Bow Church - Catharsis

Bow Church, a dark electronic project of Berlin-based David Whiting, is back after almost 2 years of radio silence. His last album "The Spirits In This Forest Are Older Than Your Gods" saw the light of the day in March 2020, and was a really pleasant surprise for me since I lost him from my radar for good couple of years. This new single "Catharsis", described as a little one-off, made somewhere in the middle of 2021, is also an enjoyable sonic journey that could fit into the dreampunk box (rain sounds, I'm looking at you). Hopefully we will be able to experience some more sounds from David this year again.

Pharmacist - Cerussite

Pharmacist keeps droping those YT singles, and I love every one of them. Today he published "Cerussite", a dark ambient / drone slow burner that could easily work as a soundtrack to the underworld. Digging the mood here, makes me wish it was a bit longer though. It will be up on streaming services soon, including Bandcamp on Bandcamp Friday (coupled with another track).

Churchterror - War

Shout out to Churchterror and all of our Ukrainian friends.

7777 の天使 - Thousand Blades Our Wishes

Not entirely sure how I came across 7777 の天使, but I glad I did. 7777 の天使 is a Portugese duo composed of Swan Palace and DRVGジラ, and their latest project "Thousand Blades Our Wishes" reminds me of the sad boy crooner oFF Love singing over Yen Tech-like deco-club and rave beats, all with a nu-metal edge. German colletive and label Soul Feeder just released this EP on tape, so head over here to snag one. You can also stream the whole release below.

Male Tears - Model Citizen // video

Male Tears just published new video to their single "Model Citizen", which is also one of my fav tracks from their brillaint last year's album "Trauma Club". Directed by AJ Strout, it is a full on tribute to the golden era of MTV videos. There are still some "Trauma Club" records and tapes left for sale on the band's Bandcamp, so don't sleep and head over here to get one before they're gone.

Curses - Miriam

Luca Venezia is back with a new full-lenght Curses LP. Scheduled to drop on March 11th via Dischi Autunno, the album entitled "Incarnadine" will have 10 tracks, with the vampire jam "Miriam" set as the first single. Inspired by the 1983 movie "The Hunger", "Miriam" is a wonderful goth / new wave crossover that feels like it could easily last 10 minutes and not get boring. Win, looking forward to the rest of the album.

You can pre-order the 2xLP here.

Ritualz - Nadir

Earlier this month we got the first maxi-single promoting Ritualz' upcoming album "Radical Macabro". Yesterday the follow up entitled "Nadir" premiered on Bandcamp. Once again seven tracks strong, it includes remixes from Dave Parley and Dark Sister, plus a cover of Norwegian goth rockers Joyless. "Nadir" itself taps into the industrial vibe present on its predecessor "Disintegration", and is also reinterpreted by Ritualz as a dark synthwave-flavoured recording (anagrammed as "Drain") as well as a slightly dragged and rearranged version. From the two guest remixes, I love the Dave Parley flip, which honestly beats the original in my book.

"Nadir" is now available on most digial platforms, but as always I do recommend supporting Ritualz on Bandcamp here. You can stream the whole maxi below.

Monomorte - Reptile

Monomorte is back with a remix of Nine Inch Nails' "Reptile", cleverly flipping elements of the original track into a witchy industrial/trap blend. This is not the first time he had a go at Reznor's work, in 2013 Monomorte also remixed How To Destroy Angels single "Strings And Attractors" (unfortunately he removed it from Bandcamp a while ago, but here's a download link - it's seriously great, so don't sleep).

Foam and Sand - Full Circle

I've just learned that Robot Koch has been making ambient music under the radar as Foam and Sand for the past year. Belgian label Dauw released two tapes dedicated to this project. The first one, "Full Circle", consists of 16 original compositions from F&S, inspired by his daily habit of meditation. Soundtrack to lazy mornings and mellow evenings, those tracks range from warm ambient soundscapes to more fuzzy, tape experiments, all effortlessly combined into a beautiful release. Album number two, "Full Circle Reworks", includes nine remixes from Koch's contemporaries, including some an amazing beat-backed early-Lanterns On The Lake-kinda track Tom Ashbrook and a Angelo Badalamenti inspired noir-ambient from Hainbach. I'm on day one of listening to this release, but I can already tell I'll be coming back to both of those releases.

Both albums can be bought on cassette tapes here, and streamed below.

Churchterror - JonathanTaylorThomas

Sick, sick d'n'b flip of Bones sample from Churchterror, free to download here. Reminds me a bit of the glorious San Junipero edit from DJ Netflex. The only minus of "JonathanTaylorThomas" is that it ends too quick, I'd love it to flow for like 4-5 minutes at least. CT needs to put out more stuff like this, please!

Robot Koch & Snakes Of Russia - Alchemy

"Alchemy" is a new EP from Robot Koch in collaboration with LA-based producer Snakes Of Russia. Three tracks filled with crushingly heavy drums and moody atmospheres crafted with dark synths may bring to mind cinematic productions from Lorn, but RK and SoR manage to carve their own unique style. Amazing release, don't miss out.

You can buy "Alchemy" here, and stream in below.

Debit - The Long Count

Utterly wtf and equally captivating, the new album from Delia Beatriz Martínez aka Debit landed on Modern Love today, and it's a wild trip. I'm gonna quote the label on the concept behind this, because it is quite amazing and should be digested as a whole: “The Long Count” is rooted in research Beatriz made into Mayan wind instruments – whistles, ocarinas, flutes and trumpets – using the archive of the Mayan Studies Institute at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, the oldest and largest collection of its kind. Developing a set of digital instruments that could be played using different types of temperaments and scales, Delia processed these sounds using machine learning techniques to shuttle the distant past into our extant artistic universe, peering into Mexico’s pre-colonial history and weaving those ideas into complex tonalities gleaned from musique concrète and contemporary electro-acoustic music. It's hard to describe those sounds, but if there was a record store in Twin Peaks with a crate located between (ehh) World Music and Experimental, well "The Long Count" would sit there. Challenging and mind-bending album. Wow.

Order clear vinyl from Boomkat here. Digital also available there (unfortunately no Bandcamp).

Alice Glass - Prey//IV

After over 15 years on the music scene, we finally got the album I've been hyping up since last year, "Prey//IV" from Alice Glass. Produced in full by Jupiter Keyes, it is a continuation and expansion of the themes explored on her 2017 self-titled EP - "Prey consists of thirteen tracks filled brutal honesty, conquering demons of her past and dealing with subsequent trauma. Musically the LP goes all the way back to the Crystal Castles years, taking the best of that dark electro sound and reinventing it for the modern dancefloor era. Influences behind the throbbing beats that build the frame of the album range from techno and witchtronica, to current deconstructed bass music techniques. The way "Prey" is arranged makes it a satisfying journey from start to finish, so I'd say it's way better when consumed as a whole. Overall - it's a really really solid record, I have a feeling it will grow on me over the next few months and may even secure a spot on my end of year list... Alice and Jupiter get my stamp of approval, check it out.

You can buy the digital version on Bandcamp here (it includes "almost 300mb of exclusive additional content available for download after purchase" - not sure what that means, I haven't purchased it yet). No news about physical editions so far...

Stay Healthy - More Fucker Killer

Stay Healthy is back with a sick mixtape of unreleased tracks and remixes. "More Fucker Killer" is a uncompromising blender of music genres and influences, dragged, chopped and glued together for a maxiumum mind-fuckery. Odd Future of witch house, well similar energy for sure, this trio have their own special thing going on. For all the YT heads, here's the link to stream it over there.

Kutmah - Valentines Mix

Kutmah came through with this mammoth of a mixtape for Valentines. Three hours of songs with love in the title mixed into a "multi-genre excursion with the focus on being in love or maybe having lost love or not wanting any at all". There's also a limited 3xCD pack available for order. Head over here to buy/stream it.

Night Foundation - Reflection

Another stellar release from Noir Age is on the horizon, this time from the label founder Richard Vergez. As Night Foundation he's released 10 albums so far (or at least Discogs says so), "Reflection" will be his sixth project with Noir Age. There are currently two tracks from the album available on bandcamp - "Double Edge" has a dubby, pulsating rhythm with Blade Runner-esque dark jazz undertones, while "Reflection III" emanates a brooding and slightly unsettling air with its war-like drums. Both are equally good, and I'm looking forward to hear the rest.

You can pre-order "Reflection" here, and stream it below.

Vienna Vox & Analog Tears - Feverish

New single from Vienna Vox has been described on her page as a dark, seductive shoegaze track, and it pretty much nails it. A groovy dream-pop joint was produced by Seattle-based musician Analog Tears, and it manages to capture the vibe of the 60s and 70s. Total jam that grows on you with every listen.

Indiegubben - Mörka Moln

Noir Age is back with another fascinating release, this time from Swedish producer Indiegubben. There are currently two tracks from "Mörka Moln" available for preview on label's bandcamp, both equally dark and seducting in their atmosphere, hovering over the area where ambient and drone boundaries seem blurred. To a certain degree, this teaser of the album reminds me of the less-experimental works from his fellow Swedish musicians Ectoplasm Girls, so that may be a good guide for anyone interested in checking out this record. I definitely look forward to the full album, which is scheduled for February 22nd.

Pre-order the tape and digital here, and stream the album below.

German Army - Endless Suburb

German Army is an enigmatic (well, sort of) duo out of California. Their back catalog is really huge, to a point that I can play a game 'name a label' and they most likely released something there. Their latest LP "Endless Suburb", which is also their debut on the cult Mancunian label Natural Sciences, brings twelve zoned out tracks to the table. Flawlessly blending psych-ambient and tribal synth music, the album is a trippy ride through their atmospheric world. If you're into Not For Fun, Hype Williams or Heroin In Tahiti this is an album worth checking out.

"Endless Suburb" comes out on February 25, you can pre-order vinyl here, and stream the whole thing below.

Mater Suspiria Vision - In The Shadow Of The Moon

"In The Shadow Of The Moon" is the latest single from MSV, released ahead of the new "Acid Babylon 2" album (out February 14th). The video is a visual tribute to Derek Jarman's "In the Shadow of the Sun", and sonically it sits somewhere between the worlds of dungeon and cosmic synth. Alongside the new album Mater Suspiria Vision will also be releasing a couple of other limited offerings, so follow Phantasma Disques bigcartel for more news.

Update: this has been now released on Bandcamp as a two-track EP available here.

A TE H - Quite Time

Yuk. is back, this time under new pseudonym and with a new concept. As A TE H he aims to ditch chopping samples of others, and start sampling himself, play instruments and experient with sound design. His first three-track demo "Quite Time" is a foray into the world of abstract ambient and psych-synth escapades. Not too bad, I will definitely follow his new journey. That being said, I do have a soft spot for Yuk.'s early sound collages so it feels like an era came to an end.

Buy "Quite Time" here, and stream it below.

IC3PEAK - Червь feat. Kim Dracula

I love IC3PEAK's music, but it annoys me so much that they stopped uploading their new stuff to Bandcamp. Anyway, they have been riding the wave since the excellent "Goodbye" album, and this new single proves this. Released a few days ago, "Червь" is a horror-bass folktale that features Kim Dracula (google says a tiktok celeb of sorts). His vocals are really mediocre, but the composition, production as well as Nastya's singing give me a lot of joy. You can stream the single on YT here, or head over to all the streaming platforms (sans Bandcamp, eh).

V.A. - All Blurred Out Vol. 1

Pharmacist brought to my attention this new compilation he's featured on, put out by the freshly minted label/collective All Blurred Out Records. Entitled "All Blurred Out Vol. 1", the record also showcases productions from Three Wishes, VeXe †, zero, STRFLL, sonic spider, jaw, adfordbr and bugliarisi, and its sound oscillates between moody and atmospheric beats, darker witchy vibes, and eclectic, unpredictable club sounds. Honestly, except from Pharmacist I haven't heard any of those names before, but most of them deliver some quality tracks.

You can buy the digital here (alongside exclusive zine), and stream the comp below.

Genetic Suicide - Rapport 76

Genetic Suicide is a new solo project from Depressed040 member Michael Engelberger. Citing Throbbing Gristle, Boyd Rice & Lille Roger as inspirations, he created a harsh and noisy industrial album that will drill itself into your psyche thanks to its sound manipulation and sample choice. Not a record for everybody for sure, but once you let yourself dive into it, it's a captivating ride.

Buy "Rapport 76" here, and stream after the jump.

Edith Underground - [REC]

Today's Bandcamp day brings a string of interesting releases, one of them being new compilation from Edith Underground. "[REC]" is a collection of seven witchy demos and drag edits, majority if not all unreleased. My personal fav is "I'll Lay You To Rest" with vocals from Ethel Cain.

The album is free to download here, but you can always donate some $$$. Stream the whole thing below.

Alice Glass - Love Is Violence // video

Alice Glass' debut album is just around the corner, but today I wanted to share her new video for the single "Love Is Violence". Huge NSFW warning, especially if you have a weak stomach. Whoever did the effects here deserves an award, gruesomely realistic stuff. Worth also mentioning that Alice finally started updating her bandcamp, which now icludes her latest singles. Head over here and support.

PHARMACIST - Hypothermia / Blight

PHARMACIST is back with a fresh double A-side single "Hypothermia / Blight" (to be honest it's his first actual release under this name). Both tracks evoke some heavy, murky and witchy vibes that take me back to the 2010 Generation Cult era. I can totally imagine them being played at a fog-filled club with slowed down Swamp Thing clips projected in the background. Ace.

Buy the single here, and stream below.

Ourobonic Plague - Buffalo's Dreaming

"Buffalo's Dreaming" is a two-track drone/ambient single from Ourobonic Plague that captures his state of mind in the aftermath of the passing of a friend. While the titular track leans towards more uplifting atmosphere, the "Griefmix" version takes a sombre turn as it delves into the darker side of ambient, bringing to mind Tim Hecker's "Haunt Me, Haunt Me Do It Again".

You can purchase both tracks here, and stream them below.

The Growth Eternal - Roden

The Growth Eternal is the alias of Los Angeles-based jazz bassist, producer, songwriter and composer Byron Crenshaw. After delivering in 2020 a bass guitar-centered debut LP "Bass Tone Paintings", and a vocoder-focused "Kensho!" EP the following year, both for Leaving Records, he's set to release with them a new album entitled "PARASAiL-18". Above you can check the first single "Roden", a slow-burning altR&B track that brings to my mind stripped down productions of RPG and speaced out SA-RA vibe. "PARASAiL-18" is set to drop on February 25th, you can preorder it on tape and vinyl here.

Hilde - Night's Fissure

We just got a new LP from Hilde, and he's decided to share another album/compilation consisting of tracks he created between 2008 and 2013. Captioned as "collection of rarities, b-sides, unreleased, oddities" the record is a manifestation of Hilde's progress but also timelessness, "Night's Fissure" sounds like his best Sofia Reta recordings. Recommended.

You can cop the album here, and stream it below.