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Rob Fenn is based in Manchester and since 2024, his project Brutal Pink has been creating dark electronic music and September has seen the release of their third single “Heartache” that features London based German songstress, Madil Hardis.

Bleeding through is the eeriness of a human’s sadness. Hardis‘ vocals echoing and stretched over the droning and looping electronics. The pain is unrelenting, especially when you are unable to let go of it, living this misery everyday and never learning from the experience.

The word that comes to mind is claustrophobic, as “Heartache” envelops your senses, crushing them. Hardis effortlessly draws you into this world with her, a world that Fenn has created, which is cloying and desperate throughout. Brutal Pink and Madil Hardis swing the “Heartache.”

Heartache | Brutal Pink

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Madil Hardis

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Eirene and Paris Alexander reside in the UK, while Bruce Courtney is The Stave Church, hailing from Texas, and they have combined their electronic darkwave talents in order to create the single “Inner Sanctum.”

I don’t think the electronics could sound anymore urgent and determined, the synths swelling with dark waves of growing internal power. Eirene is the angelic voice asking for release into the light, a soul stuck in the shadow of an abusive relationship and finding the voice to announce her freedom. Alexander and Courtney have built a sonically pleasing song with great depth that challenges you to not find yourself dancing along. “Inner Sanctum” is something a bit different from Eirene and Alexander due to the The Stave Church’s influence and really I would love to hear a bit more of this.

Inner Sanctum | Eirene, Paris Alexander, The Stave Church | Paris Alexander

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In this modern era, have you ever experienced an “Emptiness“? This is the latest single from Amsterdam based group The Dark Wave, who mix gothic rock with a new wave sensibility, on the label Walboomers Music.

Guitar slides, verses that powerup, and launch you into the chorus and jangling guitar tussling for dominance against the vocal harmonisation. All the while there is that 80s post-punk bass guitar rumbling along as the song breaks into an infectious 90s Brit pop bounciness. Who could ask for anything more alive than this?!

It is rather interesting to see the artwork seems to depict the shape of a mobile phone, a powerful mini computer that can let you see and converse with people from around the world, and yet it also makes humans feel more alone that ever before. This is the concept behind “Emptiness” where one can touch multimedia to connect to things you love, while taking us further away from real interactions. “Emptiness” is full of energy, even if you are dancing by yourself.

Emptiness | The Dark Wave

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The Dark Wave | Band Amsterdam – Amsterdam-based new wave band

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The label Nerang Records can be found on the Gold Coast in Queensland, with the sub-label, Ronnie’s Records, all run by Christopher Mcivor, who recently debuted under the persona Moody Mcivor. This darkwave project began in 2021 for Mcivor and the end of August saw the release of his second single “Benaiah Fiu.“

The drum machine rattles out it’s constant rhythm, only broken by the wavering and light synths, twinkling just out of reach. Mcivor’s utterances are as controlled as the drum machine, with industrial precision, his vocals a cross between Ian Curtis (Warsaw/Joy Division) and Frank Tovey (Fad Gadget).

One should ask not what is “Benaiah Fiu,” but rather who? Benaiah Fiu was a friend of Mcivor’s and the soon to be released EP, Shadow Frequencies, is not only an ode to the departed, but also equal parts tribute and expression of loss. And there is a profound sense a grief below the surface, for as mechanical as Mcivor can sound, it is like this is all that is keeping everything together, should the surface tension be broken. There is a none too subtle nod to the early 80s post-punk sound and in all honesty, he pulls it off so well. Fly high “Benaiah Fiu.”

NRNGRR001- Moody Mcivor – Shadow Frequencies | Moody Mcivor | Nerang Recordings

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