and a little of Amigo The Devil in the vocal delivery.

It’s perhaps a little self-consciously ‘self-effacing’ when it comes to the lyrics, but in between the tongue-in-cheek there are some killer couplets, and in ‘Angeline’ an albeit unconventional love-song.

You can check out ‘Angeline’, and the rest of Judge Silver’s debut, on Soundcloud. Follow Judge Silver on Facebook.

Review by Alex Holmes

Slip into the phantasmal furore of Mary Bleeds’ post-punk track, ‘Seal’.

Posted on 4 April 2021

If you’ve always preferred the darker side of post-punk, slip into the phantasmal furore in Dublin-based alt-rock outfit Mary Bleeds’ latest single, ‘Seal’.

Living in Manchester, I’m no stranger to post-punk revivals, but Mary Bleeds succeed in stamping down their signature style and despondency with an unassimilated level of cool. With nods to John Dwyer in the guitar work, hints of the Cramps’ salacious swagger and a touch of Bauhaus, Poison Ivy and Glen Branca in the production and vocals, it’s a full-frontal exhibition that will still leave you eager to see even more.

With their debut album, produced & engineered by Julie McLarnon (Vaselines, Lankum), due for release digitally and on vinyl on May 30th, Mary Bleeds aren’t just ones to watch; they are one to add to your record collection.

The album is available to pre-order via their official website.

You can check out the live recording of Seal via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

LA indie darkwave duo Darkplay have released their latest single ‘Only You’

Posted on 28 March 2021

Ahead of their forthcoming album, LA indie darkwave duo, Darkplay unleashed their entrancingly atmospheric synthpop single, ‘Only You’ which takes the listener on a trip to the murky depths of 80s post-punk while never sacrificing the melodic gravity of the single.

With a similar revivalist nature to bands such as Spector, Darkplay succeeded in teasing nostalgia while putting a brand-new spin of a familiar sound. Each crescendo comes laden in reverb for the ultimate psychotropic effect, and to sweeten the track, the perfect balance of light affability and dark despondency was found. Just imagine what it would sound like if Joy Division and the Human League had an aural lovechild.

Only You can be heard on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Exit Spells bring us a perfect slice of sparse Eighties electropop with ‘Bishops’

Posted on 1 March 2021
Exit Spells

Exit Spells – the brainchild of introspective composers Chris Kennedy and David Cantallo – is a wash of vintage synthesisers and sequencing, drum machines and samples, a batch of TR808 and Moog sounds creating ambient textures and soundscapes behind delicate melodies and breathy, semi-spoken vocals.

It’s old-school in all the right ways, a step back from the ‘four sweaty men standing in a rehearsal room’ band approach, melancholic yet hopeful, introspective yet immediate. There’s a big eighties vibe here, swathes of Ultravox, Visage, or Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, the vocals reminiscent of Ure, Foxx, or Oakey, the track sparse and electronic but optimistic and ultimately uplifting.

Exit Spells’ four track EP – from which ‘Bishops’ is taken – is out now; you can also check out Exit Spells on Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes