Tag: darkwave

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Le Mal “Red Maple Door” (2024)

A glowing red door on a dark background with "Le Mal" written above and "Red Maple Door" written below

Machine with Teeth
Buy: Bandcamp

Well shit. I’m really digging this Christmas-timed post-punk song by Phoenix’s Le Mal. (Thanks to Joe for sending it my way!) I want to write something interesting about this song, but the more I read the post over at post-punk.com, the less I feel I can add anything to the conversation. Their description has me fucking jealous. “The track’s pulse feels like a heartbeat trapped in glass — tense, insistent, and strangely devotional.” Dammit. Not only am I not going to try to top, or even converse with that… I am going to send you directly over there to read Alice Teeple’s piece. She did a wonderful job breaking this song and video down.

See you later!

Bottom Line: A bloody post-punk Christmas tableau.

LISTEN

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Sleep Thieves “November Christmas” (2014)

Sleep Thieves "November Christmas"

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

I’m sure you’re going to see this track pop up a few more places, as it already has on Stubby’s Free List earlier this morning – so why not here too? Dublin’s Sleep Thieves have created a great, moody, synth Christmas song with their new track, “November Christmas.” The song’s verses trudge along with a deep synth bass, a flutter of melody and a beat you could set your watch to. So, when the tone lifts and the chorus swings in, it pushes you up just enough to pop your head above the water. It really is a great chorus, and worth the wait. Certainly a nice change of pace from the jingle bells that infiltrate most of the season. I would be fawning all over this track if it was just a tad bit more upbeat like their wonderful track “City of Hearts.”

Bottom Line: A dark electro Christmas song and done dark electro well. OH… and free. 3.8/5

LISTEN