SEATTLE-BASED DARK ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC DJ
BEST OF 2023
INDUSTRIAL & EBM
Black Agent
Dehumanized
Skinny Puppy may have gone on their final tour, but that doesn't mean their influence has waned on newer acts. One such example is Seattle's own Black Agent and their sophomore release Dehumanized, a follow up to last year's Industrial Ruination. While that release had more sociopolitical overtones having been written during the pandemic, Dehumanized takes a more personal turn as it dives into how these social issues hit close to home after vocalist Pit endured some personal tragedy in his life. These life events coarse through the songwriting tackling mental health and drug addiction, masterly illustrated through his abrasive vocals and post-industrial soundtrack. Much like the last record the comparison to Skinny Puppy on this one is very stark, and I'm not saying that like it's a bad thing. The torch has to be passed to the next generation, right?
Choke Chain
Mortality
I'm surprised Mark Trueman still has a voice. Every time I listen to a Choke Chain song even my throat hurts. It's just that pure unadulterated anger and energy you get with this project, whether listening to it live or in your headphones. After a series of well-received EPs, an LP finally drops in Mortality but the length of the release doesn't means it will relent over time. It takes a lot of this and merges them into a more focused single cohesive unit filled with daunting synths, pounding industrial beats, warehouse-like atmosphere, and of course Mark's signature vocals that just goes hard from start to finish.
Lead Into Gold
The Eternal Present
I've been a fan of Paul Barker for a long time (since The Power of Lard), and at first this record took a little bit of time to grow on me. But it did...and with every single listen it sank its teeth into me even more to where I couldn't deny it anymore. The Eternal Present is not one of those "lo-fi chill relaxing beats to study and relax to" albums, but one of a provoking nature that forces your mind to engage (and if you ever have had the privilege to see this band live, the effect is far more profound). While there are little sound design elements that can be perceived as essentials for background music they play tricks on you for you to do the opposite. Paul's musicianship and painstaking craftsmanship explores the true capabilities of this genre. This is "grab a stiff drink and break out the good headphones" music.
Leaether Strip
Last Station
The consummate professional himself Claus Larsen never fails to impress me with not only how much music he has released in this past decade but also with how consistent it has been. Last Station was one of the earliest of these releases, and it still held up from that day forward with the classic Zoth Ommog sound still finding ways to reinvent itself. Many of these songs, such as "Double Edged Sword", "It Cuts Deep", and "If You Dare" have been living in my rotations since the beginning of this year, and that's just a small sample of the sixteen new songs on this record as well as two Guilt Trip remixes of Æ classics "Stigma" and "Japanese Bodies". Every song is a little piece of Claus we get to take home with us.
Randolph & Mortimer
The Incomplete Truth
To borrow the tagline from the description on Bandcamp, this release is "all killer and no filler". This focus allows R&M to employ such a simple approach in their songwriting while still managing to create something so sonically complete; a throwback but yet still ahead of its time. Clean production and programming, spacious reverb along with electronic and industrial instrumentation (clang clang, anyone?), rubbery and metallic EBM synth bass riffs, vocal samples that have actual puropse, and working class struggles in the songwriting compliment each other nicely, with collaborations with the likes of Andi, Neu-Romancer, Black Dahlia and Dominique Slva give this some extra seasoning on top. I don't use the term "perfect record" very often, but this one is pretty damn close to being one!