Proud goth, ex DJ and music reviewer

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Did someone say they need more experimental music in their lives? You really can’t get more experimental than free improvisation done live. This is where we throw at you Sordid Amok!, hailing from Harrisonburg, Virginia and their new track “Warehouse 12 October 2023.” From what I can gather, Sordid Amok! are a duo, who are joined by different guest musicians, to jam away and just see what magic happens.

“Warehouse 12 October 2023” goes just a tad over twenty-one minutes as five humans build upon each other’s additions, creating a soundscape that one could lose themselves in. There is a rawness due to the nature of it being live and those pregnant pauses or changing tempos just add to the charm.

Warehouse 12 October 2023 | Sordid Amok! (bandcamp.com)

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We have been following the catastrophic tale of humans versus alien machines, unfolding in the musical exploits by MATT HART. The London based industrial musician and DJ, has released his latest single “DEEP DOWN CITY.”

Imagine living 6000 levels below the surface of the planet, a new shadowy world where humans have finally settled from the reach of the machines, trying to recreate what they had above ground. The guitar is there, building the tension, but the synths are the smooth heroes of this track, however the big surprise is the vocals. Not only do we have HART’s growls, but we get to hear the man actually sing, letting us hear his dulcet tones.

“DEEP DOWN CITY” is a something a little different from MATT HART, with its mingling of harsher industrial and retro synthwave, creating a wonderfully pulsating dynamic. The track portrays a cyberpunk styled domain where life is lived in the constant gloom, that is only broken up by the need for sleep and entertainment. One wonders what the aliens are up to on the surface and I am guessing we might find out soon.

DEEP DOWN CITY | MATT HART (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/djmatthartuk/

https://www.instagram.com/matthart3808/

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Peak Flow are a darkwave duo from York in the UK, and their debut single “Running To You” was released in June, but who are we to hold back on a great track?! Not I. James and Jools have said they draw inspiration from post-punk icons such as Echo and the Bunnymen, The Cure, and Jesus and Mary Chain.

From the beginning keyboard notes, this track promises to become stuck in your head, especially when it comes to the chorus. The vocals are clean and light in comparison to the wonderfully heavy bass. The storyline is from the perspective of two people, where one is still in love and the other no longer feels any empathy for their lover. Honestly, this is such a catchy tune and should really be something that graces the dancefloor with other songs such as Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart.”. Just saying, if people give Peak Flow a chance, then “Running To You” might become a classic.

https://www.facebook.com/peakflowband

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Multi-instrumentalist Rev. Billy Simmons, released back in June, his self titled debut album under the project name of Evidence Of A Struggle, and this is the premiere of the sixth and last single, “Seize.” There is a revolving list of musicians that play with Evidence Of A Struggle, creating the unique instrumental sound.

Photo by Jeremy Glickstein

Like some progressive, psychedelic lumbering monster, the track takes off. The guitars are what hit you the most, from those delivering the bass up to those that are plucked, keeping the pace and lightening the pensive mood against the ever building turgid backdrop.

Each of the singles has had a special animated video clip made by John Airo. There is a well of emotion just in one track, haunting in sound, where no words are needed. This is “Seize” by Evidence Of A Struggle.

Evidence of a Struggle | Evidence of a struggle (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/Evidence0fAStruggle

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September was a big month for some really good electronic music and Sweden’s Hatif, most certainly delivers some quality releases, which leads us to the new single “Heredity.” Under license to the label Town & Towers Records, the duo of  Markus Majdalani and Johan Eckerström, seems to not currently have an album attached to this new track.

Photo by Daniel Kwon

The electronic clicks take up a flamenco style rhythm and Majdalani‘s singing is smooth and entrancing, then it kicks up an extra notch of cool with the harmonising. The synths move from light to dramatic keeping you on the edge of your seat, while the programming spasmodically still clicks and whirrs.

I’m going to be a bit cheeky and say Hatif could be channelling the spirit of another classic Swedish band Covenant, and that is not a bad thing with the harmonies and building electronic textures. Hatif have said their music is easy to listen to, and I have to say I completely agree with them. “Heredity” is part of the growing legacy that Hatif are putting down.

Heredity | Hatif (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/hatifband

https://www.instagram.com/hatifband

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Today sees the release of the single “Digital Imogen” from UK duo Karamelien, and we are delighted to have the premiere. Singer/songwriter Léanie Kaleido and guitarist Mark Foster are the nucleus of Karamelien and are joined on bass by Lee Pomeroy, who has played with luminaries such as ELO, Take That, Rick Wakeman and Yes. The single is off the album, Living With The Moon, which is set to be released on the 27th of October.

Léanie has said she was going for a Garbage vibe, drawing inspiration from front woman, Shirley Manson, and indeed she had done well, channelling the strong vocals, with the essence of telling a few home truths. An indie pop tune with melodic fuzz guitar noise and keyboard, that wants to open a conversation on social media and the effect it has on people’s perception of themselves. Using filters and photoshopping in order to gain an unrealistic perfection, which creates a viscous cycle of self-loathing and image control. Karamelien has delivered a track of unadulterated indie pop goodness, with modem relevance.

https://www.facebook.com/KaramelienBand

Karamelien – Band

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From the late 70s, into the early 80s, KISS were at the height of their musical success, and well known for, at the time, the outrageous makeup and stage outfits. October is Halloween month, and Michigan based Coley Kennedy (voice, keyboards, electronic drums, songwriter), has released the single “Just Like Kiss (Halloween’83),” which is about dressing up as your favourite original KISS character, to go trick or treating. He is joined by Pete Javier (guitars, bass guitar), Hattie Blue Kennedy, (vocals) and Jude Kennedy (vocals).

The bass guitar is like the death nell of a church bell, while the rhythm plods along at an equally purposed pace. Coley Kennedy’s vocals utterly compliment the eerie atmosphere, like a dark memory of a nightmare that you might have had trouble waking up from. ‘Take your candy and run‘ because we can be “Just Like Kiss (Halloween ’83),”scaring old ladies with Coley Kennedy’s grave post-punk affair. Which KISS member will you be?

Just Like Kiss (Halloween ’83) | Coley Kennedy (bandcamp.com)

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In 2021, the Seattle project, NewVersionOfBlue released the EP, Waves, however, in September of 2023, the title track has been given another lease of life, using anime to create an entertaining new video to accompany it.

There is a laid back vibe for “Waves,” with the vocals relaxed and soulful. The waves roll in and out, and this is the same in life with people and events entering our lives and then leaving us, often a little more changed. The song has a groove about it that reminds me a lot of the experimentation of Gorillaz. This is a NewVersionOfBlue floating in the tide of “Waves.”

Waves | NewVersionOfBlue (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/newversionofblue

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We are going back in time…well….back to the beginning of 2023, when the single “Kill Me” was released on Bandcamp, by Oklahoma artist, Saturn Dethroned. I actually know nothing about Saturn Dethroned, but I am guessing this is his debut track.

The rhythms from the beginning inform you that this is industrial, with the machine working, to be joined by a growing surge of fuzzing electronics, almost serpentine in its winding sound. “Kill Me” grows from slow simple clunks, into a instrumental track that builds like mental breakdown, throbbing and overwhelming. If experimental industrial is your thing, then you are going to get a kick out of the Saturn Dethroned track “Kill Me,” and the best thing is you can download it off Bandcamp for name your price!

Kill Me | Saturn Dethroned (bandcamp.com)

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The latest single from Robots In Love is here, with a video included, for the track “Gossip In Your Head.” Ex-pat Aussie, Elenor Raynor, who is based in Ōtepoti (Dunedin), is the driving force behind the project, and the other current members are Alex Burchell on drums, guitarist Pierre Higbee and bassist Tony Lumsden.

“This year, friends The Sound Key played me some of their music and I was particularly enthralled by a song called ‘Gossip in Your Head’, and so it was recorded in the Robots In Love studio with Pierre Higbee on guitars and Alex Burchell on drums. Alex then produced a remix which was even more atmospheric than the original recording, emphasising the haunting vocal harmonies. The depth of emotion in the remix captivated everyone who heard it, and so it became the A-side of the single release: a masterpiece of beautiful dark pop.” – Elenor Rayner

The gossamer tendrils of this song are hauntingly beautiful and are only enhanced by Rayner’s delicately phenomenal vocals. The words are weighted by melancholy, as the speaker seems to have an internal discussion, torn by the voices that feed self doubt, plucking at mental health. I love there is such a simplicity to the music that showcases the play between the vocals and guitars. Robots In Love have most definitely brought out the darkness in “Gossip In Your Head,” and it is a jewel of a track.

Gossip In Your Head | Robots In Love (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/robotsinlovemusic

https://www.instagram.com/robotsinlove/