Recently I wrote “this is cold wave“. So this is one as well. And it’s not the post-punk kind but dark and industrial. This is a lot more EBM than goth.
Night in Athens – Wasted Reflektions
Ductape – Labirent
Darkwave post-punk. The track King is such a hook.
Linea Aspera – Linea Aspera
Darkwave, dance music for goths.
Kalte Nacht – Kalte Nacht
Cold wave post-punk.
Give My Remains to Broadway – My Will Is Not My Own
Dark wave goth with all the right notes, classic sound.
Lebanon Hanover – Sci-Fi Sky
This is cold wave.
I don’t know that the fact they don’t (can’t?) properly play their instruments (which includes voice) in most songs is form over substance, an aesthetic choice, or just shows that in this genre it’s not the musical prowess that matters. In any case, it gives the album a noisy bedroom DYI feel.
Black Angel – Kiss of Death
For goth rock, there’s this triangulation of post-punk to glam-velvet to rocker-dudes, and I could paint the amoeba visualization for all albums based on their style in this triangle. This one’s the least post-punk, and about equal rock-and-roll and glam. This is not goth to be sad about but one to dance to and drink deep crimson wine from large brass chalices by.
Rendez-Vous – Distance
True post-punk, classic sound.
A Short Hike (2019)
Very cute game. It’s such a beautiful representation of a child’s summer vacation and the adventures that happen there. When she sums up her day at the end, that’s the cutest thing ever.
It’s a masterclass game as well. I don’t usually choose hard modes if I get away with something that’s a comfortable challenge, and this was such a sweet spot: never needed a walkthrough but sometimes I felt successful when solving a puzzle or doing a platforming bit. It’s so rewarding to play this game.
The Operator (2024)
So unexpected, so amazing. Fantastic game and game design. It’s an experience that everyone should see, like movie classics.