There’s nothing like an international circus descending upon your city to make you feel hyper-aware of what works and what doesn’t in it: the parts of it you’re perpetually trying to escape and the parts of it you’d die to defend. At least as of right now the FIFA foofaraw hasn’t disrupted or displaced Vancouver’s music and arts community the way the Olympics did, but amidst all the hype about the beautiful game “bringing us all together” it’s more apparent than ever that the powers that be’s definitions of “us all” generally discount the people who actually pump life and culture into a city’s veins. Anyway, on with this week’s tracks.
Forever one of the best, Devours
Devours, “A Cruel Fate”
It shouldn’t be a mystery to anyone why we’re such huge fans of Vancouver’s Devours. Firstly, it’s intensely personal music that somehow also speaks to universal experiences. Secondly, it’s catchy, well-written electro-pop that can be both sad, funny, and danceable with effortless sincerity. Such is the case with “A Cruel Fate”, a sad but ultimately bracing account of aging in music and the sacrifices we make, both to survive in a world hostile to art and to hold onto those dreams. This is the undistilled Devours experience, crank it up.
The Hacker & Rein, “We Come Alive”
Here’s a collab we never could’ve come up with in a million years, but which makes sense the more you ponder it. Both The Hacker and Rein have one foot in classic EBM and another in broader electronic club trends dating back at least to the early 90s, and this single ends up sitting equidistantly between those points. Modern dark techno splashed with vintage acid, EBM barking blends with classic pop Rn’B crooning.
Rue Oberkampf, “Eiszeit”
Germany’s Rue Oberkampf’s read on darkwave has always been an understated one even as bit by bit they’ve tilted towards savvier club sounds over the past few releases. While 2022’s Liebe remains their most recent full-length, they’ve had a steady stream of singles since, all of which (and then some) are being collated on this new comp to help casuals catch up. New single “Eiszeit” is as good a jumping on point as any, keeping the focus more on the echoes around the beats themselves and the suitably chilly interplay between vocal and programming harmonics.
Visitor, “Thiaoouba”
Oh fuck, new music from Visitor. It’s been a minute since the last full-length LP from Edmonton’s great industrial and EBM act, but we have had the pleasure of seeing them live a few times in the interim, and each time we’ve been struck by the way Visitor fluidly navigates body music, dark electro, and other genre sounds in ways that feel unique and unexpected. Such is the case with “Thiaoouba”, the first taster from their forthcoming split with LA’s INVA//ID. You’re gonna wanna snap this up.
Adam Rå, “The Sky Will Soon Rain Blood”
We rather enjoyed the first EP from Adam Rå on X-IMG, a pleasing take on the industrial-techno sound, emphasizing rich textures and thoughtful production choices. New EP All Threads Suspended is no different from what we can tell as evidenced by first track “The Sky Will Soon Rain Blood”, which has fun building up and then stripping away big ominous atmospheres, letting the creepy undertones slowly swirl underneath its rhythms.
Crush Of Souls, “Cemetary Days”
Just a year after the release of Lézire Charles Rowell’s Crush Of Souls has its third LP out, and at first blush it seems to be choosing a path out of the complex web of darkwave, post-punk, and new wave substyles represented on this record. Tracks like this one chart a course for the retro synthpop dancefloor, with connotations of Body Of Light, 90s New Order, and mid-period Cold Cave.
