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There are many women from the small screen whom gothic culture adore, such as Lily Munster, Elvira and Vampira, but today it is the iconic “Morticia Addams” which coincidentally is the debut single from the London based electro-industrial band Pink Panther Project. Record label, The Circle Music, will be releasing the double album Intoxicating Embrace from members Uela, Alex K and Ether Mu in September.

True to form, the electronics are there, up front, promising a cracking darkwave dance piece. Uela’s vocals are breathy, perfectly complimenting the subtle electronics and all lyrics are sung in German, leaving you somewhat intrigued.

The Circle Music have put together a rather charming music video consisting of cuts from The Addams Family (1964/65) television show, which fits the track well. “Morticia Addams” is definitely worthy of not only being played on dancefloors, but also in personal playlists when you want a bit of pep in your darker music listening. I think we will be watching this space when it comes to the Pink Panther Project as I think they could be doing some amazing things.

Morticia Addams | Pink Panther Project (bandcamp.com)

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Finnish musician Amanda Aalto dropped the single “Vampira” on December 1st. This independent singer, songwriter, and producer has been releasing music for the last ten years.

The electronics are almost in lament, with an innocence in the lightness, which is further enforced by the vocals. An ode to a female creature of the night, whom has had to accept her fate, never able to go back to her previous life.

I would almost say that “Vampira” wants you to feel remorse for the prejudice the main character has to endure, through no fault of her own. Simple synth lines, coupled with lilting vocals and you too can dance the blood bond with Amanda Aalto and her “Vampira.”

Vampira | Amanda Aalto (bandcamp.com)

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Out on Infacted Recordings, is the latest single “Harbour” from J:dead, where Jay Taylor has enlisted Aesthetic Perfection and genCAB for remix duties. This is officially the last release for J:dead for the year 2023, but in 2024, we can expect the unleashing of the thematic EP ROOTS, which will contain seven original tracks, including “Harbour,” plus 8 remixes.

©Thomas Fritsche, Nightshark Photography

“Harbour” has this rolling flow whilst also laying down dance rhythms. An electronic melding of the many faces and personalities we are and show others, topped by the molten vocals of Taylor. The Aesthetic Perfection mix is filled with a bright jauntiness that the progenitor of industrial pop, Daniel Graves is famous for, while David Dutton of genCAB’s version is slower and darker, like you can feel the shadows enveloping you in a cocoon and only the vocals can drag you to the light.

The line ‘look hard and you will find me, lonely I will never be‘ doesn’t refer to multiple personalities but rather all the different facets that make us up as humans. We are not one thing such as a joker or the introvert, which would leave us as one dimensional aberrations, instead of the wondrously complicated creatures we are. As always, this is a polished track with two stunning mixes and if you want to know what you will be getting in the EP, then “Harbour” is an excellent place to start. I have already had the pleasure of hearing the original tracks and can promise that you are not going to be disappointed, yet that is for another day………..

Harbour | J:dead | Infacted Recordings (bandcamp.com)

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Music | Aesthetic Perfection (bandcamp.com)

Music | genCAB (bandcamp.com)

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SEVREN NI-ARB (synthesizers, computers, programming, vocals) and
ESTEFANÍA (vocals) are X MARKS THE PEDWALK, and the Munster electronic aficionados have dropped the first video “Fading Waves,” that heralds the coming of their latest album, Superstition, which is due out in November on the label Meshwork Music.

Paramedics race to save the life of a young man, laying on the ground. The music’s rhythm heightens the ambulance crew’s attempt to restart his heart, as it fades away and flatlines. The casualty joins the multitudes that these courageous first responders cannot always save. There is something sublime about the play of synths and vocals, beautifully tinged with thoughtful sadness. X MARKS THE PEDWALK, as always, are masters of the synthpop genre and “Fading Away” is aimed straight for your heart.

Superstition | X Marks The Pedwalk (bandcamp.com)

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X MARKS THE PEDWALK | SUPERSTITION | meshwork music (meshwork-music.com)

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From sun drenched Florida, Violet Silhouette are back with a new single, titled “Strange Wind“. This single is off the soon to be released EP Feverblue, which is the follow-up to the 2021 EP, SEMI-PERMANENTDEREALIZATION.

The metronome drum beats are twinned with the extruded electronics reverberating, which are joined by a classic post-punk heavy bass. The clean guitar breaks through, which heralds a burst of joyous, danceable sound. The vocals complete the booming shivers down the spine, as the music runs circles around your pleasure centres.

Longing and need are palpable in this track, along with the cascading layers of instrumentation. Violet Silhouette has mixed post-punk with both industrial dance and dark pop to give us the sublime “Strange Wind“.

https://violetsilhouette.bandcamp.com/track/strange-wind

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One of the strong synthwave albums of 2022 was Hatif’s debut, Everything Is Repetition, via Town And Tower Records. The Swedish based duo of Markus Majdalani and Johan Eckerström, began this musical project in 2020, and May 26th saw their new single, “Long Year“, released into the wild.

Photo by Daniel Kwon

I do love that Hatif have this wonderful ability to meld electronic music with that exotic Middle Eastern flare, and ‘Long Year” is yet another beautiful representation of this ability. However, this latest track seems a lot heavier and darker, as the electronics snap and hiss at times. Around this is the succulent vocals of Markus Majdalani and the sinuous weaving of the synths. Maybe this track by Hatif, is about the time of Covid-19, that did indeed seem like a “Long Year“.

Long Year | Hatif (bandcamp.com)

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New Zealand is the Land of the Long White Cloud or in the tongue of the original occupants, the Māori people, Aotearoa. For a small country, a lot of talent resides there. Frau Knotz is the solo project for New Plymouth electronic artist Lauren Nottingham, and 24th of March is the release date for her second single “Runway Of Reality“.

Some things in life are like that little red dress that is worn a few times and then forgotten as it is no longer needed in life, like a persona. Frau Knotz is your narrator in this song, a noir styled track, with an 80s electronic pop sound that tinkles like stardust and dowsed in shimmering darkwave vocals and rhythms.

The video features Frau Knotz as the Pierrot made-up usher of the theatre, while the stage is graced by the beautiful Erika Flash. The music video compliments the track beautifully with the near sepia tones. Join Frau Knotz on the “Runway Of Reality“, so you might also enjoy her dulcet tones while getting your groove on.

Runway of Reality | Frau Knotz (bandcamp.com)

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Woohoo and the year kicked off with a bang. German industrial meisters, ROTERSAND hit the ground running with a new single, “Higher Ground” as of New Years Day 2023, on the label Metropolis Records. It is has been exactly a year since the release of the previous single “Grey“, and though we have been able to hear the guys performing remix magic last year, the exciting news is that “Higher Ground” is heralding the countdown to a new album!

From the beginning, already, the skin is goose fleshing in anticipation with the build-up. Nikov’s vocals really are just silken and ever smooth, an observation that some people will always be a beacon of hope and sanctuary, even at their own discomfort. I even detect the strumming of an acoustic guitar. That is before it all just takes flight with that fabulous synthie pop beat and surging electronics coming at you in waves.

The Evendorff remix is fresh and intense, like a blast of concentrated ROTERSAND, which makes it pretty electric. Beautifully recorded and mastered. Also, there is the radio edit version, but that is neither here nor there as “Higher Ground” is a little piece of EBM magic

Higher Ground | Rotersand (bandcamp.com)

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Rotersand – Truth is Fanatic again.

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LMX has released his third album, Habits & Addictions, on the Meshwork Music label, as of October the 28th. Keep in mind that this German electro-pop musician isn’t even twenty yet…….

There is occasionally, a harder edge to this music than you think. “Addiction” has elements of industrial experimentation, while the circling fragile sadness of “Not Made For This” is in the morose synths even with the constant paced rhythm.

There are beautiful synth lines in the spiralling “More Time” with almost an 80s feel to it, then you have a kind of ambient euro dance thing going on with “That Summer“. The heart rending “Stay” is yet another facet of the performer and writer, with such a simple track that bares his soul. In all, there are ten tracks, all flourishing these incredible electronics and lyrics.

I know that it is the current rage to use those vocal modulation thingies to give the singing that echoing tone but I’m not a great fan of it, especially when you can hear the fact they can sing. I really wanted to hear LMX without it, however I’m sure maybe it’s just one of my foibles and I am fairly certain there is a multitude out there that absolutely love it. Other than that little quibble, it’s a really excellent dark pop album and some tracks did become embedded into the old brain box, refusing to leave.

LMX is going to have a long future in the music scene, if this is to go by and he does have a great pedigree, being the son of X Marks The Pedwalk’s ESTEFANÍA and SEVREN NI-ARB, who also helped produce this album. Habits & Addictions is emotion filled, raw and yet, in the end, looking for the light, LMX might become your addiction.

https://lmxmusic.bandcamp.com/album/habits-addictions

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