Beborn Beton – Daisy Cutter

Dark Wave, Synthpop
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An amalgam of animal and artifice, “Daisy Cutter” thumps into being with a calling that immediately commands the struggle taking place within its tones. With an inherent uncertainty, there is still the sense of something victorious here; veiled among the overturning of allegories and pontifications on doubt is a creeping self-awareness of purpose that builds this song into an anthem at its climax. This is a song about survival, about laying waste to obstacles and destroying barriers to find truth and faith beyond a seemingly endless void.

Feeding Fingers – Your Candied Laughter Crawls

Dark Wave, Indie Rock, Post Punk
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I’ve often felt that Feeding Fingers’ music has had a tendency toward quiet desperation, and, at times, a sense of holding itself back from its own full potential. But “Your Candied Laughter Crawls”, the debut single from their upcoming fifth album, is almost triumphant, musically. There is an entire metamorphosis occurring in the microcosm of this particular song, one that opens itself up to the listener like a blooming flower as it progresses from its sleepy opening notes to their book-end, with its entire story laid out in between.

Drab Majesty – The Foyer

Dark Wave, Indie Rock
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This is a song that changes sonic tactics throughout, and it works really well. Echoing the confusion and frustration of its narration, it vacillates between peace and discord. It builds its story around the lyrics, but challenges itself to tell that story with its audial composition. It warms from sparsity into intricacy, then plays with an almost noodling sound – evoking moments in waiting rooms; anticipatory, anxious.

A Copy For Collapse – Grey Sunday

Dark Wave
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A Copy for Collaspe’s second single “Grey Sunday” is a sickly sweet, sinister treat for those who like darker synthpop. Fans of Teeel and Torul should welcome another shimmering nightmare into their listening consciousness, as this track packs just enough glitter in its fangs to make you wonder if you should stay asleep or snap out of the dream before you reach the song’s conclusion.

SynthDecade – Lighten Up The Darkness

Dark Wave, Synthpop
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Admittedly, we listen to a lot of Depeche Mode-sounding bands here at Chez Strangeways, and lucky for us this German band is among the Depeche-iest. SynthDecade has a few great songs, including this one, which reminds me a little of DM’s ʺWalking in My Shoes.ʺ This song has a very late ’80s/early ’90s DM feel, including the dark uptempo feel, the vocal effects, the chord changes, and the occasional unexpected bloops, bleeps, and twang that keep it all very interesting during repeated listening.