Regular coverage picks right back up today post-Terminus, folks. Thanks to those who sent well-wishes; we’re both back in the pink after a thankfully light round with the rona. More important than the bug, though, is the material we came back from Calgary with, and we’ll be happy to offer the first of a pair of interviews with Terminus artists this Thursday on We Have A Technical.
Selofan keeping an eye out for you.
Das Ich, “Lazarus”
Your eyes and ears do not deceive you: there is new Das Ich. Coming off a 17 year studio layoff and several health scares within the band, most of us had likely tacitly come to understand that the band was winding itself down years back. Reports of the German dramatists’ death are greatly exaggerated though, with this lurching and theatrical single being exactly the sort of out-of-time blast of weirdness only Bruno and Stefan could weld together. Forthcoming LP Fanal will be the band’s first full-length since 2006.
Selofan, “I’ve Seen that Face Before”
A little something new from Greece’s minimal wave goths Selofan, a consistently entertaining act in the broader modern darkwave scene. “I’ve Seen that Face Before” nicely captures the duo’s great strength, balancing powerful vocals and a distinctly continental posture with some throwback synths and electronic percussion that recall early synthpop. We’re especially big on those brassy synth horns.
Caustic, “Pushing Rope”
Between his work in Klack and Daddybear, not to mention a steady stream of features and collabs, it’s odd to think of Matt Fanale’s work ever being far from hand, but in truth its been seven years since there was a new Caustic LP. Thankfully, The Man Who Couldn’t Stop is making up for lost time with the two volume Fiend double LP. There might be a little hint of newer techno influence in this homage to waking up middle-aged, but truth be told Fanale’s always had a yen for massaging broader electronics into his hotly compressed read on post-powernoise (and post-ED) industrial.
Grizz CLL, “Come Alive (feat. Diva Destruction)”
Y’all might have heard us waxing lyrical about the excellent performance from Los Angeles’ Grizz CLL at Terminus this year on the podcast last week, where we also noted that a new single featuring none other than Diva Destruction was in the wild. This is a pretty solid example of what Grizz’s work is all about; a distinctly minimal form of electronic darkwave, spiked with contributions from a contrasting act – in this case Debra Fogarty’s regal vocal stylings. An act you need to be keeping an eye on if you aren’t already.
Menthüll, “Ceramic”
Any new single from Menthüll’s long been an auto-purchase for us. We’re never disappointed by the nostalgic and otherworldly read the Hull duo have on synthpop and darkwave, and when they change up their delivery as they do here, well so much the better. Drawing the listener out into misty marshlands, the sing-song delivery of this lilting number is a great example of how much space and shade Menthüll can conjure with their style.
Viva Non, “With Love”
Finally, a lovely bit of lush synthpop from Winnipeg’s Viva Non, their first in a few years. If you’ve followed the project for a while you may be familiar with the more beat-oriented instrumental dark techno that James Hofer has been putting out, but it was this style of moody, low-key and subtly executed synth music that first drew the project to our attention. A nice return to the style from a project we’ve long enjoyed and continually keep tabs on.
