As you find your rhythm on the rink, steering clear of the more adept skaters, an unexpected tumble sends you crashing to the floor, courtesy of Julie’s mischief. In the midst of your embarrassment and pain, a surprising savior appears: your crush, offering a comforting hand and the solace of the wall bench. “You took quite a spill! How about a root beer?” he proposes, igniting a spark of hope with his unexpected attention and the promise of a phone call, despite the strict two-minute limit enforced by your dad.

At this moment, the essence of “Losing Game” by Kontravoid, featuring Chelsey Crowley from Nuovo Testamento, is deeply intertwined with these timeless memories of the late 80s. With its mysterious intro, the track conjures a shiver of anticipation, leading into a surge of driving bass lines and hauntingly romantic vocal hooks, encapsulating the tumultuous emotions of youthful desire and heartache.

Losing Game perfectly captures that liminal space of the music at the end of the Cold War era, sounding like a combination of Paula Abdul and Exposé with a whisper of Nitzer Ebb and Front 242.  The strange and almost Lychian accompanying video feels like a bizarre crossover, not unlike that darn cat from the classic video for Abdul’s Opposites Attract — but instead of that frisky feline, it’s the eerie spectre of a series of masked interlopers. Not Zorro; not the Gaston Leroux Phantom…lo, it’s a cavalcade of Kontravoids, busting out some fierce choreography from Neil Schwartz (aka 80s Baby) and Ashley Welch.

Watch the video for “Losing Game” below:

Under the ever-watchful hollowed eyes of Comedy and Tragedy, Kontravoid’s masked mystique has endured for over a decade. Ever since the release of his self-titled LP in 2012, the Canadian-born, LA-based Cameron Findlay has perfected dark pop with a unique composition that moves eloquently through the EBM, electro, and darkwave genres. His past releases, such as 2019’s “Too Deep” and 2021’s “Faceless,” have no trouble reaching the most derelict corners of foggy, strobe-lit clubs, leaving listeners with no choice but to dance. With an uncanny softness and unmistakable songwriting ability, Kontravoid composes heart-wrenching songs that are both captivating and drenched in melancholy – showcased on 2018’s “Undone,” which has been lauded as a fan favorite since its release.

On stage, Kontravoid demands the audience’s attention with his powerful performance, masterfully balancing his specific concoction of harsh beats and signature rhythmic bass lines. He’s toured alongside Boy Harsher, ADULT., Drab Majesty, and HEALTH, and has remixed the likes of Schwefelgelb and Kris Baha. Truly a man of the shadows, Kontravoid is an unparalleled fixture in the dark electronic arena.

The anticipation for Kontravoid’s latest creation, “Detachment,” is palpable, with its arrival set for March 1st through Artoffact Records. The launch event will be held at the Lodge Room in Los Angeles, and it promises to be an unforgettable night where Kontravoid’s artistic talents will be on full display. The lineup includes Buzz Kull and God’s Mom, as well as DJs G.S.E.D and Sayaka Nono, who will be spinning an array of tunes throughout the evening.

The single release of “Losing Game” marks the final preview of the album, which will see its release via Artoffact Records this Friday, March 1st!

Order your copy of Kontravoid’s Detachment here.

Follow Kontravoid:

The post Nuovo Testamento’s Chelsey Crowley Joins the Masquerade in Kontravoid’s Video for “Losing Game” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Bedroom pop visionary M!R!M returns with the video for “Desert Love”, a scorching new track co-written and co-produced with rising Italo disco stars Nuovo Testamento.

M!R!M is the solo guise of Jack Milwaukee, an Italian multi-instrumentalist based in London since 2011. His latest release, “Desert Love” is the third and final single leading up to the release of Jack’s upcoming new album Time Traitor, out next week via Avant! Records.

“Desert Love” is also the first new material from Nuovo Testamento since the release of their fantastic full-length debut album New Earth.

The collaborative track is the perfect fusion of Milwaukee’s versatile synth sensibilities and Nuovo Testamento’s Italo, Freestyle, and Hi NRG beats. Led by Chelsey Crowley’s fiery vocals, the song sparkles like the sunlit glow on the sands of Miami beach, capturing a sound that is as captivating and carefree as a 1980s dancefloor.

Watch the lyric video for “Desert Love” below:

After two years of crossing the barren wastelands of lockdowns and quarantines, Jack Milwaukee is releasing his most personal album to date—a record that gives us an oasis to drench ourselves in the mythic visions and dream laced synthpop fantasies found on the fantastic planets that spiral in orbit across the starlit sky of our collective imaginations.

M!R!M’s fourth studio album Time Traitor is an amalgamation of all these dreams and wonders woven from unabashed 80s nostalgia channeled through Jack’s distinctive DIY and lo-fi approach.

Time Traitor is out on April 22 via Avant! Records.

Pre-Order and Pre-Save here

Follow M!R!M:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Bandcamp

Follow Nuovo Testamento:

• Instagram
• Bandcamp
• Spotify

The post M!R!M Teams Up With Nuovo Testamento For Scorching New Single “Desert Love” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

As the first single from their forthcoming full-length LP, New Earth, Nuovo Testamento delivers an Italo-disco-infused dance track with “Michelle Michelle.” The group’s synth-pop sensibilities reflect slick and addictive productions from the mid-1980s, not far from the melancholy-dipped dance floor tracks from artists such as The Twins, Tapps, or Valerie Dore (though fans of current bands like Vandal Moon or Double Echo will enjoy it just as much). “Michelle Michelle” is a song about heartbreak, regret, and acceptance—universal themes charged with a strong beat, tearful synth pads, and catchy hooks throughout. Vocalist Chelsey Crowley sings: Had to find a way / You had to get away / But it’s too late, one of us made a mistake / You had to get away.

Listen to the fantastic “Michelle Michelle” below:

Nuovo Testamento—the Los Angeles and Bologna-based trio—is comprised of members from post-punk and deathrock acts Horror Vacui, Sheer Mag, Tørsö, Terremoto, and Crimson Scarlet. Crowley adds a layer of sweetness over the music of Andrea Mantione and Giacomo Zatti that reflects the band’s affinity for Italo disco, Hi-NRG, synthpop, and goth genres under one umbrella.

Mixed and mastered by sound engineer Maurizio Baggio (The Soft Moon, Boy Harsher), with Crowley’s vocals recorded by her longtime collaborator Riki at the Lily Pad in Los Angeles, the deeply affecting album was written during quarantine in isolation. With a resilient hopefulness, New Earth is a new direction for the band following their 2019 debut EP Exposure, which acts as a primer for the eventual return to foggy club spaces where freedom and dancing abounds.

Nuovo Testamento’s New Earth is available June 30th via Avant! Records. (US pre-orders here)

Pre-order here

*Photography by Andrew Kuykendall

The post Nuovo Testamento’s “Michelle Michelle” is an Italo-Infused Dance Dream appeared first on Post-Punk.com.