Belfast’s Chalk have released a strong piece of electro/darkwave/punk that I will warn you does create a bit of earworm. “Can’t Feel It” is the latest track from duo Ross Cullen and Benedict Goddard and comes as the band hits North America for a string of six shows starting in Vancouver on November 7th, hitting spots on the west coast finshing up in NY on the 20th. See if you are near one of their dates here. No real dates on an album release, but they recently signed to ALTER Music, so stay tuned.
Sleek Teeth are a darkwave duo out of Los Angeles. This track that was released a few days ago found me through a recommended list on Roon. Layered vocal tones that harken back to early synthesizer-based goth, beats that build off of EBM roots in Belgium and Berlin. Interestingly, the band will be playing a one off show down at Paper Tiger next month with Hallows and Cold Body Club (solo project from Jonathan of Urban Heat). Maybe a road trip is in order…
To go along with the announcement that their forthcoming album called Moments lands on September 5th, we also get a new song from Cut Copy to get the perverbial juices flowing. “When This Is Over” has a summer vibe to it, pool side, early afternoon, dappled light, but it also has a underlying pensive tone that grows as the song progresses with the late stages of the track completed by children’s choir, apparently from a school just outside Melbourne, to perhaps pay tribute to Talk Talk? I made that last bit up, but the song has that “Happiness Is Easy” thing going for it and Cut Copy has certainly gone from synth pop hits to having more varied and elegant songs woven into their albums.
Anyway, the new track is on the streaming things including bandcamp (below) and the album is up for pre-order now.
Industrial synth pop from Houses of Heaven, “Within/Without” is the first single and title track from the forthcoming album. The song briefly eases in before going full on with an anchor bassline, EBM kick and synth flourishes that lead to the elevated and cathartic chorus.
Shipping at the end of April, the pre-order for the marbled-gray vinyl released via Felte Records is live over on their Bandcamp. Other tracks on the record boast guest vocals from Nitzer Ebb’s Douglas McCarthy and (former Austinite) Mariana Saldaa of BOAN. Probably gonna pre-order this one for use at vinyl nights…
Lusine has a new record landing on Ghostly International this Friday. To celebrate the pending release, Lusine has shared a video of the title track, “Long Light” that features vocals by Benot Pioulard. In typical fashion, the vocal is twisted and turned into percussion in between the sequences where it elegantly floats above the loops, clicks, air and space that Jeff McIlwain is known for. Elegantly optimistic, yet haunting, give it a listen below before placing your order. Ninth full length, crazy, really looking for to this one. The Waiting Room and A Certain Distance both still find their way into my evening listening, the former making cameos at ATH vinyl happy hours.
BTW, take a listen to this catchy piece of hazy pop by Benot from earlier this year called “Thursday Night” here. I think you’ll like it.
We love Nation of Language around these parts. They were the best thing about ACL last year. Their upcoming record is going to be an absolute banger given recent well-shared singles. Did you know one of their key influences was OMD? Of course, you did. Listen to “Wounds of Love” not tell me it is a love letter to the synth pop, hit making pioneers. The thing is, OMD is still making music. Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys reunited in the 2006 after a brief time apart after Andy kept the ship afloat following their success in the 80’s. Since then, new material has been released, as well as one of the best box set releases in Souvenir. We may have missed the single release for this post, but you gotta give it the duo for keeping loyal to their roots yet modernizing their sound on “Bauhaus Staircase”. The song is the title track to the upcoming release in October, which they have hinted may be the band’s last. This video is pretty damn cool and the synth riff in the break just before the two minute mark, perfect.
Hey, Chuh-vurches left our orbit a while ago, but when the singles from The Bones Of What You Believe were released, we shimmied and we shook. I got to catch Lauren and company in small venues early on and the transformation from shy vocalist, to a confident, powerful front person was rather cool. There will be new material, live tracks and more bonus stuff. Pre-order here. New track will be here. In lieu of an easy share with this announcement, lets bask in the glory of one of my fave jams.
Ya, I’m with ya, pondering a life without Harry Kane, heart attack pending. But Breeze‘s late-90’s dark synth jam puts a focused head nod into motion to distract you from whatever may consume brain cycles. Several contributing genres, from early techno’s synth loops and plinking hooks to darker New Wave’s vocal harmonies and guitar/bass riffs, the track comes at you from multiple directions. Josh Korody leads a strong group of contributors to build the band’s forthcoming release, Sour Grapes, that will land 10/6 on Hand Drawn Dracula.
I’d asked a while back about how people listen; ear buds, headphones, through TVs, bluetooth speakers. It actually spawned me to do some tweaking. I moved my speakers a bit further apart and into the room, tinkered with toe-in (no benefit as my kids and highs are concentric) and then reran DIRAC room compensation. If all that sounds technical, it is. However, a little effort yielded a nice benefit. The music now extends further out past the rooms walls. I know that sounds strange and pretentious, but if you ever hear it, you chase the dragon. We love our music and you should enjoy listening.
Anyway, on to some new/recent tracks to listen to intently and critically. Well start below with the latest from Lindstrom, a four song EP titled Everyone Else Is A Stranger. Syrene is the opener, a rather joyous, but tempered study with guitars joining the party a couple minutes in as the build up progresses through to the minor chords and break before smoothly flowing to an elegant end. Solid way to start the weekend.
Click through for a couple more can’t miss songs that may have been missed. Read more
I recently posted about their full on new wave synth jam that harkens to earlier Depeche Mode or Japan. With the title track to their upcoming release Bitter Reflection, Body of Light goes with a movie soundtrack darkly introspective ballad, catching me completely off guard. The video features James Duval that you may recognize from Donnie Darko. Is it a step too far into nostalgia or glorious indulgence?
Body of Light will be in town as part of Oblivion Access on a day show bill with Drab Majesty and Choir Boy.
