Cold Cave - Cherish the Light Years

Cold Cave’s latest offering is less of a departure from the 80s new wave of their debut and more of a dramatic magnification. The slick synth driven pop is still here, but this time around it’s been blown up to gigantic proportions. Hammering in its intensity, the wailing guitars bombard the listener into submission with a colossal wall of sound, while frontman Wesley Eisold yelps pleas of bleak romance and destruction. Yet through the deafening melodies and apocalyptic lyrics, the music is human, intensely personal. It’s an achievement for a band to make the chaos of your soul this danceable.

Esben and the Witch - Violet Cries

Gothic, dramatic and sinister, Esben and the Witch have created the Tim Burton of albums. Guitars churn and cymbals clash with ferocious intensity, creating a haunting, cavernous experience. Equipped with a stunningly chilling wail, lead singer Rachael Davies’ vocals take these songs to new, darker places as she shifts seamlessly between themes of love, war and death. At times, however, the gothic shtick sounds a little forced, and the drones, hisses and ominous percussion takes priority over hooks. Sadly, atmosphere is no replacement for songcraft. When they get the mix right, it’s fantastic – beautiful, engaging and as scary as hell.