One of the things that helped me get through the pandemic was checking out Goth DJ streams on Twitch. I loved seeing how people from all over the world would get together for 2 day marathons and it was a great opportunity to see what others around the world were enjoying. I’m mourning the recent loss of local venues like the Pyramid Club, where I got to see great performances over the years from bands like Black Tape for a Blue Girl and Ayria, but I’m hopeful that there will be a resurgence for the scene in the upcoming years.
World Goth Day is May 22. It was started back in 2009 as a way to celebrate the Gothic subculture’s music, clothing, and art. Though of course I’m going to be celebrating listening to classics like music from Siouxsie and the Banshees, Sisters of Mercy, and Bauhaus, I thought for this post it would be good also to look at the current state of Goth in our nation with some popular US bands currently creating music with a gothic aesthetic.
Sonsombre
Northern Virginia based Sonsombre was founded by Brandon Pybus, who had previously been involved mostly in the metal scene. The band puts a modern take on the classic goth rock sound of bands like The Wake and Rosetta Stone. You can stream songs from their album One Thousand Graves from Freegal. If you are a Sisters of Mercy fan then this is a band to hear.
S Y Z Y G Y X
Though tricky to say and trickier to spell SYZYGYX is a Washington DC dark wave duo of Luna Blanc and Josh Clark that you should definitely check out. Their name derives from Syzygy a term for the alignment of celestial objects with an added X for the unknown. They describe their music as “bleak post apocalyptic soundscapes fused with retro punk biting synth lines and minor scale hooks.” Stream songs from their EP Hex’n Equinox from Freegal.
Astari Nite
The Miami based band Astari Nite brings a mix of goth and post-punk to delight your nights; they are especially well known for their excellent live shows. Of course if you don’t want to wait to catch them on tour, you can stream music from their album Midnight Conversations from Freegal. One of my favorites is their cover of Voices Carry.
Aesthetic Perfection
One of my current favorites, Aesthetic Perfection is the dark synthwave project of Daniel Graves. You can stream albums including Blood Spills Not Far From The Wound, All Beauty Destroyed, and Til’ Death from Hoopla. My favorite song is the popular single, Antibody. I was lucky enough to get to catch a live performance a few years ago and it was great high energy show.
What is your favorite music to stream? Share it in our comments!
Written by:
Aimee Harris
Head of Information and Digital Services
Image from Hoopla.com
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