And hey, second week back to regular schedule and The Senior Staff are just working through the backlog of albums, singles and EPs that came across our virtual desks during our Spring hiatus. Last week had us holding forth on some of our more anticipated 2025 releases from Youth Code, Pixel Grip and Bootblacks, and hopefully this week we’ll be getting to a few more of the records that have been getting us hype. Strong year so far at just about the halfway point, and plenty to come from the likes of ESA, Moon 17 and Sally Dige (to pick 3 names out of a hat) that we’re keen on. What have been your faves so far this year? Make sure to let us know in the comments! On to Tracks!
Ultra Sunn, “The Beast In You”
Ultra Sunn have come a long way since their earliest releases as part of the early 2020s electro-darkwave boom, finding their own strengths, namely in the vocals of Sam Huge and their own voice as songwriters. The first single and title track from the forthcoming The Beast In You shows still more growth, leaning into synthpop dramatics that recall And One’s more baroque moments amongst others. Check those organ and choral sounds, and how nicely they mesh with the band’s rubbery basslines, it’s a great match and is certainly one of the strongest songs from a band that has already been doing good things in that department.
Static Ghost, “Identity”
We’ve been tracking Olympia’s Static Ghost for a number of years now, both through a slew of singles and EPs as well as a spate of sets up here in Vancouver which have cinched the producer as one of the most energetic and enjoyable EBM-related acts Cascadia can claim. Now with a first full LP out, tracks like this which blend modern TBM with classic dark electro iciness will hopefully begin to find Static Ghost a wider audience via Breached Flesh.
Dark Chisme, “Breathe, Break It”
Speaking of acts reaching out beyond the Pacific Northwest, we’d certainly hope that you’re already clued into Dark Chisme after the heavy duty touring the Seattle duo embarked upon in support of their excellent self-titled debut over the past couple of years. The second new track to be released since that LP keeps the hot hand going, with plenty of drama being worked from Christine Gutierrez’s vocals weaving through a less-is-more arrangement and some big, futurepop-esque programming crashing through at exactly the right times. Dark Chisme have everything in place to keep on rising into the tier of North America’s strongest acts, full stop.
The Devil & The Universe, “Beelzebub Unchained”
It’s been a few years since we’ve heard new material from Austrian oddballs The Devil & The Universe, but they’ve resurfaced on Swiss Dark Nights with a pair of new singles. While “Primordial Temples” gets the smokey subtlety of their style across, this number’s far more bombastic, pushing their blend of darkwave and neo-classical to the maximalist limit with some help from Stockholm’s Aux Animaux.
Ortrotasce, “Mirror Stitched to Static”
Just over a year since the release of Ortotrasce’s last LP of excellent classic synthpop comes a new missive from the US-based act. The project’s prolific 2024 release schedule maintained an excellent quality to quantity ration, and we’re pleased that the first song we’ve heard from them this calendar year doesn’t buck that trend; funky analogue bass, chirpy percussion and those low-key vocals and pleasing melodies that put us in mind of early 2000s electro from the likes of Soviet and Solvent. Great stuff from a band you should be keeping an eye on.
Die Sexual, “Magic Never Dies”
Hey, a new one from Los Angeles sexlectro duo Die Sexual, who have put out more than a couple dancefloor heaters in recent years (check “Need to Sin” and “Darkest Hour” for a couple of our faves). “Magic Never Dies” plays up the band’s strengths, namely disaffected but still insistent vocals, solid rhythm programming and minimal but propulsive synth programming. Also really feeling that post-chorus vocal break and bridge, just a nicely produced and structured addition to the track that separates from other comparable electro-darkwave.
