Janosch Troehler
Editor
Edition #134
This week, we recommend the new songs by The Cure, iuri, Obliecht, Sjöblom, and Flower Face.
My teenage angsty self rejoiced on Friday when The Cure finally dropped new music after more than a decade. But now, it deals with the inevitable progress of time and the impending decay.
But it's not only the legendary band that brought long-anticipated music. You'll find some beautiful finds: soothing, impressive, and unexpected.
The Cure – Endsong
16 long years, fans had to wait for new music by wave legends The Cure. Finally, Songs of a Lost World arrived—a heavy-hearted, dragging thing. Everything but an easy listen, the album's final track, a 10-minute-long epos of melancholic decay, appreciates and celebrates the long winding compositions to their fullest. Wow!
Sjöblom – Tomorrow
Dead of Night, the new album by Swedish duo Sjöblom, features an array of exquisite tracks meandering between indie and electro-pop—with a hint of post-punk and synth wave. Tomorrow is one of these groovy tracks that fuels the dancefloor for the sad. Heavy on the synths, poignant on the guitars.
Obliecht – Coastline
Rave-like composition meets the warmth of indie pop—flavoured by an unexpected instrument: the hammered dulcimer. Usually used in traditional music, the Swiss trio Obliecht showcases the angelic sound in a contemporary context. Coastline is a great taste for this forward-thinking band.
iuri – Colours
It's a heartfelt affair: Colours, the first teaser for iuri's debut album. Slow and playful, the composition allows instruments to twist and whirl. And the artist's voice comforts you with warmth and vulnerability, supported by a subtle choir that adds even more shades to this beautiful song.
Flower Face – Biblical Love
When Goth and folk music meet, it sounds like Flower Face. The Canadian artist just released the bittersweet album Girl Prometheus. And in Biblical Love, the worlds collide spectacularly. Soft and whispering, giving bedroom country, in the verses, the song erupts into a dark and dramatic anthem. Impressive!
The Scariest Song I Know
This track always lets an icy chill run down my spine.
I usually don’t care about the «spooky season» at all. I’m neither a fan of horror movies nor have I ever dressed up for a Halloween party.
However, I wondered: What’s the scariest song I know?
A song that really and utterly lets a chill run down my spine because it sounds so haunting.
So, I started to dig around in my library, going straight to the darkest stuff I could think of. I was convinced some black metal artist would have an answer ready. Behemoth’s Blow Your Trumpets Gabrial, maybe? Or Den Vrede Makt by Whoredome Rife?
Not really; black metal’s shock value is entirely performative, aimed at Christian conservatives. Something that’s obviously designed to be artificially scary and violent can’t be the answer. It’s like a slasher movie: The more blood, the funnier.
My next station—goth music—often has a similar problem. When it tries to be scary, it becomes obvious. And anyway, goth music is more melancholic, more sad than scary.
But then I remembered being at this goth party years ago. There was this song that first seemed out of place, sounding rather unsuspecting.
The October Playlist Updates
Our exclusive playlists got another round of updates. Here's the latest.
It feels like an eternity since the last update, and yet, it has only been a month. I have updated three of our (more or less) genre-focused playlist, and hope that you will find some fresh inspiration.
Edition #133
This week, we recommend the new songs by Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory, Sarah Klang, Ezra Furman & Alex Walton, Guinevere, and Rhonda.
Driven by exceptional performances, today's selection is for the admirers of extraordinary vocals. The mighty clarity of Sharon Van Etten, the smooth vulnerability of Sarah Klang, or the snotty-punkish flair by Ezra Furman. We wish you an intriguing listen.
Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory – Afterlife
Sharon Van Etten and her new band, The Attachment Theory, just released Afterlife, the first stunning teaser of the upcoming album. Van Etten lets others in on the creative process for the first time, and the result sounds brilliant: grand, dreamy, melancholic, but most of all, utterly beautiful.
Ezra Furman & Alex Walton – Tie Me to The Train Tracks
Ezra Furman is back! Collaborating with Alex Walton, the US singer's Tie Me to The Train Track is a gritty, noisy rock song that bridges the gap between a past of distorted guitars and autotuned accents—it sounds just wild. But it's again Furman's raw authenticity making everything work and, frankly, excellent.
Sarah Klang – Other Girls
Swedish artist Sarah Klang's Other Girls is a heartbreaking, emotional piece about the desire to belong and the societal obsession over the female body. Delivered with her heartfelt, velvety voice, Sarah Klang transports vulnerability, yearning, and desperation to chilling perfection.
Guinevere – Generational Fear
Emotive and quiet initially, then erupting in a mighty plea. Italian artist Guinevere's Generational Fear is pushing the boundaries of folk music with its sparse yet powerful composition. A song that pleads for change, pushes against oppression, and seems griefing despite its defiance.
Rhonda – The More We Are Together
We often have debut or early singles, rarely a last song by a band. But The More We Are Together is the sonic farewell of the US-German band Rhonda. The soulful vocals meet a slow groove and make for a bittersweet but also warm atmosphere. The song is an invitation to explore Rhonda's past work.
