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.

This still holds true, as Cologne based band’s strange familiarity permeates the air in their latest video for “Signals”, which is already shaping up to be one of the best post-punk tracks of 2018. Don’t be surprised if you fall in love with this melane of gothic rock and shoegaze,  while a nightclub dancefloor is engulfed in fog, or perhaps a stage across Europe and the US.

Yes, Holygram, a band that could be described as Slowdive meets The Sisters of Mercy. will not only be touring Europe, but the US as well, with their record release show set for November 14th at the Viper Room in Los Angeles.

On the new album’s production and upcoming European and North American tour with VNV Nation (see dates bel0w) the band had this to say:

“With Modern Cults we wanted to dig deeper into themes from our 2016 EP and explore its urban nightscapes and nocturnal animals a little bit more. It is a trippy journey through a city at twilight, a place between hope and loss, quite personal actually. What do certain places do to us and what happens to us when they fall apart?

We wanted to capture our live sound and worked with Italian producer Maurizio Baggio who is responsible for The Soft Moon’s albums Deeper and Criminal. We were looking for something raw and monumental but yet catchy and bright. The 11 songs are kind of the ideal version of a HOLYGRAM show.

It is this idea behind the album that makes it even more exciting to bring it onto the stage later this year on a big tour through Europe and the US/Canada with VNV Nation.

The album’s first single “Signals” tries to shine out like a star but eventually is a dark, inertial mass pulling you down into a feverish delirium. Communication is impossible, everything is fractured. For the video we worked with lead sculptures by Cologne-based artist Christian Keinstar to create the right visual mood for the song and WE OWN YOU found the perfect pictures.”

Pre-Order Here

The post German Post-Punk Heroes Holygram Premiere “Signals” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

The Soft Moon’s Luis Vasquez has announced today his signing to Sacred Bones for the release of his fourth studio album ‘Criminal’, out February 2nd, 2018.

The now Berlin-based musician has shared the album’s opening track “Burn” and an accompanying lyric video. A confrontation with Luis Vasquez (The Soft Moon)’s true self through torrid bass lines and searing vocals, “Burn” evokes a loss of control akin to demonic possession, chanting:

 “Eyes, reflecting the person that I am, and it burns”.

In this track Vasquez’s battle with his own guilt bores deeper and deeper into the condemnation: “Fire, hell is where I’ll go to live, so I burn”.

‘Criminal’ is a confessional work. Through the stark lens of shame and guilt that has followed Luis Vasquez since a violent childhood growing up within the humming ambient sprawl of 80s Mojave Desert, here he documents the gut-wrenching sound of going to war with himself. Battling with his own sanity, self-hatred, insecurity, self-entitlement and grappling with the risk of these things transforming him into a person he despises, Vasquez has laid his feelings bare with this: his confession and most self-reflective work to date.  

 
“Guilt is my biggest demon and has been following me since childhood. Everything I do strengthens the narrative that I am guilty” Vasquez reflects. “The concept of ‘Criminal’ is a desperate attempt to find relief by both confessing to my wrongdoings and by blaming others for their wrongdoings that have affected me.”

‘Criminal’ marks a striking and important chapter in his self-exploration, both artistically and emotionally. As a young musician living in Oakland, Vasquez began to try and process the narrative of his difficult upbringing veiled through musical exploration. Taking Krautrock’s motorik beats and Post-Punk deconstructions and honing them into a hushed percussive incantation, The Soft Moon‘s self-titled debut album took shape. The album was released in late 2010 by Captured Tracks and was praised by critics and emulated by contemporaries. In 2012 the apocalyptic conceptual work of ‘Zeros’ emerged, shortly followed by Vasquez moving to Venice, Italy in 2013, acting as a catalyst for 2014’s release, ‘Deeper’.

While previous albums were primarily instrumental records, where Vasquez’s voice was diffused amidst the music as another instrument, ‘Deeper’ marked the beginning of a new musical direction where vocals and lyrics became something more than a mere presence. ‘Deeper’ was a descent into the womb of childhood trauma, anxiety and fear, and although Vasquez survived this dark exploration of himself, he did not return alone.
 
Working once more with Maurizio Baggio, who produced ‘Deeper’, at La Distilleria in Bassano Del Grappa, Italy, ‘Criminal’ sees Vasquez further explore putting his lyrics at the forefront and letting his raw emotions flow. The album is Vasquez’s way of holding himself accountable and seeking redemption for the abuse he inflicts on himself and others, and acknowledges roots in the abuse which, inflicted upon him as a child, broke him.
‘Criminal’ is available to pre-order here

The Soft Moon is set to perform a select number of live dates this month, including SacresVasquez and Le Guess Who Festival in the Netherlands. Full tour dates to follow soon.
The Soft Moon Tour Dates:

• 10/19 – San Francisco, CA – Mezzanine *
  
• 10/21 – Los Angeles, CA – Cloak and Dagger (Sacred Bones 10^th Anniversary)
  
• 10/22 – Chicago, IL – The Empty Bottle #
  
• 10/24 – Brooklyn, NY – Rough Trade NYC §
  
• 10/27 – Athens, Greece – F.O.S. Festival
  
• 11/9 – Utrecht, Netherlands – Le Guess Who? Festival
  
• 11/10 – Kortrijk, Belgium – Sonic City Festival

* w/ Lust For Youth
# w/ Matteo Vallicelli
§ w/ Horoscope

Criminal’ tracklist:

1. Burn 
   
2. Choke
   
3. Give Something
   
4. Like a Father
   
5. The Pain
   
6. It Kills
   
7. ILL
   
8. Young
   
9. Born Into This
   
10. Criminal

The post The Soft Moon sign to Sacred Bones and premiere ‘Burn’ off of upcoming 4th studio album ‘Criminal’ appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

The post Sydney Australia’s Death Bells share unrelenting romanticism in their video for ‘Only You’ appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

The video heralds the release of the Zanias solo EP, To The Core, which is out September 5th on Vienna’s Noiztank. A four track 12″, this is the artist’s first solo release since coming off her two previous projects, Keluar and Linea Aspera.

For more information, please visit Noiztank.

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