2019 is over and it’s time to summarize. Many interesting releases from various bands have been released. Young performers please in spontaneity, desire and new features and the old army is trying to diversify their sound, which brought them success, adding freshness and reaching a new level. Talking about the most populated sub-scene, so this year it was industrial scene as always. The synth scene as usual made a good impression with its arrangements and sound quality, but the compositors’ part was not as successful as several years ago. But first things first…Lately the electronic dark scene has been undergoing some kind of reincarnation and updating not only in the band names, but also in the general sound and genres. In the 90s the genre Coldwave moved away from the Gothic scene to the Indie area and was a kind of connector between Gothic and Indie scenes, but signs of returning this genre back to Gothic family were noticed already in 2018. The combination of Coldwave and Post Punk has now become a bridge between guitar and electronic gothic music. This new trend can be called a new gothic scene, but already without a vivid visual component.
It’s hard to say if it is good or bad. Somebody will consider it as “approaching to pop-culture” and say that the grass was greener, but for someone those metamorphoses are taken as huge progress and the thing, that they were waiting for it for a long time. But still even with such evolution, and I consider it as evolution and not degradation or popularization, though I don’t quite share the love to Coldwave, there were albums in that old sound of 90s and 00s and the albums are quite qualitative and worthy of attention. One more fact: France rules somehow here.
Covered genres: Gothic Electro, Synth-Goth, Electro-Goth, Dreampop, Dark-Trip-Wave, Gothic Industrial, Electro-Folk
10. Saigon Blue Rain - ‘Pink Obsession’ (Dreampop, Electro-Pop, Coldwave | France, Dichronaut Records)
In 2012 in Paris the STUPID BITCH REJECT project was formed at the moment known as SAIGON BLUE RAIN. Ophelia and Franck originally played music with cold melancholic electronic sound, so Coldwave and Dreampop became the main components of their material. In the early stage, the project also used some Rock elements and Ethereal. In 2014 the French released their debut album. The work called ‘Pink Obsessions’ is already the third in the discography of the duo. On the new album the musicians added more significant electronic component, but also made the music a bit Indie-sounding. This is an interesting mixture of Electro-Pop with Dreampop and Coldwave. Ophelia’s beautiful airy vocals add feminine charm and Electronic Pop doesn’t make SAIGON BLUE RAIN’s music as cold as it was in previous recordings. Nice strong work of the French duo, which fully matches the title of the album. https://www.facebook.com/SBRofficial
09. La Mécanique - ‘Dernier Voyage’ (Coldwave, Synth-Goth, Post Punk | Canada, Cold Transmission Music)
The Canadian project LA MÉCANIQUE was founded in 2016 in Montreal. During its early years Francis released various singles and EPs, collaborated with vocalists from other Montreal bands and performed occasionally. The Canadian finished and released the full-length album only in 2019. That’s when LA MÉCANIQUE became a duo. The project is a classic representative of the new flow of electronic gothic music with popular nowadays combination of Coldwave / Post Punk with elements of an old-school Synth-Goth. And if you add to this all the cold aloof male vocals in French, so the output is an excellent atmospheric music with its charm and even a couple of memorable compositions. https://www.facebook.com/lamecanique
08. Wildnorthe - ‘Murmur’ (Synth-Goth, Darkwave, Post Punk | Portugal, Ragingplanet)
The WILDNORTHE trio consisting of Sara, Pedro and João was formed in 2012 in the Portuguese capital Lisbon. The first records of the Portuguese are dated 2014. In 2015 their debut mini-album was released and in 2019 WILDNORTHE finished recording their debut full-length album, ‘Murmur’, which was released on the multi-genre label Ragingplanet. On the wave of growing popularity of Coldwave the musicians absorbed something of this sound and they didn’t copy other projects, but created their own sound, in which the gloom of Darkwave, synthetics of Synth-Goth, authenticity of Post Punk and, of course, the coldness of Coldwave are woven together. In ‘Murmur’ one can feel echoes of 80s and 90s intersecting with modern features of Coldwave. There are songs with both female and male vocals, but in most cases they both do not sound in the same song. There is no pronounced femininity or masculine romanticism, but there is a golden mean between these components. The debut of Portuguese could be clearly called successful. And this debut sounds amazing even against non-debut releases of more experienced bands. Very good album. https://www.facebook.com/wildnorthe
07. Second Still - ‘Violet Phase’ (Synth-Goth, Post Punk, Coldwave | USA, Fabrika Records)
American band SECOND STILL started their way in 2016 with classical Post Punk with clear influence of SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES. Their debut album of 2017 and a couple of mini-albums were made in this genre with periodic insertions of electronics and even Dreampop. In 2019 the band from Los Angeles released a second full-length album, where the electronic component has already been brought to the foreground and the guitar sound is just an addition. As it is known, talented people are talented in everything. SECOND STILL’s electronic gothic music is as good as its guitar version. Compositions with aloof Coldwave are replaced by a rhythmic sound mixing Post Punk with electronic samples and sometimes even Dreampop, which was present also on previous recordings. And Suki’s vocalist is as usual on top. Good quality work worthy of the attention of fans of electronic gothic music. https://www.facebook.com/secondstillband
06. Lvx Aeterna - ‘Scherbenwelt’ (Synth-Goth | Germany, Darkflow Media)
The German project LVX AETERNA was formed in 2014 in Dortmund and until 2019 mostly worked on the debut material releasing several compositions on compilation of famous dark music magazines Orkus and Sonic Seducer. The musicians themselves describe their music as “a symbiosis of gothic and dance electronic music” and in influences they write “Darkwave and Synth Pop”. In fact, the second album ‘Scherbenwelt’ of the Germans can be called synthetic gothic not only because of the genre name, but also as a description of the sound. It’s not exactly a classic Synth with gothic female vocals inspired by 2000s at the height of Synth-Goth genre in its modern sound. Unostentatious compositions with atmosphere evoking emotions that has been missing on electronic gothic scene for so long. The atmosphere and music approach of the project reminds last year’s EP of GUARDIANS OF TEARS, but with more melancholic and less dancing version. Good album and a great debut. After such albums comes the understanding that Synth-Goth is not in such a bad condition as it may seem and judging by the trend we are waiting for a revival of this genre. But it’s not for sure. https://www.facebook.com/lvxaeterna.music
05. Black Heaven - ‘Suicide Songs’ (Gothic Electro, Synth-Goth | Germany, Trisol)
The German project BLACK HEAVEN was founded in 2000 by Martin known from the Gothic Metal band MANTUS. The debut work was released in 2001. The project also involved Talia, who was the lead singer and in some way the duo’s trademark. At the beginning of 2019 the discography of BLACK HEAVEN counted six full-length albums, the last of which was released in 2011. 2019 was the year, when Martin and BLACK HEAVEN returned to the scene, but without Talia. This time Martin decided to perform almost all parts by himself. Should be said, it turned out quite interesting. The seventh full-length album ‘Suicide Songs’ includes 12 compositions, the vast majority of which were performed by Martin himself in English. Feminine gothic romanticism, of course, has disappeared, but the material is no less emotional and slightly different musically from the previous works. Melancholic Synth-Goth from the early works was transformed into a soft gothic electro combined with a “gothic” Synth Pop. Good work, which fans of Martin's projects have waited eight years. Comeback is definitely successful. https://www.facebook.com/Black-Heaven-183146875047967
04. Minuit Machine - ‘Infrarouge’ (Coldwave, Synth Pop, Synth-Goth | France, Synth Religion)
The idea of creating the project came to Hélène, known for her PHOSPHOR and HANTE. Projects, in 2013 after a tour, in which she met Amandine and “fell in love with her voice”. That’s how the duo MINUIT MACHINE was formed. After two albums and three years of existence the girls announced that project ceased to exist, but in 2018 MINUIT MACHINE came back to life again and in 2019 their third full-length album ‘Infrarouge’ was released. French girls must have missed working together, because their new creation is at least more holistic, than their previous works. Compositions are not as experimental as on the first album and not as cold and dark as on the second album. The new album has more emotions, melody and rhythm. The work has turned out to be very diverse in terms of genres. The mix of Synth-Goth and Synth Wave and Coldwave and Synth Pop will please not only the fans of gothic romance, but also the fans of synth-scene. MINUIT MACHINE could easily be considered now as one of the brightest representatives of the new gothic stream. ttps://www.facebook.com/minuitmachine
03. Collection D’Arnell-Andréa - ‘Another Winter’ (Dreampop, Ethereal | France, Trisol)
The French project COLLECTION D’ARNELL-ANDRÉA is one of those, who stood at the beginning of ethereal and Dreampop genres. Formed in 1986 the French played the airy brooding Post Punk with elements of Coldwave and Ethereal. Over time their work has gone into a more chamber sound. This can be heard very clearly especially in the early 00s, when COLLECTION D’ARNELL-ANDRÉA began to published their releases on French label Prikosnovénie not only new works, but also re-releasing old material. In 2010 the last album before the year 2019 was out, after which the project went into a long hiatus. The return took place in 2019. COLLECTION D’ARNELL-ANDRÉA release a new album on the famous multi-genre label Trisol. The album ‘Another Winter’ absorbed both elements of their early work using Post Punk sound and the neoclassical chamber component. However, they added an electronic sound with synths and melodies also. Chloé’s delightful vocals have not lost a drop of charm and the lyrics in French with slight Dreampop electronics sound just perfect. COLLECTION D’ARNELL-ANDRÉA have returned very powerfully making one of the best albums not only in 2019, but perhaps in their discography as well. https://www.facebook.com/Collection-dArnell-Andrea-Official-131860693549775
02. Ultimated - ‘Chronicles’ (Synth-Goth | Hungary, Spinnup)
‘I Need Your Love’. That is the name of the debut mini-album of the Hungarian project ULTIMATED, released in early 2019. Even then it became understood, that there would be a new project on the scene of gothic electronics, which is worth paying attention. Six months later the debut album called ‘Chronicles’ was released. It includes four original compositions from the first EP as well as seven other songs. The Hungarians found the golden mean between the sound of Synth-Goth from 00s and the more modern, more dancing albums in this genre without going into the ever-growing Coldwave / Post Punk or so common these days Synth Wave elements. Easy memorable melodies with a raid of Synth Pop and periodic piano playback and a guitar background with excellent female vocals in English will not leave aside lovers of synthetic gothic music. The varied release of the young band from Budapest will settle in the playlist for a long time. https://www.facebook.com/Ultimatedmusic
01. She Past Away - ‘Disko Anksiyete’ (Synth-Goth, Post Punk, Coldwave | Turkey, Self-Released)
The debut album of the Turkish duo SHE PAST AWAY, released in 2012, made a splash in the scene of gothic music. Postpunk in Turkish, done according to all the canons of the genre, in 2019 is no longer surprising. In pursuit of SHE PAST AWAY, DARK LAKE WHISPERS and MERRY’S FUNERAL appeared. And when, it would seem, SHE PAST AWAY had already gone down in history and laid the foundation for a galaxy of interesting projects, the Turks again released a brilliant album not similar to their predecessors or imitators. The unique atmosphere of SHE PAST AWAY’s music, Turkish language, way of performance and peculiar sound remained, but in the third album of the duo, called ‘Disko Anksiyete’, the electronic part came to the foreground pushing the Post Punk a little to the back. I expected to hear more Coldwave from SHE PAST AWAY, but Doruk and Volkan surprised me with very high-quality Synth-Goth at some point reminding even the early CLAN OF XYMOX. Of course, it was not without Coldwave, but it only added diversity. If first works of SHE PAST AWAY were interesting partly because of the Turkish language, now the same material could take first place in this top of electronic Gothic music even in English. The project continues to amaze. https://www.facebook.com/shepastaway
Other honourable mentions: BLUTENGEL, MILLIKEN CHAMBER, TAMARYN, SÓLVEIG MATTHILDUR, BELLE LUNE, ENGELSSTAUB, THE COVENTRY, MERRY’S FUNERAL, WINTRY
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