2022 is off to a great start thus far! We’re a little late this month, not that anybody probably noticed. I’ve just been trying to keep up with my webcomic, and the date snuck up on me. Anyway, I have a nice and varied selection this month. Most of these still date back to 2021, but that’s just how it goes, there will be more 2022 music on next month’s. I did find two songs from this new year to feature though.
NNHMN ~ Magic Man
NNHMN (stands for Non-human) put together a nice music video for this track, which is off their July 2021 album Tomorrow’s Heroine. That’s how it got my attention. The beat is infectious, and will get in your mind and stay there. The lyrics are interesting, hard to comprehend though. “I am the Santa Claus of your subconscious.” My subconscious has a Santa, I guess? Together the whole song has a dreamlike, psychedelic quality to it.
I’ve always liked NNHMN. They’re in the same vein as SYZYGYX (who we’ll hear from next), Boy Harsher, and Lebanon Hanover.
SYZYGYX ~ Self Sabotage
SYZYGYX came back to the scene as a solo act with a new album last month, (Im)Mortal. And while musically they sound much the same as always, I think the lyrical content has changed. The lyrics are a bit more personal than before. I don’t mind the change, but it’s just something I’ve noticed. If I was just going by the lyrics it would remind me a bit of a song by Ayria. They used to be a lot more spacey, like compare this song to “Blood Moon”. Anyway, I am glad to have SYZYGYX back and I am glad that it continued. A lot if acts never make it that far.
Black Lobe ~ Lost
This is off their brand new self-titled album, released on December 22nd. Black Lobe dedicates it to anyone who struggles with mental illness, racism and poverty. Which is most of us in some way. Anyway, since it’s indirectly dedicated to me I should buy it.
Russian post-punk/shoegaze act Electrotsoy recently posted a live album on their YouTube channel, Absolutely Live at the Lodge if Eternal Love. Another January 1st release. See how on top of things I am, that’s two 2022 songs. And they sound great live. This song as far as I can tell is an exclusive to the album and not on any of their others, and it’s also the only studio-recorded track, so it’s kind of a bonus. The title simply translates to “Love”. The church bells that appear at the beginning and end of the song were recorded in both Arkhangelsk in Russia, and Rome, according to the description on the video. I’ve been following this band since late 2020, and I love the dreamlike, nostalgic quality of their songs. They can get spooky too sometimes though.
https://blacklobe1.bandcamp.com/releases
Morosinthe ~ Funeral Forever
Morosinthe is a gothic rock band based out of Berlin, Germany, the solo project of the singer who goes by the band’s namesake. And here you go, the first song of 2022 to make my list. This is brand new. This released on January 1st off the album ETERNALREALM. Morosinthe’s fifth album, It’s classic style gothic rock, like something out of the 1980s. It’s always nice to hear traditional gothic rock still being made. It’s a sound that will never die, staying undead over the decades. I suggest giving the album a listen. With other tracks with titles like “Bloodlust” and “Morgue of Misery” you know you’re in for a spooky good time. And somehow the CD version is over a dollar cheaper than the digital album, with free shipping to the US. Perhaps they prefer you order the CD. I do like physical media.
Lamis Kan ~ Mesaytara (Amaryan & Davuiside Remix)
Felt like stepping out of my comfort zone for a little bit with this song, so here’s an out-of-genre experience This is Middle Eastern electronica, incredibly catchy and danceable. The singer Lamis Kan is from Syria, and is very popular in the Middle East. She was Miss Arab back in 2016, apparently. Once again I find that pop music from outside the US is infinitely superior, as I also tend to like Russian pop music. We’re stuck in this cultural bubble in the US and never get exposed to stuff from the outside, unless like me you’re inclined to go digging. Not to mention we’re made to believe the Middle East is a sandy, culture-less warzone, which is anything but the case.
This version was remixed by a musician named Davuiside, and an Armenian musician I follow, Vrezh Amaryan, who often remixes songs from Armenia and neighboring countries, and that was how I first heard it. The original is pretty catchy too, sounding a lot more traditionally Middle Eastern. The remix is a little more up my alley, but I like both.
You can check out her YouTube if you feel like going down a fun rabbit hole.
Calaverx ~ Una Chica Más
Found some more Mexican post-punk this past month. I love Spanish-language goth music. They seem to really get what the genres are all about. This spooky little number is a very catchy one. The band Calaverx is out of Mexico City, Mexico. The title translates to “One More Girl”. The video suits it well. You can get their entire discography on Bandcamp for super cheap (don’t let the Mexican currency throw you off). This was released in October of 2020.
https://calaverx.bandcamp.com/track/una-chica-m-s
Электроцой ~ Любовь
You can get the album here:
