It might be the end of summer, but that doesn’t mean it’s the end of festival season! Edmonton’s Purple City fest is this weekend, and there’s even an ID:UD showcase happening on Saturday night featuring Urban Heat, Leathers, Madeline Goldstein, Panic Priest, Da’at, Jhnn, Mox Jet, and Dual Nature. Alex’ll also be on hand for a panel on Sunday afternoon dealing with journalism, podcasting, and marketing, so be sure to show up to pepper him not so much with a question, but more of, like, a comment. ‘Til then, let’s get to this week’s Tracks!

Pixel Grip, “Stamina”
F’real, this song has been stuck on mental repeat since we first heard Pixel Grip play it last summer, and again opening for HEALTH in 2024. Now, finally, “Stamina” is available for everyone to enjoy, and is already making some DJs and clubgoers pretty happy. If you wondered if the Chicago trio could follow-up a song as forthright and immediate as “Alphapussy” from their last album Arena, well, here you go – “Daddy come over/Fuck me over and over” is a line you’re gonna be hearing it a lot for the next little while, have no doubt.

SØLVE, “Bleak Hearts”
It’s been a minute since we’ve had new music from SØLVE, and this is a bracing reminder that Brant Showers has always had a little hint of industrial close at hand in both his solo work and as half of ∆AIMON. That said, it’s rarely been given as much of the spotlight in his work as on the core track from the Bleak Hearts Burn EP, which is by Brant’s own declaration an indulgence in 90s alt nostalgia (yes, that’s a Sister Machine Gun cover tossed in at the tail). Regardless of origin, it’s nice to have SØLVE’s thoughtful sturm and drang back, with a little bit of extra chugging tossed in.

INVA//ID, “Thorn”
Speaking of industrial metal, we recently hoped that a bang-on Wax Trax deep cut cover wasn’t going to be the only new business from LA’s erratically scheduled INVA//ID, and we didn’t have to wait long to be reassured. The band’s new single doesn’t stray too far from that set of influences, though it trades out the infectious dance beat of the PTP track for a sludging, thudding assault more in line with “Scarecrow” or Children Of God. Great stuff which has us wanting to play the hot hand and bet on a full length sometime soon.

Dildox, “Devilish”
A tip of the cap to Rev. John for the tip on Dildox, a synthpunk duo emerging from the ever-fertile Los Angeles scene that has featured so heavily in our coverage over the site’s lifetime. There’s a real roughness here we find appealing, both in the vocals and the way the percussion is programmed, avoiding the straight up 4 on the floor thump of standard darkwave, but still holding plenty of club appeal, especially via the song’s nasty atmosphere and wiry bassline.

Wingtips feat. Ronnie Stone, “The Break”
New music from Chicago duo Wingtips is 100% worthy of celebration, as the last two LPs were favourites here at the HQ. The first cut we’re hearing from the forthcoming On Trial (due in October) is “The Break”, which finds the band leaning in on the more electro sound explored on the last LP Cutting Room Floor. The song also features a guest turn from Ronnie Stone, whose band The Lonely Riders were hotly tipped in the mid-twentyteens before a hiatus of 8 or so years. Genuinely excited to see what the shape of this album will be, as Wingtips have always been a band with great songwriting and a strong sense of direction for their work.

The Scary Skull of Hot Vampires, “My Blood Bleeds”
Lastly, a mostly-loving send-up of second-wave goth by none other than Leeds technoid producer Keef Baker. It’s tempting to almost wish that proper time went into mixing and producing this toe-tapper to modern standards, but that would go against the vocal murk and paper-thin snares of the source material, and you know that anyone capable of reciting the line “Lorelei sits by the fire / As I begin to expire” is approaching wrist-to-forehead 90s goth rock from a place of deep knowledge and deep love.