If you like your electronica a bit darker, a bit more twisted and industrialized from the norm, then there’s plenty to choose from on Spotify. Here’s a selection of some of my favorite new dark-electro releases to chill your bones and get you dancing like a zombie.
First Aid 4 Souls – Deathstep
The second full-length release from Hungary’s First Aid 4 Souls sees them taking a step towards a faster, darker sound. Released on Germany’s Electro Arc label, Deathstep is full of pounding synth lines and distorted vocals, taking industrial and EBM into new territory by twisting the sound with techno, trance and Neue Deutsche Härte. It shouldn’t really work but it does so gloriously: First Aid 4 Souls have mined the world’s electro-nightmares and come up with an unforgettable album. Highly recommended!
Huminoida – Whiter Album
Kimmo Karjalainen from new Finnish band Huminoida very kindly sent me his new CD to check out. As the former vocalist in synthpop band Neuroactive, you’d expect electropop and there is a little of this, but it’s a lot darker, a lot more experimental than your average synthpop album. It took me a few listens to get into, but the more I hear Whiter Album the more I like it. Kimmo’s vocals have a bit of a Bauhaus edge to them which particularly suits the electro-goth minimalism of the music. The CD packaging itself deserves a special mention: it’s a beautiful piece of work, lavishly wrapped and opening up like some kind of electric starfish.
Gatekeeper – Giza
Much like Mommy Hurt My Head, Gatekeeper resurrect the oldschool electro-industrial sound, taking their cues from early Front Line Assembly and adding an extra dark twist of italo-disco. Giza is perfect Halloween music, with horror film samples liberally scattered throughout to compensate for the lack of vocals. The late-80s aesthetic is carried through from the music to the cover art, and there’s even an accompanying video collection released on VHS.
The Crystalline Effect – Industrial Re-Evolution
The Crystalline Effect are an Australian band who’ve been making music for a few years now. Combining elements of electro, EBM and trip-hop, Elenor Rayner delivers seductive vocals while Pete Crane (SHIV-R) drips blood on the synths. Released via Deathwatch Asia (the Japanese electro-industrial label), Industrial Re-Evolution is a maxed-out EP of 14 tracks, including remixes from the likes of Soman and Fractured. It’s probably the most dance-oriented album in this selection, but there’s enough of an edge to warrant its inclusion here.
//TENSE// – Escape EP
Houston duo //TENSE// opened for Nitzer Ebb when they toured America and it’s easy to see why. Minimal EBM with a sinister dance vibe, Escape features five tracks that could easily have come from Wax Trax Records back in the day.
If you like your electronia dark and twisted, here’s some other recent releases on Spotify you might like:
And for more on this type of music, here are three excellent resources to bookmark:
- Side-Line Magazine – The biggest and best, Side-Line is updated daily with news, reviews, and opinions on the latest electro and industrial music.
- Blackvector – One of my favourite music blogs, Blackvector.se covers electro-industrial, synthpop, and everything in between.
- Eine Tasse Jäger – The best blog on the net if you’re into EBM, especially old-school and anhalt. The list of bands in the sidebar is a goldmine of great underground music.
