Hey y’all! We’re pretty pleased with how the Haujobb commentary podcast we did this past weekend came out, so if you didn’t get a chance to check it out yet, you can do so right now. As much fun as those podcasts are to do, especially for albums we love that much, we really try to keep the idea that our takes are in no way definitive. That’s a roundabout way of suggesting that not only do we welcome your thoughts, feelings and interpretations of any album we talk about on a podcast or here on the site, we encourage it. Drop us a comment, hit the contact page, hit us up on the socials. Your insight is valuable to us!
Accessory always in shades.
Accessory, “No Man Covers”
Long-standing German electro scene act Accessory have spent over two decades standing astride some of the more common boundaries of Our Thing. Always bringing just enough roots EBM groove to satisfy the purists and enough oontz and melody to satiate dancefloors, Accessory have weathered plenty of shifting trends by acknowledging but never acquiescing. New single “No Man Covers” from the forthcoming Elektrik LP is as good a demonstration as any of the craftsmanship which has kept them in the game this long.
Hallowed Hearts, “Lost”
A brand new song from a brand new project, we have some excellent gothy post-punk from Hallowed Hearts. The duo is made up of Andrew Sega of Iris and Alex Virlios of 2000s synthpop act Provision, and the music their first single sets out an impressive template: goth-rock guitars are married to an energetic mid-tempo rhythm and a charismatic vocal from Virlios. Nice and immediate, this one should do well in the clubs and Spotify playlists, excited to see what these cats have in store.
Poison Point, “Oblivion”
Poison Point return with more of the cool, darkwave inflected body sounds that impressed us on 2018’s Bestiensäule. “Oblivion” operates at a distance, the far-off vocals in direct contrast to the busy body music arrangement of synth and bass sounds, a sound that the group have down pat. The forthcoming single also features remixes by a few likeminded acts, QUAL, IV Horsemen and others.
IIOIOIOII, “There’s Nothing”
It’s been a number of years since we had anything new on the table from US synthpop act IIOIOIOII, but it looks as though Christopher Gurney’s made the most of his time off. The lead track from forthcoming LP Chroma is a well-executed and stately tune, striking a balance between slinky and foreboding while allowing Gurney to get his vocal presence over. A nice appetite-whetter which isn’t beholden to a particular form or period of synthpop.
Cold Showers, “Tomorrow Will Come”
LA’s Cold Showers are a band with a lot of depth, as evidenced by the tracks we’ve heard from their brand new record for Dais Motionless. Nominally a post-punk act, the band have a knack for lush production that serves to highlight the strength of their songs rather than obscure them. Check the clever way the toy percussion loop and saxophone are used in concert with the chorused bass on “Tomorrow Will Come”, each element used in service of the broader song. Strong stuff, check for a review of the record on the site shortly.
Pleasure Symbols, “Image Reflected”
We’ve come to trust Italy’s Avant! Records as one of the most quietly consistent labels of the past decade. Whether it’s darkwave or EBM or just about any other darker stripe of music, they’ve offered an excellent platform for bands familiar and new. Australia’s Pleasure Symbols are a solid example of the latter; the group have been active for a few years now but Closer And Closer Apart is their debut LP. Characterized by dreamy, ethereal goth tunes like this number, we’re catching some pleasant similarities between them and The Shroud and Weather Severity Index.
