Stories
2020 - ElektroSpank's album choices, out of a year which changed music industry!
2020! A year with so good music and amazing releases!
In 2020 many things changed in the music and the industry around it. Things and circumstances that made everyone of us re-consider the ways of the process around music creation, production and, most of all, promotion.
The global pandemic situation and restrictions, lead the artists, bands, promoters, labels and booking-agents, to new ideas. The need to reach the audiences without the, so important, live appearances and the interaction that used to take place in a concert, between a band and the crowd, gave birth to new ways of getting the music to the listeners. Although, almost every scheduled live event or festival had to be cancelled, and despite how sad this has been to all sides, this fact, made the artists to transform all the energy to new music and sounds.
The new situation gave new ideas and inspired emotional lyrics and arrangements. There was more time than usual for everyone, to write, compose, rehearse and be productive. Therefore, out of a huge difficulty for everyone involved with the music production, something really good came out. And this is the huge number of new releases, albums, EPs, reworks, etc.
ElektroSpank | FMA is always trying to highlight the need to support all the art workers in these strange times and we are always trying and suggest to our fans, followers and readers to support their favorite music and artist in any way they can and is convenient to them. And the response is just amazing and I believe, many of us didn't expect it. So we need to thank everyone on behalf of the bands, artists, labels for this support.
Now, for us, working, listening and writing about this new music, it has been really difficult to make a selection for 2020's best releases. Talking for hours, about which albums, should be in here. In this top 30 albums article. It is always hard to complete such a list, since we listen to tons of amazing works through a whole year.
However, we have created our list and here it is.
Selections are from all ElektroSpank's editors, Cleopatra Kaido, Marlen Moysidou, Thomas Karigas and Achilleas C.
These time our selections are divided in different lists since the procedure was quite different and we decided that it is more appropriate to keep these format. However, every album in those lists could be in another position or even on top. Enough now with the intro, let's go to action...
Achilleas C. selects:
7. Loveblind - Sleeping Visions
Saint Marie Records
Loveblind has been one of the most pleasant surprises in 2020. With a sense of darkness getting out of a dreamy sound with shoegaze and indie touches. In "Sleeping Visions" you will find Placebo playing around with Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine.
As our guest editor George Fakinos writes in his review, "This albums feels like a friend you haven’t seen for ages, but the moment you meet him/her again, the familiarity and intimacy is there and no need for wasting time or explaining things."
https://www.facebook.com/loveblindband/
6. Elz And The Cult - Bloodline
Cold Transmission
Elz And The Cult released their last full length album "Bloodline" via Cold Transmission. The dark electro project from Turkey filled with raw darkness and industrial power every single note of "Bloodline". With an addictive sound that bounces from post-punk to harsh industrial, Elz And The Cult creates a cold, dark paranoid mood throughout the 12 tracks of "Bloodline".
https://www.facebook.com/ELZANDTHECULT
5. Electronic Substance Abuse - Burial 10
Negative Gain
One of the best industrial albums of 2020, ESA "Burial 10" is here to blow your mind.Skillful arrangements, powerful electro parts and vocals coming out from the depression that is surrounding the "Burial 10" songs. George Fakinos writes in his review, "Long gone are the ambient and tribal This Morn Omina-like moments of the past and it looks like mastermind Jamie Blacker is heading to a more extreme direction."
https://www.facebook.com/ElectronicSubstanceAbuse/
4. Meat Injection - System Anomally
Wave Records
Dark synths wrapping an angry, cold and dark ambience, expressed with a passionate, full of emotions voice. "System Anomaly", the debut album of Meat Injection, is a really beautiful album. It creates its own unique darkness through the music arrangements of Dimitris Katsikadis, who builds a dark, emotional punk wave, while this uniqueness in Meat Injection's full length album is, also, due to the voice and the lyricism of Cleopatra Kaido.
https://www.facebook.com/meatinjectionband/
3. Statiqbloom - Beneath The Whelm
Metropolis Records
Statiqbloom, have offered to the dark wave, dark electro lovers an amazing album, an album which was obvious that it would be among the best industrial albums of the year. "Beneath the Whelm" was released in July 2020 and it is an in industrial album where someone will find the grittiness of old school electronics and industrial, perfectly bound with hard beats and disorienting vocals to create pulsing raw post-Industrial electronics.
https://www.facebook.com/statiqbloom/
2. The Wake - Perfumes And Friperies
Blaylox Records
The Wake released their new album after, almost, 25 years. "Perfumes And Fripperies" came out on October, 2020 and is one of the best goth rock albums in 2020. Certainly is the greatest and a long expected come-back in dark alternative scene. "Perfumes And Fripperies" is exactly where the goth rock legends wanted to. It is a collection of goth rock sounds combining the raw gothicness and darkness of The Wake's early years combined with modern post-punk and gothic rock elements that the band brings into allingment and personalize.
https://www.facebook.com/thewake
1. Fearing - Shadows
Funeral Party
After two sold out EPs, Oakland based, Fearing released their full length album, "Shadow". Fearing 's sound is a perfect blend of post-punk and gothic rock with eerie, lyricism, darkness and emotions. Deep, compact sounds and vocals and compositions that will take you back to the early post-punk years with Joy Division influences in moments, and early cold wave and shoegaze sounds in others. An album that won't disappoint you at any time.
https://www.facebook.com/alifeofnone/
Cleopatra Kaido selects:
8. Blind Delon - Chimeres
Manic Depression Records
"Chimeres" is the third full length album of Blind Delon from France and released in september 2020 by Manic Depression. In my humble opinion Blind Delon have a pure post punk sound with electronic elements in some parts. As you can see many influences appear in their music, like Wipers, Motorama and others. Two of the songs that make this album so unique are "Εlle" and "Outrage". "Chimeres" is also available on vinyl.
https://www.facebook.com/blinddelon/
7. Occults - Celebration
Self-Released
Goth-punk trio Occults releasing a new seven-song LP, but not only goth, they have a more punk attitude in their music style with death rock influences, one of the best self released albums of the year. So independent melodies and what else can i say for them, I hope to see them soon playing live! Have a listen to the video above.
https://www.facebook.com/occults/
6. Black Nail Cabaret - Gods Verging On Sanity
Dependent Records
Hungarian duo Black Nail Cabaret, obviously influenced from 80's electro, synthpop sounds with the addition of some 90's quite more mainstream elements like Kosheen, released their last full length album on May 2020, via Dependent Records, expressing their dark and noir pop aesthetics for love and humanity. And this proves the band's sensitivities and, furthermore, it is impressing that despite the female vocals there is a more manish tone which is getting out of Emese Arvai-Illes voice.
https://www.facebook.com/bncband
5. Strawberry Pills - Murder To A Beat
Inner Ear Records
Greece made us proud last year with many bands from the darkwave scene. These bands bring to light their new albums, one of these albums is "Murder To A Beat" of Strawberry Pills with Valisia Odell οn vocals and Antonis Konstantaras on compositions. Totally dark sound with 80's style, post punk with minimal influences with a few electric and goth elements added. Valisia's vocals, in moments reminds those of Diamanda Gallas, but with a modern approach.
https://www.facebook.com/strawberrypillsband
4. Fall Shock - Interior
Manic Depression Records
Fall Shock releases debut full-length album in September 2020 via Manic Depression. "Interior" comes with nine tracks. Here we have strong hits, one by one, I tell you.Their sound based mainly on post punk sounds with 80's aesthetic. Actually they love synths. Dark and cold melodies surround the room.
https://www.facebook.com/fallshock
3. Velvet Kills - Bodhi Labyrinth
Icy Cold Records/Manic Depression Records/Unknown Pleasures Records
Electronic elements directly connected with the body language, leading you to a chaotic dance without barriers and limits. The duo's sound is deep,into a dark electronoics, touched by a gothic hand. They balance between cold soundscape, dressed with the melodic synths of Harris Ivenson and a dark, almost gothic ambience coming out of the electric bass and a deep voice of Su Eko.
https://www.facebook.com/velvetkills/
2. IAMTHESHADOW - Pitchblack
Cold Transmission
"Pitchblack" is the fourth, full length, album of IAMTHESHADOW who have not disappointed me so far. I have so many things to say about them but this is only a small report. So the whole album is based on contrasts. But its base is made with specific materials, such as deep, passionate and full of emotion vocals. Their compositions are explosive which shows how harmonious they are with each other, both mentally and musically. I fell in love with the songs "Pitchblack", "Awake And Asleep" , "Grace" and "Always".
https://www.facebook.com/IAMTHESHADOWOFFICIAL/
1. Paradox Obscur - SYNΘESIS
Young & Cold Records
Like the title of the album, this term characterizes perfectly their musical compositions, with an obvious 80's aesthetics inspired by dancefloor disco hits, synthesizers that are on fire and diffuse explosive energy, a voice full of emotion and theatricality.
https://www.facebook.com/paradoxobscur/
Geisterwelt DJ Team (Marlen Moisidou & Thomas Karigas) selects:
15.Guillotine Dream - Damaged And Damned
Self-Released
Oldschool goth rock guitars mixed with dark vocals. Guillotine Dream are back with the new album “Damaged and Damned”. Favourite song: Hidden Rooms
https://www.facebook.com/HeadlessBJ
14. Hallowed Hearts - Into The Fire
Self-Released
The debut full-length album from darkwave postpunk Hallowed Hearts contains eleven unforgettable gems. Favourite track: "Strange Land"
https://www.facebook.com/thehallowedhearts
13.Then Comes Silence - Machine
Oblivion/SPV (R.O.W.) / Metropolis Records
Cold melodies and wintry guitars... we are talking about pure post-punk sounds from Sweden. Mixed by Stefan Glaumann (Rammstein, Deathstars, Killing Joke). Favourite track: “Cuts Inside”.
https://thencomessilence.bandcamp.com/album/machine
https://www.facebook.com/thencomessilence
12. Sonsombre - One Thousand Graves
Cleopatra Records
Deep and powerful vocals with fast guitars... This is gothic rock... Τhe band has already experienced success and recognition and continues to offer favorite tracks to its audience. Our favorite: "Fire"
https://www.facebook.com/SonsombreUS/
11.The Kentucky Vampires - Crimson Curse
Self-Released
Gothic Rock from the Kentucky /U.S. With their music they travel us back in ancient times, they sing about sinister love and acts of sorcery. Favourite track: "Holy Heretic"
https://www.facebook.com/thekentuckyvampires/
10. Night Nail - March to Autumn
Cold Transmission
The album can be described as a dark-wave combination of guitars and keyboards with saxophone. We had the honour to present this album just before the end of 2020 and we are happy for that. One of the most remarkable releases of the year that contains many favourites tracks like "FTL".
https://www.facebook.com/nightnailmusic
9. Sopor Aeternus & The Ensemble of Shadows - Island of The Dead
Apocalyptic Vision
Dark, melancholic and unique as always, Anna Varney Cantodea returns with another poetic work adorned with great music. Favourite track: "DeathHouse".
https://www.facebook.com/sopor.aeternus.offiziell
8. Kalte Nacht - Kalte Nacht
Geheimnis Records
A new band that counts two years of existence gave us last year the wonderful album "Kalte Nacht". Greek coldwave, minimal synth with lyrics in English and Greek languages. Our favourite song: "Nychta Skia".
https://www.facebook.com/KalteNachtDuo/
7. INANIS YOAKE - In a Summer's Silence
SPQR Label
A surprise shortly before the end of 2020 was the band INANIS YOAKE with their debut album named "In a Summer's Silence". You can describe it as the most suitable vocals for dark folk and ethereal sounds with some gothic touches. We loved the whole album but the one song that really stood out for us was "Captors".
https://www.facebook.com/inanisyoake.bandcamp/
6. Delphine Coma - Turtuosa
Swiss Dark Nights
Dark haunted danceable melodies with the perfect vocals. We can’t stop listen to this album. Favourite track: Secondary Eyes.
https://www.facebook.com/Delphine.Coma/
5. Raven Said - Beyond The Darkest Hour
Secret Sin Records
The Russian band brings the oldschool 80’s goth rock back to the future. We love each track of this album, but our favourite is: "Shadows On The Ceiling, Shadows On The Floor".
https://www.facebook.com/RavenSaidBand/
4. Lefki Symphonia - Like the Sun ( San Ton Ilio)
Labyrinth of Thoughts records / The Lab records
A band with a long history in Greece and beyond. They make us sing along from 1984 until today, old and brand new hits. "Black Twilight" was one of the pieces that stood out and presented at the worldwide live stream charity event "Goths For Sanctuaries", but also "Me mia Kravgi / With A Scream" is a favourite too.
https://www.facebook.com/lefkisymphonia
3. Selofan - Partners In Hell
Fabrika records
Another fantastic album from Selofan! We love that they are combining a lot of instruments, different languages and emotions in each of their album (The sweet sadness that the band brings, is exactly this feeling that we left behind, when we left our homeland. We are emotionally charged at each of their concerts). Favourite track: "Auf Deiner Haut"
https://www.facebook.com/selofan.funpage
2. ROSI - Sad Dance Songs
DISENTERTAINMENT/in a bad mood/Broken Silence
Known and loved, the postpunk duo from Germany generously offered us their latest album with the title "Sad Dance Songs", which includes tracks that will definitely become hits on dancefloors. Many songs stood out for us but we will mention "Forgotten World" as our most favourite.
https://www.facebook.com/rosi.info
1. Rosetta Stone - Cryptology
Cleopatra Records
Rosetta Stone returns with a brilliant brand new album! We really love "Cryptology" from the first to the last song. Favourite for us is "Shock".
https://www.facebook.com/RosettaStoneOfficial/
Well, these were the albums that ElektroSpank team selected for 2020. There are, definitely, a lot more albums that could be in such a list.
I want to thank every band and artist, the labels and the agencies for all these amazing moments they share with us, with their music, and during such strange and difficult time. And of course a big thank you to all of you, the audience, the followers, the readers.
Keep on listening to the music you love, support the scene, the bands, the new artists and labels. They all need us and we need them!
Best regards
Achilleas C. (Akill)
