by on

Montreal’s SEXSOMNIA is made up Philip Faith (vocals, keyboards, bass, drum programming), Pat Gaudette (bass) and  Michael Rien (keyboards, percussion), a blend of darkwave and electronics with a generous hint of taboo. Following up the release of their single “Forbidden,” SEXSOMNIA dropped in August, the EP also called Forbidden. 

“Forbidden” and “Forbidden (Shadow Mix),” are the gateway to the EP, your pass into the world of potential pleasure via the sensuous tones of guest vocalist, Marita Volodina, with her sumptuous lip-service to extasy, and Faith’s more abrasive utterances.

Isabelle Young can be found lending her voice to “Vapor,” an utterly danceable track with rolling rhythms and post-punk bass guitar. Young’s vocals bring the exotic into excitingly charged song, which still is ethereal in quality. “Nigrum Viduam” features guest vocalist Jacinthe Benoit, and has been remixed by Martin Bowes, best known for his project ATTRITION. The Set You Free Mix takes this track that was released previously on the album Transcendent, making it feel grittier and more subversive, adding a harsher edge.

The ladies who have given their vocal talent on each song, definitely imbue their track with an essence of prohibited indulgence, be it heavy, airy or somewhere in between, but always sensual and done beautifully in conjunction with the music. SEXOMNIA are daring you to live on the edge a little, so you might find pleasure in the art of the Forbidden.

FORBIDDEN EP | SEXSOMNIA

Facebook

by on

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

BrutalPink

Madil Hardis

Facebook – Madil Hardis

Madil Hardis (@madilhardis) • Instagram photos and videos

by on

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

Facebook – Paris Alexander

Facebook – The Stave Church

by on

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

Facebook – Moody Mcivor

Facebook – Nerang Records

by on

Incirrina are a two piece band from Athens, Greece and signed to the label Cold Transmission Music. The latest single is called “ΚΡΥΦΟ (Hidden)” by the darkwave duo George Katsanos (synthesizers, drum machines, octapad, bass guitar) and Irini Tiniakou (synthesizers, vocals).

The synths ebb and flow with an incantation of gothic sorrow. “ΚΡΥΦΟ (Hidden)” is the embodiment of what should be and yet, still remains obfuscated and incomplete. The vocals of Tiniakou, sung in her native Greek, are so alive and are only matched by the insistent guitar. It builds, a vortex of singing and instruments.

This track just struck me as possibly influenced by 80s Xmal Deutschland, especially with those wonderful yips recalling Anja Huwe’s vocal style. However, this is a far more modern fare with a smooth electronic bearing. Incirrina have brought forth and wonderful darkwave track in “ΚΡΥΦΟ (Hidden).”

ΚΡΥΦΟ (Hidden) | Incirrina

Facebook

Music | Incirrina

𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐚 (@incirrina_band) • Φωτογραφίες και βίντεο στο Instagram

by on

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 The Cure, 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.

Pale Fire (single) | Chronotape

Facebook

(@chronotape) • Instagram photos and videos

by on

Most people know of Ultravox, though many think of Midge Ure, but before “Vienna” and “Dancing with Tears In My Eyes,” there was originally Ultravox!, fronted by the utterly English and completely electrifying John Foxx. Beborn Beton’s Stefan Netschio (vocals) and A State of Flux (synths), have covered the track, “Dislocation,” with Kill Shelter’s Pete Burns contributing guitar.

“This cover was my break from synthpop’s familiar comfort zone – an opportunity to embrace something much heavier and darker, more visceral, a side of me that’s rarely heard.” – Stefan Netschio

The guitar is a low growl, in the bleak menace that is heightened by the warbled and warped synths. Netschio brings an animation to the lyrics that speaks of a modern disconnect to society and still stays true to the whole idea that life will continue on, even when you are not plugged into the system. Burns’ turns in some blistering guitar riffs, searing and screaming, like a beacon to drag your attention back, even while conveying a plumenting feeling of implosion.

“Inspired by the hugely influential work of John Foxx and Conny Plank, we layered analogue synths with studio-driven detail to echo the pioneering spirit of the Systems of Romance period.” – Arc, A State of Flux

“After discussing the approach, I leaned heavily into my Robert Fripp and Adrian Belew influences from that era, using abstract, angular processed guitar riffs as soaring sonic textures to reflect the song’s fractured core.” – Pete Burns, Kill Shelter

“Dislocation” was originally off the third Ultravox album, Systems of Romance, that came out in 1978, and was co-produced with the German legend Conny Plank. It was to be Foxx’s last outing with the band as he forged a solo career, inspiring other synth based new wave artists such as Gary Numan. This new version is far weightier, the music thicker and a much harder edge than the original, This is a song for the modern era, written forty-seven years ago, and lovingly darkened for a new audience. I love John Foxx and I think this is a brilliant cover of “Dislocation” by Stefan Netschio and A State of Flux.

Dislocation | Stefan Netschio and A State of Flux | A State of Flux

Facebook – A State of Flux

Music | Beborn Beton

Facebook – Beborn Beton

Music | Kill Shelter

Facebook – Kill Shelter

by on

Portland…..tis the area rich in musicians, and I am starting to think they need to put up a warning sign, ‘Beware of Darkwave Hazards and Dancing‘. And so, we have relatively new group Human Hollow, made up of members Austin McKee and Lucia Luna since 2024. The independent duo have a new single called “Playing Dead.”

Called by the siren Luna, lured into the danse macabre, towards the tale of an abusive relationship, where the other person is living rent free and she is unable to break free. The multitrack layering gives you the illusion of multiple angels in unison and there is this harsh edge to the track, that could almost cut the skin. McKee can be heard near the end, like a final toll to the inevitable end of a survivor.

Human Hollow are leaning into a more industrial sound. They use a lot of old tech analogue synths in the form of MiniMoog Voyager and Korg MiniKorg, while their drum machine in an Akai SR19. This lends itself to a meatier sound and the fact they have said they a sampling noises like bashing metal things makes this all so much more cooler. Human Hollow might be singing about “Playing Dead,” but they are absolutely electric.

Playing Dead | Human Hollow

Facebook

Human Hollow (@humanhollowmusic) • Instagram photos and videos

Stream Human Hollow music | Listen to songs, albums, playlists for free on SoundCloud

by on

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 “Eve Had the Metallic Shine of Summer,” which features the talents of fellow electronic artists Black Kite.

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 Metallic Shine of Summer” with Black Kite, and produced something beautifully sombre.

Eve Had the Metallic Shine of Summer (Single) | Marie Ann Hedonia (featuring Black Kite) | Marie Ann Hedonia

Facebook

Marie • Ann • Hedonia (@marieannhedonia) • Instagram photos and videos

by on

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 Lauren Nottingham’s talent, crafting electronic music into worlds, that we the listener can lose ourselves in.

Digital Plastic Surgery | Frau Knotz

Facebook

FRAU KNOTZ

Frau Knotz (@frau_knotz) • Instagram photos and videos