Chronotape are a relatively new project, that started in Murmansk in Russia in 2024, and since then have relocated to Batumi in neighbouring Georgia. The darkwave duo of Eve (vocals) and Dee (music) have released the new single “Pale Fire.”
There is a lush, black and white video to go with “Pale Fire” and you can hear the influence of TheCure, circa Disintegration era, with those rivulets of guitar and washing synths, from the beginning of the track by Dee. There is an initial shock when you first hear Eve, as you are expecting the lilting tones of a woodland sprite, yet instead there is a deep feminine spoken word, accentuated by her Russian accent, giving a lament of what is no more or now may never be.
Eve reminds me so much of Nico with her unhurried, mostly spoken lyrics, and you should also lend your ear to the cover of Mike Oldfield’s “Moonlight Shadow,” which is the ‘b-side’. It is really startling to listen to a gothed up version and the vocals actually make this even better, with the popping programmed rhythms. Not going to be for everyone, but if you have loved The Velvet Underground and Nico or Anne Clarke, then Chronotape is going to enthral you.
If you are old enough or spend a lot of time in second hand record stores, you will know about the 12″ remixes called maxi singles. I love the fact that those guys, ie TimVester and ColtenWilliams, from Oregon band, WarmGadget have named their latest single “Debutante” as a maxi and have a bunch of guests on remix duties, plus a guest vocalist/guitarist in PageHamilton from HELMET, all brought to you by Re:MissionEntertainment.
It is unmistakably WarmGadget, with the pernicious rhythms and physical heaviness, in their form of industrial metal. The guitars grind the very air molecules and vocals bounce between the screaming madman Vester and Hamilton’s smoother tones, which is the trade off of sour and sweet or sand paper and silk.
Lament Cityscape, Divider, Ex-Hyena, FrontalBoundary, and FactPattern are all label mates on Re:Mission Entertainment, and their remixes vary from heavy electronics, techno stylings and even glitch noise, but all highly diverse and engaging. “Debutante” is no shrinking flower, meaty and powerful, and picking Hamilton to feature is a stroke of genius. Go on…..touch the Warm Gadget.
One of the true joys about the dark alternative scene is the enormous amounts of creativity many artists have and how they use both music and video to express themselves. Maryland’s Marie Ann Hedonia is soon to drop her latest album Eclipse on the label Paul and Marie’s Country Kitchen, but from it has come forth the single “EveHad the Metallic Shine of Summer,” which features the talents of fellow electronic artists BlackKite.
Ah, within the opening seconds, the electronics are almost forbidding, and the use of harsh noise eludes so something almost brutal. The nearly spoke words could be mistaken for sexual utterances, but if you listen carefully, Hedonia sounds defeated and lyrics lean into this as the synths slowly lurch forward. There is a chorus of…. what….. angels?… that are the hope and light, compared the Hedonia’s singing, which is smooth, but bleak and dark.
The track is inspired by the classic movie Persona, starring Ingmar Bergman, and is about giving everything to another and for them to take it all, never reciprocating. The music video sees Hedonia pouring all she has emotionally into a mannequin, yet it stays cold and aloof, though at the end we see our heroine finally break free, under stormy skies. There is tragedy and loss of self, however there is power in discovering you are on a downward spiral. Marie Ann Hedonia has immersed herself in “Eve Had the MetallicShine of Summer” with Black Kite, and produced something beautifully sombre.
PrimitiveRomance rose from the ashes of Florida punk outfit TheStraitJackets in 1981, based around the brothers Allen and LesterEsser, with RandallBarnwell, who would move to Massachusetts to continue the path of post-punk music. In 1987 the band folded, but it seems was never truly forgotten about by fans. 2025 has seen the release of the compilation album, The Spirit’s Still There: 1981 – 1986, and this is also a tribute from Allen to his brother Lester, vocalist/guitarist, who passed away in 2024.
Within this album, there are no less that sixteen tracks, and the initial song is also the title track, “The Spirit’s Still Here,” full of that raw, under produced guitar that is part of the ‘sound’ of the post punk era. You can hear the Bauhaus influence, a hint of “Bella Lugosi’s Dead,” and it is a wonderful reminder of a simpler time. “Motions and Pictures” had me at the unique drumming signature at the beginning, and the kind of flare in the guitar that reminds me of The Jam. The English influence is easy to hear.
The energy rippling off “Bound To Happen” is really a joy to behold. The guitar is reminiscent of Hüsker Dü and with that attacking technique, like a finger poking you in the chest, as the track rolls along, never waiting for you to catch up as it on a mission. “Every House Still Standing,” might be a very early track, as it bridges the 70s punk with mod music and interestingly, Lester utters the words ‘the spirit’s still there,’ so I am wondering if this song was inspiration for the title track, or is it a term that kind held a lot of meaning.
This compilation for PrimitiveRomance, just highlights how much excellent music came out in the 1980s, and though there are fans of the group that would remember seeing them play live or hearing them on college radio, having this music re-released allows people like myself the opportunity to experience their songs, unless going deep diving on YouTube. On The Spirit’s Still There: 1981-1987 they are immortalised as passionate, angry young men, the music ringing in a time of sonic upheaval and Lester’s vocals forever serenading us, even from the other side….. and there it not anything more goth than that.
When the sun hits the shores of New Zealand on August 8th, there will be the release of Frau Knotz’ newest EP release, called Digital Plastic Surgery, but we are going to visit the Egypt with the track “Khepri.”
PHOTO by JOACO DIBBERN
The electronics suggest the sun drenched reeds and papyrus on the banks of the Nile, snaking its way past the Valley of the Kings, with that same sunlight reflecting off the golden cap of Cheops’ pyramid. There is a wonder in the unhurried synths, though below, it can be noted an urgency, wind swept and the mysteries of this ancient land waiting to be unearthed. Purely instrumental, “Khepri” is just a taste of LaurenNottingham’s talent, crafting electronic music into worlds, that we the listener can lose ourselves in.
Philip Faith (bass, vocals, keyboards, drum programming), Pat Gaudette (bass) and Michael Rien (keyboards, percussions) are the members behind Quebec project SEXSOMNIA, who will be releasing their newest EP, Forbidden, on the 25th of August. For now though, SEXSOMNIA have dropped a single and video from said EP, which is the Shadow Mix of “Forbidden.”
Marita Volodina is the guest vocalist, and she is bold and sensual. Wavering between singing and spoken word, the eroticism drips from each word and every breathy sighed ah. Nothing is hurried, the rhythms constant and the electronics contain the prohibited, while the bass draws us in. Faith’s voice is the gritty foil in the chorus against Volodina’s.
The video is an expression of what “Forbidden” is for many, full of latex and blindfolded, as all the senses become carnal, delving into the realms of fetish. The sexual taboos of pushing what is not considered normal as the lyrics say ‘Look! but don’t touch, Touch but don’t taste, Taste, but don’t swallow.‘ Theremix was done by Faith and I think “Forbidden” is going slow burn on the dancefloor in the most delightful way.
From Doncaster in the United Kingdom, the Rollings lads, James and Jools, of post-punk band PeakFlow, have a new single. “Don’t Die In Your Sleep” is a very personal track about losing a friend suddenly and dealing with the aftermath.
‘The anxiety is rising’ is the first line of lyrics, which brings a whole other spin to the swift rhythms and high energy synths, making them feel far more cloying and intense. There is a regret in the title line, for dying while you sleep leaves so many unanswered questions and an inability to say goodbye. The music never gives up, relentless in its pursuit of emotional exhaustion, powering on.
It is never easy to deal with the death of someone who is elderly or sickly, however, when you are told they just stopped being unexpectedly, you wonder what you could have said or done differently. As much as this track is about loss and dealing with the grief, the high energy of the track speaks of getting through this, and that maybe the lesson is never take anyone for granted. A darkwave dance number, full of flowing synth lines and cool vocals, and as Peak Flow have extolled, “Don’t Die In Your Sleep.”
I am starting to think Portland, Oregon, might have something in the water. They do seem to have an unusually high amount of amazing dark alternative bands that inhabit the area. AltarGirl is an all femme band of the post-punk persuasion with members KayMorrisette (vocals, guitar), MaraVosien (guitar), SamMahon (bass, backing vocals) and ArielChamberlin (drums). Their latest single “Night Terrors” was released on June the 25th.
You will be hypnotised by the reverbing and ethereal guitars, before the percussion and vocals kick in. Morrisette’s singing is sultry and conveys a dark sweetness, that truly takes off in the chorus, with the guitars becoming almost brusque. The harmonising vocals add another opulent layer, are not overused and even the bass gets a chance to shine, duelling with the other guitars.
‘I only see you when I sleep You lie in wait in shadows at my feet I’m under your spell Or is it your hell I’m stuck inside?‘
Imagine, every time you close your eyes and go to sleep, you see the same dreaded phantom, haunting you in your dreams, only letting go when dawn breaks?! It doesn’t get much more gothic rock than that for a group that says they would be post-punk if they knew how to. Catchy, danceable and hands down enchantingly creepy to the core. You can find AltarGirl on Bandcamp for name your price and, honestly, we all need a bit of “Night Terrors” in our lives.
Ever wondered what Americana folk, mixed with dark alternative and saturated in Australian everyday life might sound like? Most likely it would be encapsulated by the music of Gold Coast band These Idle Hands, made up of MurrayWebber [lyrics, arrangements, vocals, guitar, banjo], JoshMorris [lyrics, arrangements, vocals, guitar], BennyDWilliams [production, piano, backing vocals], SueFerrers [violin], CraigJohnston [bass guitar, double bass] and PaulMuller [drums, percussion]. In January, they released their third album, which took approximately two and a half years to records, and is self titled. In addition to the core unit, they were joined by KieranRichardt , Amaya Indigo [backing vocals], Bess Ringham [backing vocals], Grace Lamor [backing vocals], Isla Webber [backing vocals], Fletcher Bab [flute] and Jamie Mercer [drums].
At fourteen tracks and all being original, no covers, you are getting a lot of fresh music from These Idle Hands. The first track often sets up what you might expect from the rest of the album and “Between You And The Sun” starts like an orchestra tuning up, but then morphs into a slow mash-up of guitar and violin with the drawl of the vocals, contemplating why that special person walked away. The piano injections are the bright spots of light against the crying violin as the song takes flight, and the clash of drums that are just right.
“Somewhere Else To Go” could be any of us in life, when we are young, falling in love, getting on in life and then wondering where the years have gone, yet keeping the fire of desire still burning. It is like a slow country dance for couples, as the violin serenades them, and the rumbling vocals are at odds in the chorus with the light sweetness of the ladies singing and it lends itself to the following track “Stringy Mangoes.” Lingering memories of childhood, smells, tastes and the feeling on the sun on your skin, all melding into a warmth that lives on within.
There is a 60s psychedelic folk whimsy that burns bright with the flute and stylish drumming in “Better At Love,” It is the sort of song that brings a smile to your face, when you know love isn’t easy, and the struggle makes it all the sweeter to make it through intact. It is a beautiful ode to persistence and a true heart, to which we cannot not help but mention the beautifully written “With You.” It has this joy that is infectious and just makes you have a spring in your step. Such a wonderful way to end the album on a positive track.
I am probably wrong, but the cover photo reminds me of the cane farming area of Jacobs Well, a piece of Queensland’s more rural past. The Australian accent sits well, crooning in the bluegrass folk way, something proven by the likes of Nick Cave.These Idle Hands have used that which they know best, which is real life experience to bring together an album full of snippets of extasy, sorrow and all the boring bits in between, as well as learnt lessons, set to a soundtrack which is both emotive and enjoyable. I am not the most knowledgeable human when it comes it comes to Country style music, though I do like a good guitar slide, but the bluesy overtones, combined with the more classical instruments, takes you out of your existence for fourteen tracks, so you can string along in the tender world of These Idle Hands.
Since the beginning of 2025, the last six months have brought forth feelings of anxiety, bewilderment and sheer disappointment when it comes to US politics. Los Angeles based Johnathan|Christian have released a new single called “Where Do We Go From Here,” and have a couple of fellow dark alt musicians chip in with remixes.
If I didn’t know that these guys were American, I would swear they are from Germany with this track. Possibly it is the deep, nearly spoken vocals, or the danceable rhythms, or maybe even the light styling of the synths.
There is also three remixes which includes a version from DanMilligan (TheJoyThieves), which makes this track even more like Blutengel than possibly Blutengel, while another has been given the StevenArcher (StoneBurner) treatment which is dramatic and pulls the vocals to the fore. Both are really great takes on the track, and the 125 BPM DJ mix, is an extra bonus, along with a short and dark instrumental.
‘We’ll wait til dawn We have the right to disagree….‘
These last lines for me hit the hardest. The growing protests against the Trump administration, especially in Los Angeles are proving that the incumbent government want to break the spirit of those that oppose the racism, misogyny and ignoring of constitutional law. As I write this, things seem to be going from bad to worse, and only the American people in the end can tell the despot to get out. It might seem like Johnathan|Christian are asking “Where Do Go From Here,” but I am pretty sure they already know what they want. Educate, agitate and don’t swallow the lies!
Onyx Music Reviews 