Almost exactly two years ago this page went online. To be honest, I didn’t know in which direction this whole thing would go, but shortly after it turned out that there IS an interest in what I am writing about. My readership is growing steadily and many musicians are writing to me to introduce and discuss their music. I want to thank you very much for your attention! 🙂
While Central Europe is covered with snow these days I fled the cold and am sitting now at a sunny beach in Bodrum, Turkey. Before enjoying the dolce vita too much I am compiling a musical review of 2014 for you.
For alternative/dark music 2014 was another great year. Instead of the usual 10 songs I will present you 11 (because I couldn’t decide), which were released in 2014 – in no particular order.
Volkova – Pulsion
Electroclash
Vólkova, a elecroclash-duo from Argentina, hit a nerve with their song ‘Pulsion’, featured on their EP Silent Howl. It is definitely one of the better songs of 2014. Vólkova‘s debut Confusion is a good Weapon (2013) is also worth your attention.
Venus in Furs – From the Bell-Jar 2014
Synthpop/New Wave
After some years of silence the multi-instrumentalist and new-wave-legend Times from Venus in Furs is back. In 2015 his new album “To the Wire” should be released. In the meantime Times shortens the waiting time with a new interpretation of his classic ‘From the Bell-Jar’, originally released in 1996.
Ash Code – Oblivion
Darkwave/Coldwave
For Ash Code from Napoli, Italy, 2014 was a great year, I suppose. Founded the year before they released two critically acclaimed singles (‘Dry Your Eyes’ and ‘Empty Room’) and their debut album Oblivion. Ash Code are another evidence for the fact that Italy is nowadays the capital of dark alternative music.
Dogs in Trees – Teraz i jutro
Post-punk/Coldwave
One of the newer Polish alternative bands is Dogs in Trees from Gdynia. The following song ‘Teraz i jutro’ (engl.: ‘Now and Tomorrow’) appears on an EP of the same name. This track is just the peak of this record, you can listen to the other songs on Bandcamp.
Astari Nite – I.O. 1987
Post-punk
In summer, when I was travelling through the Baltic states, Astari Nite from Florida sent me their song ‘I.O. 1987’. It became of my soundtrack for the summer, very nice memories are connected to it. ‘I.O. 1987’ can be found on Astari Nite‘s first album Stereo Waltz.
Collapse under the Empire – Sacrifice
Post-Rock/Ambiental
Collapse Under the Empire from Hamburg, Germany, was for me the discovery for 2014. I just cannot get enough of post-rock. CUTE’s recent album, Sacrifice & Isolation, embraces ten extraordinary pieces of music, from which ‘Sacrifice’ is only the first one. I recommend that you take your time and enjoy Sacrifice & Isolation. Only then their music will uncover its full effect.
Rome – One Fire
Neofolk/Chanson Noir
For several years Jerome Reuter from Rome was working on the album A Passage to Rhodesia. The outcome is another master-piece of the style that he calls himself “Chanson noir”. It is hard to say which song is the greatest, but the one that caught my attention the most is ‘One Fire’, which sounds like an African tribal war song.
Tetrolugosi – Tonight the Dead Can Dance
Darkwave/Gothic
Only in November last year the Italian darkwave band Tetrolugosi released their self-titled debut album. Listen to the following song to get a taste of what they call themselves “Italian occult psychedelia”.
Cieplarnia – Reaktor
New Wave/Coldwave
The Polish band Cieplarnia (engl.: Hothouse) from Rzeszów named themselves after the novel by Brian Aldiss. Six years after the release of their debut Przebudzony (“Awakened”) in 2009, a second album is to be expected in early 2015. The following track ‘Reaktor’ is a little foretaste.
Der Himmel über Berlin – Alone in my Room
Post-punk
Der Himmel über Berlin is a post-punk band from Trieste, Italy. They dedicated their musical style to the original sound of the early 80’s. Enjoy their latest hit ‘Alone in my Room’, the catchiest track on their recent album Shadowdancer.
(((S))) – Sons of the Defeated
Psychedelic/Garage
In case you wonder how to pronounce the name of this band from Germany, it is “ungoogable S”. To find out why some further questions will have to be asked. However, (((S))) definitely belong to this list, as their music is a very interesting mixture of garage rock, psychedelic, synthpop and post-punk.