It looks like 2024 is going to be a back-loaded year, folks. We just did some accounting behind the scenes and beyond the coverage you’ll find on the site this week we have at least a dozen high profile releases by projects we expect great things from coming in the next month or two. We’ll do our level best to not get caught in the weeds here, but we’d suggest keeping your heads on a swivel for your own sake over the next while if you’re at all interested in staying abreast of good new shit…which we have to assume you are, given that you’re reading this week’s Tracks post.
How can 5 guys be Solitary, experiment or not? The answer may surprise you!
Camlann, “Numb and Hollow”
It’s the return of our favourite Indonesian socialist goth-pop duo Camlann, and new single “Numb and Hollow” displays the exact reason we found their last LP Dismantle! so compelling. The group’s pop instincts and strong melodies remain, and are if anything stronger than before, but with a noticeably improved sense of production. All of this is without compromising their slightly off-kilter, genre-hopping style, which Nick Octopus on our Slack compared to modern Ashbury Heights, a compliment as far as we’re concerned.
Kurs, “Omen”
The debut LP from Italy’s Kurs a few years back impressed through its approaches to electro-industrial and dark electro which placed an emphasis on subtlety and atmosphere, though Muter had plenty of substance once you were drawn into its noir cyberpunk style. Follow-up LP Dreamer looks to be doing right by that precedent based on previous singles, and this just released taster has all manner of majestic and eerie sweep to go along with a foundation of classic programming. Really good slow-burn stuff which bodes well for one of the year’s sleeper LPs.
Wingtips feat. Tim Capello, “The Verdict”
Another new Wingtips cut, and one that while unexpected 100% makes sense. Sax-goth has been bubbling under the radar for a few years now, an aesthetic that certainly has some nostalgic charm but needs genuine songwriting chops and production to get over. Who better than the Chicago duo, who never fail when it comes to making songs with that wistful, melancholic vibe, and never stoop to regurgitating the past when they can be pushing themselves forward. Check how much of this track builds around the elements introduced early, so when sexy-Sax man Tim Capello (yes, the Lost Boys guy) busts out his solo it feels like a massive climax, just as it should.
Perdí La Luz, “Blue Car”
You shouldn’t need us to talk up Andi Harriman’s curatorial skills at this point. In addition to her own productions, her talents as a selector and boutique label honcho are impeccable, and that’s why any new joint on Synthicide gets our attention. There’s a nice mix of the softer side of EBM (think Forces or Brixx) and some classic house (and maybe a hint of freestyle?) on this number by Seattle’s Perdí La Luz. The beat here is immediate, but it’s the experience of being snowed in by increasingly chilly waves of pads which cinches this track.
Black Light Smoke, “CRIMES 1”
In contrast to the above, there’s sure as hell nothing subtle or understated about the new single from Rochester producer Black Light Smoke. Made up of some of the most rubbery programming you’re likely to hear this year, the kicks and pacing on this number hearken back to a pre-TBM era of crossover body music (yes, think Fixmer/McCarthy) in which electro’s moment in the sun was filtering into even the grimiest and darkest of EBM. There’s a whole lot of gallop in this which has us earmarking it for end of the night play.
Solitary Experiments, “The Great Unknown (Steril remix)”
German electro-industrial/EBM act Solitary Experiments are the sort of act that makes up the fundament of every scene; long-running, reliable and while never a top act, they reliably put out a few tracks every album that can be used for club play or mix purposes. That might sound like faint praise, but we have a lot of affection for SE, and are especially impressed with their 30th Anniversary compilation, featuring a bevy of remixes from across their whole catalogue. Check it; you’ve got Neuroticfish, Encephalon, Xotox, Mildreda, INVA//ID and plenty more, including this one from our faves Steril. Congrats on 30 years lads, keep playing it loud.
