Darkwave post-punk. The track King is such a hook.
Ductape – Labirent
Kalte Nacht – Kalte Nacht
Cold wave post-punk.
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.
Rendez-Vous – Distance
True post-punk, classic sound.
Traitrs – Rites And Ritual
It’s post-punk, but feels like coldwave indie, very surprisingly coming from Canada.
Bragolin – I Saw Nothing Good So I Left
These guys have one more album besides the one they credit together with Adam Tristar. It’s just as good with beautiful and soft darkwave melodies. I find this album emotionally rich and to go under my skin like good goth music does. Beautiful cover art, too.
Darkways – Resonance
Another amazing goth record. Fantastically captured mood, classic sound, mix of post-punk and synths, with an occasional futurepop flair.
Twin Tribes – Pendulum
Classic post-punk goth sound and vibes.
Dear Omen – The S Tapes
I went to see a science lecture and there was a band playing before, that was Dear Omens. It’s hard to describe the experience when a bunch of science nerds are waiting for a speech about brain functions and what they get is a stage lit with candles, faces painted white, and loud full-on goth rock in their faces.
Besides being extremely surprising, it was also an amazing performance and absolutely impressive music. Listening to the record brings back the memories and it’s a great album, even if a short one. I’m happy that I can remember Fay Ruza’s absolutely commanding stage presence while listening to the songs, that definitely gives the experience an extra edge.
Heartworms – Glutton For Punishment
I don’t know whether I’ve ever waited for a debut album so much like this one. I’ve been listening to the singles a ton and was checking the countdown regularly. By the end I knew the date by heart. Finally it’s here, and there’s zero disappointment. The songs that have not been out as singles are as brilliant as the rest, and the whole thing works amazingly well as an album. Coherent, beautiful, unique, fantastic sound, fantastic journey.
If there’s going to be something to take the album of the year title from this one, well, then this will have been a super strong year for good records.
Funniest thing, I haven’t even checked tour dates until a few days ago, when I realized she will be performing in town in two weeks. Could I be any more excited? No, I couldn’t. I feel the vibes of Zeal & Ardor when their debut dropped and I was there in a club concert on the tour, and now I cannot even get a ticket for their arena tour. I feel the same level of rising star here, although I secretly hope that she can be just successful enough to fit into a larger concert hall in a year or two, but without going to the stadium.
Btw, on the note of goth being on the rise, if that is a thing, we may see her leading that trend to a larger audience.