Hey friends, it’s Alex here. We normally keep this Tracks intro section pretty anonymous as it could be either of the Senior Staff writing on a given week, but with Bruce off in Chicago for Cold Waves I’ve taken the reins for the segment this week. Of course when we get together to record the podcast this week we’ll have a whole bunch to talk about including the festival (and some fun on the spot interview segments to boot) so keep glued to ID:UD for the next couple days, should be pretty eventful. How ’bout you check out some Tracks whilst you wait?

Absolution through agony with Bestial Mouths

Bestial Mouths, “INSHROUDSS”
Lynette Cerezo and Bestial Mouths return with the first taster off forthcoming EP INSHROUDSS, due late October. As expected Lynette remains an absolute force vocally, cutting through the thick waves of synth and drum machine programming, written and co-produced with Zola Jesus collaborator Alex Degroot. Through numerous line-up and stylistic changes, the aesthetics of austerity and grim determination of Bestial Mouths has provided a throughline, a fraught and tense continuity that we’re eager to hear continued.

Struck 9, “Execute feat. Tomas Kulberg”
Colombian body music devotees Struck 9 return with a new single, Execute / Interconnected, leveraging a couple of the most 242-esque moments on their 2018 LP Ritual Body Music. The version of “Execute” that appears here (featuring vocal contributions from Atropine’s Tomas Kulberg) especially feels indebted to the Belgian masters; check the synth horns and choppy synth lead that rises through the middle of the track onwards. Scratch that old school itch with an act who have shown both their allegiance to classic body music through their capacity to create it.

Secret Shame, “Comfort”
True school goth rock from North Carolina’s Secret Shame, whose album Dark Synthetics saw the light of day earlier this month. We’re moderately picky when it comes to goth revivalism but are finding plenty to enjoy here, from vocalist Lena’s strong vocals, to the band’s charged-up approach that finds the seed of punk in classic goth rock but doesn’t shy away from engaging in Batcave era spook ’em ups. Gotta hand it to any act that can do an end-run around standard issue gloomy post-punk to deliver a healthy dollop of that good old stuff.

Molchat Doma, “zvezdy”
Belarus’ Molchat Doma are a striking band in every respect; on top of their penchant for fun hooks and character-filled vocals, their post-punk numbers always play just slightly off-kilter. Take for example recent single “zvedzy”; the number is relatively straightforward, but the quality of the recording gives it an appealingly weird subterranean feel, like the song is played through radio gauze. If recent live videos are to be believed these cats bring some energy to their stage show, hopefully we’ll get to see them play North America sometime in the next few years.

DEAD, “Ice Sky”
Frosty post-punky darkwave is the order of the day on the appropriately titled “Ice Sky” from french band DEAD. There’s something intriguingly ugly about the nasty wall of guitar sound that defines this one, a wall of droning noise that barely resembles the instrument in comes from. Toss in that chrorused-up bass and some good mid-tempo drum programming and you’ve got a real head-nodder. More good stuff from France’s Icy Cold Records who seem to be mining a deep vein of this style on recent releases.