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Beauty In Chaos, as a gothic/dark alternate group, has some pretty heavy hitters in the music scene that are members, with Michael Ciravolo as the focal band mate. From this year’s album release, Behind The Veil, the band have dropped the single “Afterlife“, which features Ciravolo’s wife, Tish on vocals and she also wrote the lyrics for this track. The band on this single consists of Michael Ciravolo (guitars and textures), Michael Rozon (bass, synth and drum programming), Dirk Doucette (live drums) and Adrienne LaVey (operatic voice).

The guitars are somber and withdrawn, whilst the synths blow through like a wind of sweet sorrow before the vocals of Tish Ciravolo caress your ears, enchanting you like a siren. It flows like the final breath from your lips and there are the unearthly, angelic vocals of Adrienne LaVey in the interlude.

I hear strains of The Cure in those rivulets of trickling synths and guitar, giving the whole track a dream like quality or as such, a hazy memory floating in that liquid stream. Yes, this is a song about death because as humans, we have always asked, what happens after we leave this mortal coil and where do we go? But also, there are those that we leave behind and we, in some way, are kept alive in memoriam by the ties of love. This track radiates light, just as the sun falls on the leaves of a tree, however the light becomes dappled and darker… this is how I see “Afterlife“, so breathtakingly beautiful and yet that heavy undertow, making it perfect.

Music | BEAUTY IN CHAOS (bandcamp.com)

Order Now! — Beauty in Chaos (beautyinchaosmusic.com)

Beauty In Chaos | Facebook

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French darkwave act, Distance H, have released their debut single “Bitch 16”, as of the end of April and it features Saigon Blue Rain’s chanteuse. Ophelia. She will also be featuring on the soon to be released EP, Intimacy, by Parisian, ManuH, who is the producer behind Distance H, which endeavors to have different female vocalists on tracks. 

The guitar chimes out, programmed drum machine keeping the beat and Ophelia’s vocals seductively slipping like silk across the music. darkness and light of growing up, where everything starts off bright and optimistic, then with experience and growth, comes the realisation that life is murkier the more you let people in. 

There is a tremendous balance between vocals and music here where one never engulfs the other. The guitar work is delightful, weaving throughout the whole piece, while the vocals capture your attention with Ophelia’s beautiful performance. Really it is a darkwave track, worthy of attention and if the EP is this quality, then it is going to be fantastic release from Distance H! 

Distance H | Facebook

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May 5th dropped the single “Starter” by Portland, Oregon based project Newphasemusic. Daniel Henderson is the man behind Newphasemusic and whom also is a drummer for such acts as Trance to the Sun, Tuvan throat singer Soriah, a Cure tribute band called theXplodingboys plus others.

Geodome is Henderson‘s first and original version of “Starter“, the electronic alarms have sounded in this rhythm heavy piece, with the synths wailing lightly in the background. Obtuse, discordant piano keys or is that chimes (?) flutter through, all the while distorted vocals feel like the lips could be, up against you ear. The second version is by Dan Milligan, the lynch pin of the mega group, The Joy Thieves and another drummer by trade. This remix has strut, like it owns the hood with it’s base loaded tones, aggressive guitar and rhythms. The third remix is by SINE’s Rona Rougeheart and ooh…..wubby. It is a little sexy and a little slinky, there is a beat throughout but the concentration is on the electronics as they slide up and down, pulsating.

Kind of trippy listening to these three interpretations. The versions, with drummers, Henderson and Milligan, definitely are classy beat heavy affairs that you can bang your head to, while the SINE mix will probably have your whole body gyrating. This is the not so calm before the album hits us….and even better is the fact that you have no excuse for not downloading “Starter” by Newphasemusic on Bandcamp, as it is name your price.

newphasemusic (bandcamp.com)

Newphasemusic | Facebook

The Joy Thieves (bandcamp.com)

Music | SINE (bandcamp.com)

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Most people would not expect an electronic Mexican band in Hong Kong, but Deer Mx exists and are giving you the single, “The Farthest I Can Get“, dropped on May the 4th, however, May the 12th, is the release date for the brand spanking new video and we wanted to let people know it is out there. Adriana (vocals, guitar) and Miguel (synths, programming, bass guitar, piano) are Deer Mx and they were joined on this track by Alfonso Rosales on drums and Peter Enderberg playing guitar.

The guitars are front and center, howling with veracity. Adriana’s vocals coming through powerfully, with such overwhelming passion, the drums smash away and Miguel’s synths as the glue holding the form of the song.

The track is about remembering those who have past away from Covid and yet so many seem to be in denial. Part of this, is because, not even the band remained untouched in losing someone dear to them. It is a formidable track and it not hard to hear the ardent zeal in which it is delivered. Please check out Deer Mx because they are well worth your time.

Deer (Mx) (bandcamp.com)

The Farthest I Can Get — DeerMx

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April, 8th was the release date for the single “Montreal (Watch Me Bending)” by UK act Sean Grant And The Wolfgang, on the label Vandalism Begins At Home in conjunction with VBAH-Recordings. The single heralds the release of the new album, 333, on the 9th of July.

Maybe it is the low, ground out electronics that give this a dirty feel, which is not in complete contrast to the vocals, that purr out to you, invading your senses. It culminates in vortex of guitar fury and synths, only to become peaceful once again.

Grant has said that this track was inspired, by his being able to conquer self destructive bad habits. This has translated into a song about find yourself, rather than going along with everyone else. It is a post-punk, darkwave, synth/guitar affair, with some seriously good vocals that will creep up your spine and having you play this on repeat.

Montreal (Watch Me Bending) – Radio Edit | Sean Grant & The Wolfgang (bandcamp.com)

Sean Grant & The Wolfgang | Facebook

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A new single from Vermont band Metamorph featuring Margot Day, called “Dream Curve” was released May 1st. The band is comprised of Margot Day (vocals, flute), Kurtis Knight (guitar/beats/keys), Anomaly (Bass) and Joe Netzel (Drum) There are bonus points for the fact that the single was produced by Erik Gustafson of Adoration Destroyed.

Dream weaver and dream keepers of the cyber synth kind. They paint a picture of a modern world trying to reconnect to the spiritual world with a dance inspired beat, joined by a subtle flute and witchy vocals.

There is the imagery of things like the triple goddess. which things like trefoils have huge symbolism for pagans, so the track is full of this style of mysticism and magical intonations. Metamorph are weaving a new chapter of gothic synth rock, meshed with their own vision of new horizons born in dreams.

Dream Curve | Metamorph Music ft Margot Day (bandcamp.com)

Metamorph | Facebook

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May 6th, you may immerse yourself in the single “Clarity” from The Goondock Saint and featuring the vocals of Vic Blonde, of How To Loot Brazil fame, both hailing from Germany but the former Münster and the later North Rhine-Westphalia. “Clarity” is the third single that these two have done together, the last being “Love Boy” two years ago.

I feel like I have fallen into an alternate world where Tron and Nightrider are the prevailing soundtracks to our life, while the sweet voiced Blonde seduces us with pop prowess, though do not mess with this girl. For an electronic pop style track it is very good, in the vein of Giorgio Moroder who is a master of modular music, with The Goondock Saint walking in similar shoes, just not disco shoes.

Music | The Goondock Saint (bandcamp.com)

The Goondock Saint (facebook.com)

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It is not so surprising that May the 4th would spawn music of the science fiction kind. In fact, it is required and on that note, Dublin’s Circuit3 did released a single, “Future Radio“, which is off the soon to be dropped, fourth album, Technology For The Youth. Peter Fitzpatrick is the man and producer behind the project, the single was co-written with Brian McCloskey and Circuit3 is signed to Manchester label, Analogue Trash.

Photo – Paul Maxwell

The synths are beautiful and sparkle as brightly as they stars they represent and the vocals are pitch perfect (just as the Irish are renowned for). Que the electronic space chatter in all the right places and there is a pop perfection to the whole thing, as the universe is your playground for stellar exploration, as long as there is music to light your way.

I feel like I have been thrown back in time to the early 80s. It is kind of this amalgamation of David Bowie’s space odyssey, “Major Tom” (though much happier), with the quirkiness of Queen circa “Radio GaGa” and the amazing “Video Killed The Radio Star” by Buggles, due to the uptempo vibe and vocals. It is full of the joy of escapism to pastures unknown. The future and the past collide to give us Circuit3’s “Future Radio“.

Future Radio | Circuit3 (bandcamp.com)

Circuit3 | Facebook

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New Zealamd’s System Corporation, first started in around 2012 with Scott Newth, whom happens to be the live sound engineer, and music producer for The Datsuns. He was joined by The Datsuns’ drummer, Ben Cole (The Joint Chiefs), then Andrew Newth (Southern Tribe) and Kent Newth (Rumpus Room). They have a new single that came out on the 18th of April, titled, “The Zombies Walking“.

There is a despair that hits you in the guts. Maybe it is the simple drumming or the strumming guitar or the imploring vocals of Scott, who is asking, why are people being lead astray willingly by those in power?…no will power of their own to fight back because they are following the system. Underlying, you hear the synths wailing slightly for a little before they give up to the guitars and piano in a rising fervour, before the synths return to wind down the track.

Seems to be a lot of Newth in this band but it works for them. I have to say that in a way, they remind me a lot of Midnight Oil or Spy Vs Spy. It could be the whole activist, stirring people up to motivate them out of a stupor or it could also just be that wonderful use of guitars and drums to evoke feelings with a vocalist that is truly singing from his heart. Every time I heard this, I found myself liking it more, so wake up zombie people and join the System Corporation.

System Corporation (bandcamp.com)

System Corporation | Facebook

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The Drood are coming!!!! No less than with their single, “Psychic Institute“, which was dropped on April 21st. Hailing from Denver, Colorado, they have been around in different forms since 2012, but settled as a two man electronic/post-punk unit made up of original members, Nathan Jamiel (vocals, guitars and synths) and  Daniel Watts (drums, percussion and synths).

The playoff between electronics and guitar, The bleeps and synths have that very old school feel such as early era Gary Numan, while the guitar injects a more modern post punk feel, to a track that is a hurdy gurdy of resentment within the whirling noise.

There is the bleakness of the post-punk dribbling throughout, married to the cold industrial electronics while the vocals that are cajoling and pointing to the human error of sentimentality and erring into lies. “Psychic Institute” is a catchy track from The Drood which I rather enjoyed quite a bit along with the video by Tim Nelson.

Psychic Institute | The Drood (bandcamp.com)

The Drood | Electronic-Rock Band from Denver Colorado

The Drood | Facebook