Zach Seals – Dearly Departed
Similar artists: Labrinth, Sampha, Björk, FKA twigs, serpentwithfeet
Genre: Dark Wave, Indietronica, Alt Pop
Zach Seals’ fight is with the desire for stardom itself. The song of “Dearly Departed” means that the singer may have to confront this fear soon enough.
There are plenty of musicians who feel a powerful sense of nostalgia over the kinds of songs that used to get released and that used to get a lot of attention from audiences. Many of these artists dedicate their time to making those particular styles popular once more. Only a select few achieve their goals. Those times have come and gone.
There are others who first serve themselves. They understand that times move at a quick pace. In order to be successful during any period, one must be of that time. Their work must express the joys and fears of that period. And the sounds being produced must sound familiar to regular audiences.
Zach Seals likes trendy pop sounds, as evidenced by “Dearly Departed,” but likes to introduce quirky production choices, too, as well as the kind of vocal lines that confirm his undeniable ability to sing well. There’s darkness and even a bit of grit to “Dearly Departed,” but it’s all a calculated risk between pop acceptability and artistic trailblazing.
Vlimmer – Makks
Similar artists: The Cure, Drangsal, Slowdive, Belong, Drab Majesty
Genre: Gothic, Dark Wave, Shoegaze, Dream Pop
Vlimmer’s “Makks” is a dark, but soothing music excursions through the mist and dimly lit yet inviting places.
Sometimes, the only way to make sense of life is through fantasy. With so little around us to control, the thought of creating a world, setting up its rules, and replaying the tragedies of the world inside this controlled environment, sounds like the most sane thing a person could do. Once you know the rules, even if the tragic events were still to occur, it’d be easier to accept them for what they are.
The fact is that life’s cycle of bad news doesn’t contain any romance. Brutal things happen seemingly for no purpose, and nobody even bothers to say a prayer, recite a poem or draw a beautiful picture about it. That’s not the case in famous novels or classic movies. Tragedy creates plot, of course, but once it occurs there’s at least something beautifully sad that accompanies the whole event.
Vlimmer’s “Makks” is music for beautiful tragedies. Make no mistake about it. These are mournful sounds. But just like the 19th Century Budapest deaths, there are unfulfilled romances, a broken desire for freedom, and a glance toward beauty captured in the track. Musically, this recalls bands like The Cure during its “Seventeen Seconds” era, as well as the dark but danceable modern apprentices that goth has created.
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