Depeche Mode - "Personal Jesus" (live)

Sure... Why not?

Culture Club - "Time"

Most people know of "Karma Chameleon" and "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me", but there are some other singles that Culture Club did, too. "Time" is kind of touching.

Decoded Feedback - "Mescaline" (live)

Although Decoded Feedback is more electro-industrial, this song feels a lot more industrial than electro. I like it though. It's actually the kind of song you can sit back and relax with, which is odd for songs of this part of the genre pie.

Ladytron - "Burning Up" (fan video)

I rarely post stuff like this, but this was very well done. This person really had an eye for art, and made something meaningfully creative.

Ladytron - "High Rise" (live)

This is rather upbeat and danceable for a Ladytron song. No complaints.

Lovelorn Dolls - "No Life"

Huh. This is not what I expected from this video. It's certainly not ~bad~, but it's just not at all what I expected. I was expecting more flashiness, but a more minimalist video like this does the job just as well.

Voltaire - "BRAINS!" (live)

This is one of Voltaire's most popular songs.

The Birthday Massacre - "The Dream" (live)

This sounds a fair bit like dark pop music. I'm not going complain, because it's good. I think this would have made a good music video, actually, but I think they would have had to have taken a wildly different direction than they do on most vids to make it work.

kazlovesbats - "DIY: Make a Gothic Shawl Great for Fall and Gothic/Deathrock Events."

This one is how to make a goth shawl.

kazlovesbats - "D.I.Y! Make your Cardigan Badass and Uniquely Yours."

One thing I like about kazlovesbats is that she does some gothically inclined arts and crafts. I'll post a couple of her vids today. This one is about her customization of a cardigan (largely on the cheap).

Bauhaus - "She's in Parties"

And for your Sunday afternoon, here's some Bauhaus...

Voltaire - "Comin' Out for Christmas" (live)

This is the kind of stuff that Voltaire does best.

Wolfsheim - "Read the Lines" (live)

And here is a Wolfsheim song that I doubt many people have heard, to be quite honest. I hadn't heard it until just now. It's not bad, almost a little chiptuneish.

New Order - "Ceremony" (live)

For those of you who don't know, this was actually made when New Order was Joy Division, and this was one of the first songs released under the new name after the death of Ian Curtis.

Full Gary Numan Concert

Well, here's some Gary Numan for your Friday afternoon.

Full Duran Duran Concert

I'm not specifically trying to turn Fridays into automatic 80's days, but it's kind of turning into that.

Full Crüxshadows Concert

I'm on this "full concert" kick right now.

Full Apoptygma Berzerk Concert

This is from this year.

Tying Tiffany - "One Second" (live)

I don't really talk about this concert much at all on my blog, and you will probably never get a concert report on this, because this is honestly a highly personal subject for me. But I think this video can basically show you a snippet of how incredible this was.

Ladytron - "Commodore Rock" (live)

Although I gush over Marnie, Mira Aroyo totally deserves some love, too. I admit that I don't understand a single word of Bulgarian, but she knows how to create a mood.

Full Blondie Concert

And... If you want something entirely different, here's a full Blondie concert. XD

Full Bauhaus Concert

If you want to see a full set of Bauhaus, here's a good vid.

Glis - "October Skies" (live)

I like how enthusiastic and energetic Glis is about futurepop/EBM. That's something that you just don't find very often with that particular genre set.

VNV Nation - "Resolution" (live)

This is probably my second favorite song from Automatic, only to "Space and Time".

Emilie Autumn - "Girls! Girls! Girls!" (live)

Has Emilie Autumn thought about being in the theatre? It's entirely possible that what she does right now is simply more lucrative than trying out for Broadway (or some other major theatre hub), but it just seems like a natural fit.

IAMX - "Tear Garden"

I'm in the mood for an artistic video. So, you all get IAMX.

Marsheaux - "Dream of a Disco" (live)

Like a lot of Marsheaux's music, I feel like I'm floating when I listening to it.

Prometheus Burning - "Anonymous Death Threats" (live)

Honestly, I'm not quite sure exactly what this song is about. From what it seems like to me, it could be, at the least, one of two things.

1. It could be a hyperbole for how people overreact to the art that either any band or maybe simply this band creates, and Prometheus Burning is trying to show just how insane this level of overreaction is.
2. This could be literally about death threats made to the band, which would be seriously scary, but admittedly, not overwhelmingly surprising, considering how obsessed people get sometimes about artists, in general, particularly women.

Of course, this could be about something else, entirely. I'm kind of intrigued though, considering how cutting and poignant this song is. Also, you might not want this blasting at work or school, due to language.

The Plastics - "Top Secret Man" (live)

If you want a post-punk song that you never think about, but once you hear it, you remember how much you've actually heard it before, then it turns into an earworm, and you hate me forever, this is the song for you.

The Birthday Party - "Nick the Stripper"

I admit that I never really got into Nick Cave. He's not bad, but he's just not really my thing. If you see this video, I think you can understand why I wouldn't overwhelmingly enjoy it, but could see why others would.

Marnie - "The Hunter"

Here's a video from Marnie, Helen Marnie's solo project's, debut album.

Jakalope - "Pretty Life"

Newer Jakalope isn't necessarily bad, but there just feels like there's something that was present in the older stuff. It's possible the change in personnel at lead singer is entirely to blame, but it seems more like a general direction thing to me.

"Pet Sematary" - Helalyn Flowers (cover of The Ramones)

Helalyn Flowers did a cover of "Pet Sematary"? That's good to know.

"Purple" - Lovelorn Dolls (Helalyn Flowers remix)

I hadn't heard this remix of "Purple" until just now, and I have to say that I really like it. Lovelorn Dolls were right when they said this is a totally different song though. This feels a lot more sharp and hard and has a lot more bite than the original.

Unannounced Off Day

The page view spambots are at it again. I want to nip it in the bud this time, and taking a day off the last couple of times actually worked pretty well for a little while. So, I'll do it again. I'll be back tomorrow.

Funker Vogt - "Arising Hero" (live)

It's Funker Vogt. You get what's advertised.

Clan of Xymox - "Louise" (live)

I really want to like Clan of Xymox. I just don't quite "get" them. They don't really seem to resonate with me like many other post-punk-ish bands. I can see they're very talented, but it just doesn't stick. Can someone explain to me what I'm missing?

The Birthday Massacre - "Calling" (live)

This is kind of mellow and feels almost a little pop for a song from The Birthday Massacre. It's not bad, but it's not quite the same fare as what you generally see heavily promoted from that band.

Covenant - "Leviathan" (live)

How about some old school Covenant for your Saturday morning?

Pat Benatar - "We Belong"

I've not really posted much Pat Benatar. I should remedy that.

Tears for Fears - "Advice for the Young at Heart"

This is a considerably lesser-known song by Tears for Fears, but it's not bad. It has much less synth in it than earlier songs and feels a lot more like 1990s mainstream music.

Lenorable - "Disconnect"

I feel like I'm perpetually drifting (in a good way) when I listen to this.

Crystal Castles - "Not in Love ft. Robert Smith of The Cure"

I'm a little shaky on this. My biggest problem with The Cure is the fact that Robert Smith's voice puts me to sleep. The beat and melody is fantastic, but Robert Smith really bores me. This song did nothing to change my opinion of his voice.

Ladytron - "Soft Power" (KCRW 2006)

So, who wants to see Ladytron in their comfortable clothes jamming out at a radio station? I do!

Ladytron - "Seventeen"

I promise I'll give you something that's not Ladytron tomorrow. But for today, you're going to have to put up with more Ladytron.

Ladytron - "Ace of Hz"

And... Now back to my gushing about Ladytron! >_>

Post #500 - The Top Five Songs Nobody Should Disrespect in My Presence

Since this is the 500th post, I figure I'll do something interesting for this. So, here is a list of the top five songs for which I hold the most reverence, for one reason or another. Three of these were very easy choices, but it was hard to make it to a list of five, because a solid dozen songs could have made it into the last two.

So, here's my list, in no particular order:

Spider Lilies - "Mirror in the Dark"

How can anyone make a knock against the already talented Spider Lilies, with former Crüxshadow, Stacey Campbell, and Chad VanPelt teaming up with Rachel McDonnell?

VNV Nation - "Standing"
This song brings back quite a lot of memories of my early days within the scene. I still listen to this song quite often, because it shows just how incredible and timeless VNV Nation truly is.



I:Scintilla - "Swimmers Can Drown"
This masterpiece by I:Scintilla single-handedly got me back into the scene when I was facing a heavy rut. If it wasn't for this song, I might still be listening to Paramore and Flyleaf on a daily basis.



The Crüxshadows - "Tears"
This song was what got me into a particular band for the first time. Before then, I was just listening to random songs, but this song made me become a huge fan of The Crüxshadows. For the first time, I felt like I had a band that was "mine".



Tying Tiffany - "Drownin'"

OK, did anyone ~not~ expect this on the list? Seriously? I know I was a little bit of a jerk for slow rolling you, but come on. If you know me or know about me even the tiniest bit, you don't even need an explanation for this.

Ladytron - "International Dateline"

I can't get enough of Ladytron, sometimes. I would say Helen Marnie has one of the top three most beautiful voices I've ever heard within the genres I cover. Easily.

Ladytron - "For No One" (live)

This song is absolutely beautiful. Unless someone just hates this kind of music in general, I can't see how anyone could dislike this song.

KMFDM - "Krank"

So, this video is... uh... something. Oh, and there may be some language, so you might not want to blast in on your speakers at work.

Inertia - "Alive"

Eh... Here's an example of a pretty decent song that could have stood to have a better video. I guess they were trying to go for a mix between humor and being artsy here, but I felt like they fell flat on both. Only the very end bit was even kind of funny, and I thought most of the video was largely pointless in trying to add anything to the message or delivery of the song.

Kirlian Camera - "Black August"

Nobody will complain if I post the newest Kirlian Camera music video, right? This one feels more "dark" than "wave".

In Strict Confidence - full live set

Well, I'm back. I won't lie and say I'm feeling super energized and rested after my hiatus, but it freed up a little time. Anyway, I'm back, and I'll open with a full live set for In Strict Confidence. I hope you like it.

I'll be back on Saturday.

Sorry for not posting this week, but I really need to take a break. I'm very stressed out with my big project that I'm working on, and I have a day job as well that takes up my time. It may seem like just posting videos to post doesn't take lots of time, but it takes more time than you might think. And being stressed about making updates when you're already spreading yourself as thin as paper adds a lot of agitation. So, just think of this as a vacation. I'll be back on Saturday, hopefully a little more back into the game -- I hope. >_<;

The Cure - "Lovesong"

I admit that I'm just kind of "ho-hum" about The Cure. I don't think they're bad. I'm just not crazy about The Cure like most goths who like old post-punk are. Here's one of those songs that everyone loves to pieces, and I'm just kind of lukewarm about it.

The Sisters of Mercy - "Amphetamine Logic" (live)

Let's brood together.

Rotersand - "Lost" (live)

Rotersand is kind of crazy on stage for being a futurepop act. They're bizarrely entertaining.

Bauhaus - "Dark Entries"

Here's some gothic rock with a heavy emphasis on the "rock" part.

Colony 5 - "Accelerate" (live)

I've not posted any Colony 5 for a while. So... here.

Bella Morte - "My Heart Will Go On" (repost)

I posted this before back in February, but I just have to post it again. I won't lie. There is just something hilarious and awesome about a band like Bella Morte taking a Celine Dion song and making it not only listenable, but good.

Straftanz - "-jl- eats his first deep fried Mars Bar."

This is exactly what is advertised.

The Crüxshadows - "Eurydice" (live)

Solid song from Echoes and Artifacts. I think what amazes me more though is that in over ten years, Rogue, Rachel McDonnell, and Stacey Campbell haven't aged one bit. I don't know about Chris Brantley, because he's largely kept out of the public eye since his leaving CXS.

Alien Sex Fiend - "I Am a Product" (live)

Dark. Depressing. Broody. I like it!

Peter Murphy - "Stigmata Martyr" (live)

It's Peter Murphy getting in touch with his inner guitar.

Emilie Autumn - "Let the Record Show" (live)

This sounds very -- industrialish for an Emilie Autumn song.

Ladytron - La Rute Du Rock (full concert)

Nobody better complain about a full Ladytron live set!

Siouxsie and the Banshees - "Hong Kong Garden" (live)

Nobody will complain about more live Siouxsie and the Banshees, right?

London After Midnight - "Shatter" (live)

I've never been a big London After Midnight fan. To me, it's been a little too broody for rock without really feeling like the old school post-punk that I enjoy. It's not bad, but it's just not my thing.

Only the Lonely - Puppet Show (Acoustic)

Wait... Wait... Wait... Kaia Young is involved in a musical project that has words? Lyrics? Apparently! There's this band, Only the Lonely, that is comprised of Dalena (the woman on vocals) and Kaia. Here's a piece of something that just popped up!

Chamber of Echoes - "I Don't Mind"

One (more) thing I absolutely love about Chamber of Echoes is simply the depth of the melodies of their songs. I never get bored. This is a fantastic example of it.

Client - "Heartland" (live)

You should know by now just how much of a sucker I am for Client. This song is super soothing to me.

KMFDM - "Anarchy" (live)

Here's a new live version from this year of an old KMFDM song. I'm kind of lukewarm on this. There seems to be a certain emptiness without people like Tim Skold or En Esch. The song is great, but this live version seems lifeless.

Front 242 - Bonn 03/13/1989 (full show)

If you complain about having a full Front 242 concert from the 80s, I don't know you anymore.

Devo - "[I Can't Get No] Satisfaction"

Want to feel old? You're welcome.

Solitary Experiments - "Immortal" (live)

There are times when Solitary Experiments creeps into electro-darkwave a little bit, and I really wish they'd stick to a more EBM/futurepop sound. It's not like this is bad, but I prefer their stuff that sounds more like Covenant/VNV Nation/Apoptygma Berzerk over the stuff that sounds like they took a VNV Nation song and a Crüxshadows song and tried to do some sort of cross-pollination.

Detroit Diesel - "Serenade" (live)

Detroit Diesel is an aggrotech project that doesn't get nearly the credit that it deserves. These people know how to put up a good beat, and I don't feel offended by them (which can sometimes be a problem in that subgenre).

I'm going to take another day off...

This page view bot mess is getting ridiculous. Although I do need another sanity day, too, this is *mostly* due to the irritating page view bots that are completely making my hit counts almost meaningless. I hope another day off will shake off the bots. It did for a couple of days when I took a day off last week, but the bots just came right back.

Anyway, sorry for the inconvenience, and I'll be back up and running tomorrow. >_<

FranccescaDeStruct - "**** Goth Kids Say"

This is a little colorful on the language, so it may be NSFW. I found this hilarious though, because it this wasn't some outsider's view at making fun of goth. It was goths making fun of themselves, which needs to happen more. When we can make fun of ourselves, it proves we're secure in our own identities.

Lovelorn Dolls - "Save Me from Myself" (unplugged video)

One thing I really like about Lovelorn Dolls is the fact they have just as much skill doing acoustic as electronic. Most bands and musicians I've paid attention to in the general genre are clearly better at one or the other, but Lovelorn Dolls really can do both (and even do jazz, if necessary!).

T.T.L. - "Beyond Fire" and "Deep Shadows"

You all like The Hunger Games, right? Well, I don't care if you do, because ~I~ do. Also, I just happen to think Tying Tiffany is the bee's knees, too, and she's one half of Through The Lens (T.T.L.), who makes movie trailer soundtracks. T.T.L. made the trailer music for both Hunger Games movies, so here you go.

Bella Morte - "On the Edge"

One thing I like about Bella Morte is the fact they know how to use cheesiness as a condiment as opposed to a base ingredient. Their work ends up looking and sounding really cool, because they add that touch of genre geekiness to add a sense of personal authenticity, but they don't go overboard with it and cause eyes to roll.

Nine Inch Nails - Entire Woodstock '94 Set (live)

I have a beauty for you all, today. Here's the whole set from Woodstock '94 for NIN.

Ladytron - "Light and Magic" (live)

As much as I've posted Ladytron, I've not once posted a live video. Well, here's to remedying that! This one is actually kind of old, from 2003.

Siouxsie and the Banshees - "Sin in My Heart" (live)

This is an old live video from 1981 for Siouxsie and the Banshees. This feels a little more rock than what I'm used to from them, but I like it.

Chemlab - "Pyromance" (live)

This is a song I remember from my early, early goth-industrial days. The original song is great, but this live version disappoints me a bit, mainly because the sound engineering seemed a bit -- off.

The Azoic - "Going Under" (live)

Do videos of and live performances of any songs by The Azoic exist that have a remotely decent level of quality? These people know how to do the dance music thing very well, and I'd think they'd especially have more live footage than this.

Kirlian Camera - "News" (live)

It's hard to find decent true electro-darkwave these days, but if you're sick of only listening to The Crüxshadows all the time, I keep saying that Kirlian Camera is right up your alley.

I'm going to take the day off.

I'm going to take the day off from posting today for two reasons:

1. I really need the sanity day.
2. I want to see if I can shake off the bots that are giving me particularly nasty hit/page view spam.

I'll be back tomorrow.

Covenant - "Go Film" (live)

This is the song that got me into Covenant, and I'd very much recommend this as a first song if you want to get in touch with the older, harsher, more minimalist EBM-ish sounds that Covenant used to do. If you're more into their cleaner, futurepop stuff, then listening to something like "Call the Ships to Port" may be a good thing for getting your feet wet. I happen to like both, so here you go with "Go Film".

Funker Vogt - "Date of Expiration" (live)

For whatever reason, I was in the mood for old, non-inspirational Funker Vogt this morning. I don't know why. Don't ask.

Here's a Ricki Lake clip from the 90s that will make you remember when things were worse.

Goths have it easy these days, in my opinion. People are way, way more comfortable with it than they used to be. Back in the nineties, this kind of programming was considered to be OK. It wouldn't be, anymore.

Kill Natalie - "How to get REALLY big Goth hair"

If you want to know how to get really big goth hair, I think this vid will work for you.

LigeiaResurrected - "Goth Talk - Dealing with Bullies"

Here's a less "positive" video in regard to bullying. One thing that I do like about this video though is that LigeiaResurrected is very blunt about how far bullies may go, and she doesn't sugar coat things.

Kill Natalie - "Goth Talk: dealing with bullies"

Here is some interesting and sound advice on how to deal with bullies.

The Birthday Massacre - Full set, Hide and Seek Tour 2012 (live)

You like whole concerts, right? Here's one from The Birthday Massacre.

VNV Nation - "Legion" (live)

Another big, important VNV Nation song live in some big, epic venue.

Siouxsie and the Banshees - "Kiss Them for Me"

Here's a song video from a little later in Siouxsie and the Banshees's run. I still like it, but it's definitely different from her earlier stuff, which I prefer more.

Junksista - "Not Love" (live)

Sultry, rhythmic, and heavy... That's what I like about Junksista...

Ayria - Entire Kinetik 5.5 Set (live)

If you missed Ayria at Kinetik this year, a YouTuber named badass326 recorded the whole performance. Obviously, you should be watching this, particularly if you haven't seen Ayria live this year.

I:Scintilla - "Havestar" (live)

I really like this. The acoustic drums add a lot to I:Scintilla's "Havestar" in the live version. I also think the the reverb here gives the song some grittiness that the album version lacks. That said, I absolutely love the album version, too, and it gets tons of play on my playlists. I just think that the song is a little too clean, and I really like the more "dirty" version that I hear live.

Duran Duran - "Planet Earth"

Here's more Duran Duran.

Duran Duran - "New Moon on Monday"

Here's some Duran Duran.

Client - "Overdrive" (live)

Client is always a sure bet if you're in the mood for synthpop.

Absurd Minds - "I'm Dying Alone" (live)

This kind of sounds like it's being sung through a telephone, but it has a certain energy to it that you need to hear anyway.

Ayria - Counterblow (live)

It's been a while since I posted some Ayria. Here's one of Ayria's more sultry songs.

Siouxsie and the Banshees - "Cities in Dust"

Who can defend against the greatness of Siouxsie Sioux? Nobody. That's who.

Depeche Mode - Live In London (Black Celebration Tour 1986)

Here's a whole Depeche Mode concert.

Joy Division live appearances

Want to see an hour's worth of Joy Division? Here.

Slick Idiot - "Xcess" (live)

This is a little more "conventional" than what I expect from Slick Idiot, but I still like it.

LigeiaResurrected - "Goth Getting Ready"

I don't post enough stuff like this here, so here's a video of one goth lady and how she gets ready for her day. It's not a tutorial, just sped up raw footage, mostly.

Front 242 - "Don't Crash" (live)

It's a Saturday night. START DANCING.

Ladytron - "Playgirl"

Because you can never have too much Ladytron...

My apologies for not updating, today.

I know this looks bad, but trust me on this one. I didn't update today, because I had something urgent come up, and I couldn't update. I remembered this time around (I didn't forget!), but I just had something come up beyond my control. I will make it up to you all though.

Assemblage 23 - "Alive" (live)

Today is Independence Day in the U.S. (July 4), so I'm going to make today a light day and just give you all one post. Besides, I figure a lot of you who read my stuff have plans for later in the day, anyway. Anyway, I'll be back to regular posting tomorrow. Happy Fourth!

SPECTRA*paris - "Death Records"

Want to download a free SPECTRA*paris song? Here's one Ms. Fossi is just giving away!

Blondie - "The Tide Is High"

If you've not heard a commercial with this song in it, I question whether you've ever watched television before.

Ladytron - "Runaway"

Hey, stripes!

IAMX - "Spit It Out"

IAMX know how to be artsy and successful. Who would have thought?

The Cure - "A Forest" (live)

Talk about moody...

Chamber of Echoes - "The Shade of My Spirit"

Is it odd that this song reminds me of the jungle?

Inertia - "Streaming"

A little bit synthpop, a little bit electroclash... It's not bad. It kind of reminds me of Fischerspooner.

Candy Brain - "Blue Monday" (New Order cover)

And for your Sunday morning, here's a reminder of the wonderment of tomorrow! Although, I think this should be more a "Black Monday", considering it's Candy Brain. I absolutely love how Candy Brain looks like they're really, really enjoying themselves here. I think that's a little bit of what I like about them. I like bands that look like they're having fun as opposed to bands that have the aura of merely fulfilling an obligation or need.

Decoded Feedback - "Silent Killer" (live)

This song is a little creepy, and it's very minimalist in composition. Still, it's very good at bringing out a very particular feeling.

kazlovesbats - "What's a Good Way to Handle Getting Insults?"

I kind of have mixed feelings about this video. On the one hand, I think kazlovesbats genuinely wants to be nice, and she has reasonable advice, particularly about using compliments to one's advantage. That being said, she also has natural features that are considered to be attractive by mainstream standards, and I think that might be a part of why her positive feedback is so lopsided in comparison to her negative feedback. I'd be interested in seeing if someone with less natural privilege would claim to have similar experiences, such as someone who is a person of color or has a body shape or facial features considered to be "bad" by mainstream standards. I think kazlovesbats has her heart in the right place here, but I do think this is one of those "your mileage may vary" kind of things.

Gary Numan - "I Die You Die"

Here's some old school Gary Numan -- just because. If you don't feel old from the early-80s super synths, you have no heart.

Rotersand - "Hidden" (live)

Now, this is a good, stompy dance song.

Holy crap... I didn't update today.

I humbly apologize for not updating, today. I've been so busy with another project that I honestly forgot to update. I will definitely put up updates as normal, tomorrow, and I'll make up the updates I missed soon. Again, I'm really sorry. I can't believe I actually forgot to update.

Siouxsie and the Banshees - "The Last Beat of My Heart"

This is a little different from what I'm used to hearing from Siouxsie and the Banshees. This is a little slower and a bit more depressing. Still, it's pretty.

Tying Tiffany - "One Girl"

I sometimes feel like I got a little overzealous with the Tying Tiffany stuff earlier in my blog days, leaving me with less to post. Still, there's plenty of awesome stuff to share from her... because she's awesome.

Marsheaux - "Inhale" (live)

This sounds kind of 8-bit-ish. It's not bad. It's kind of catchy, actually.

Alien Sex Fiend - "In God We Trust" (live)

Here's what appears to be an old VHS rip from 1985 of Alien Sex Fiend. This is gothic rock.

Kirlian Camera - Heldenplatz (live)

Here's some electro-darkwave for your Monday afternoon.

"EuroDance 7000"

OK, does anyone know who the musician or musicians are here? I tried to find out five years ago, when I first saw the video, and I tried to find out recently. Anyone know?

CollegeHumor's Favorite Funny Videos

New Order - "Bizarre Love Triangle"

Every time I look at New Order stuff, I wonder how things would have been different if it had remained Joy Division with Ian Curtis. Although this isn't bad, it feels really different from their older stuff, even their earlier New Order stuff.

Front 242 - "Controversy Between"

I think every EBM and futurepop band ever needs to take lessons from Front 242 in regard to how to be entertaining within a minimal setting (and entertaining in general).

The Birthday Massacre - "Nevermind"

This song by The Birthday Massacre is a little more rock-n-roll.

Colony 5 - "Trust You" (live)

Colony 5 can really make good songs, but I'd prefer if they put on more of a show on stage. This is about as lively as they get, honestly. Looking at so much video footage over the past few months, I've begun to really appreciate when live performances have high levels of showmanship. That's not to say this performance is bad, but I'd like to see a bit more bang for my buck when I watch much of the futurepop/EBM genre live, in general.

Peter Murphy - "All Night Long"

This is a textbook example of old school, post-punk, synthpop-influenced goth.

Ladytron - "Mirage"

Yes, I know there are other musicians other than Ladytron, but I can't help it!

The Clash - "Should I Stay or Should I Go"

More Clash!

The Clash - "Rock the Casbah"

We're going to do something a little different, today. Here's some old-school punk.

In regard to the quality of posts...

Right now, I know I post almost nothing but videos, but I assure you this is only temporary. I will get back to adding more in-depth content as soon as I finish the current phase of a huge project that I'm working on that is unrelated to this blog. That project has been eating up most of my free time, and I just haven't had time to make the in-depth, opinionated posts or album reviews that I used to a few months ago. That should change sometime soon though, hopefully next month. Thank you for your patience.

MDFMK - "Rabblerouser"

This is very -- pixelated. But you get the idea. It's also, oddly enough, not usually my kind of song. I don't know why I like this from MDFMK. Hm...

Ladytron - "Blue Jeans"

Two things I love about Ladytron's music videos:

1. Helen Marnie's voice is so soothing and hits you like a massage after a hard day's work.
2. The cinematography always shows great attention to aesthetics.

Amoeba Music - "Peter Murphy (Bauhaus) - What's in my bag?"

I don't even know what this is -- but I like it.

Voltaire and Ray Toro (Yes, from My Chemical Romance...)

One thing I like about Voltaire is that he's not afraid to do anything, ever. This include making country albums and, in this case, collaborating with someone from My Chemical Romance.

Alien Sex Fiend - "Magic"

I like this. It's a little exotic sounding and keeps the moody vibe.

Porcelain and the Tramps - "The Neighbor"

This song isn't as angry as some people say it is. It sounds more like a simply affirmation of being flawed.

Kidneythieves - "Red+Violet"

This feels more like rock than industrial, but I can never bet against Free.

Slick Idiot - "Blast"

I will not lie. Every time I watch a Slick Idiot video, I'm highly entertained. If nothing else, if you want some music videos to just sit back and enjoy while drinking a favorite beverage, Slick Idiot is for you.

Crystal Castles - "Baptism"

I-- um-- This is a video.

IAMX - "The Unified Field"

This is a truly striking, beautiful piece of cinematography. If nothing else, even if the song isn't your cup of tea, you have to watch just how superb this video is.

Depeche Mode - "FreeLove"

More Depeche Mode -- because.

Depeche Mode - "Soothe the Soul"

It's newer Depeche Mode. You get what you pay for.

Alice in Videoland - "In a Band"

Enjoying Alice in Videoland is mandatory. There is no other option.

Kap Bambino - "Under Tender"

Here's some Kap Bambino for your Thursday morning. It takes old footage and makes something new.

The Dreamside - "Making of 'Open Your Eyes'"

I posted the "Open Your Eyes" by The Dreamside that featured CXS's Rogue in it in an earlier post. If you're interested in seeing how that video was made though, here's a video showing that process.

Collide - "Son of a Preacher Man"

I don't even know what to say about this one. This is a Collide cover of the original "Son of a Preacher Man" song by Dusty Springfield. This is seriously crazy. If you want "different", you'll get "different" with this. This is nuts.

VNV Nation - "Illusion" (live)

VNV Nation doing an iconic song. You get what you pay for.

Apoptygma Berzerk - "Suffer in Silence"

I'm actually in a really good mood today, so posting this kind of flies in the face of that good mood. It's a really depressing song, to be honest. But it's Apop, so I can't complain too much.

Wolfsheim - "Blind"

She fell into his arms... Aww...

Siouxsie and the Banshees - "The Passenger"

Yeah, I know... another Siouxsie and the Banshees song.

The Birthday Massacre - "Red Stars" (live)

I like the juxtaposition between the basic Birthday Massacre vocals and melody formula and the almost thrashing in this.

Ashbury Heights - "I Can Kill You So Easily" (live)

The song has a good melody, but I'm really posting this because I was just so surprised that this was Kari Berg in the video. I almost didn't recognize her. I knew she was with Ashbury Heights by that point, but she just didn't really look like how she usually looks here. This is certainly no knock whatsoever at her. She just looked really different.

Deadstar Assembly - "Send Me an Angel"

I'm not really a fan of metal, even the industrial kind, but I do like this cover of "Send Me an Angel". I think Deadstar Assembly really added a nice creative twist to it.

Candy Brain - "Ivy"

I'm really getting hooked on this Candy Brain stuff. They're that perfect, happy medium that I've been looking for when I don't want something totally cutesy or hard aggro and don't want something with a heavy industrial or pop edge. It fills a void in my playlist.

Duran Duran - "Girl Panic!"

Here's much newer Duran Duran. I really thought this video showed the world that Duran Duran still had it after all these years.

Duran Duran - "Come Undone"

This will make you feel old!

Candy Brain - "The Asylum"

If The Birthday Massacre and Flesh Field had a child, this is what it would sound like. I like it!

Chamber of Echoes - "World of Silence"

This new Chamber of Echoes vid seems a bit more rockish than what I'm used to from them. It's certainly not bad though. I really love the visuals.

Chamber of Echoes - We Belong to the Night (Dubstep Remix)

I'm not a big fan of dubstep, but since this was a Chamber of Echoes song, I listened to it. I think when making dubstep remixes, a huge part of what makes a good remix is having a quality song to remix. An act like Chamber of Echoes has no problems in that department, and I think the dubstep was able to add to something that was already really good on its own.

Front 242 - "Take One"

This is still some of the best EBM in existence.

Freezepop - "Tenisu No Boifurendo"

I admit that I'm a real sucker for Freezepop's ability to shoehorn multiple inside jokes to their generation in their videos. This video feels a lot like their other foreign language video, "Parlez-vous Freezepop?" It's one of those videos that if you get it, you'll fall over yourself laughing. If you don't get it, you might be confused.

Rotersand - "War on Error"

Rotersand puts up a good show for this song. They didn't work props, but they knew how to do a few things to sweeten the pot.

Post-Punk New Wave Super Friends

To make up for my not giving you all a post yesterday afternoon, here's an extra one for today. This made the rounds on the Internet a couple weeks ago, but it's definitely relevant for the purposes of this blog. Also, I think the Ian Curtis and Siouxsie Sioux ones are awesome, in particular. I would have liked to have seen a Peter Murphy one, but we can't have everything.

(Property of Butcher Billy, used under Fair Use for direct, substantial commentary on product)

If you want to see all of them, click here.

Blondie - "Rapture"

One great thing about New Wave is how unafraid musicians are of trying new things. Blondie's "Rapture" is a textbook example of this, considering she was happy to put rap in it.

Covenant - "We Stand Alone" (live)

This is a nice video for "We Stand Alone". It doesn't look like your average live feed from a cell phone.

Skipped Update

My apologies for omitting the afternoon update for Sunday. Sunday was kind of chaotic, and I simply forgot to make the update. I will post something later to make up for it and fill in the slot.

Emilie Autumn - "306" (live)

Emilie Autumn sure knows how to put on a show. If you don't already know the meaning behind this song, too, you definitely should look it up.

Depeche Mode - "Enjoy the Silence"

Old and sappy. Enjoy.

Jim Semonik and Prometheus Burning - "Malignant Disco"

This song was part of a compilation album called Electronic Saviors: Industrial Music to Cure Cancer. Proceeds from this 2010 album were donated to cancer charities. As far as I know, there's a second album out, too, and they're asking for submissions for a third. If you want to know more about this cause, go here.

Porcelain and the Tramps - "King of the World"

It's been quite a while since I've posted any Porcelain and the Tramps. Here you go!

Suicidal Romance - "Words That Change Everything"

Although they're classified as darkwave, dark electro, and EBM on last.fm, Suicidal Romance seems to have a heavy techno influence in their music, much more so than other dark electro bands, especially. That being said, this is still decent enough.

Lovelorn Dolls - "After Dark" (piano version)

OK, THIS IS DIFFERENT. I like it! Don't get me wrong. This is different as different can get though. When I think of Lovelorn Dolls, I think of something similar to The Birthday Massacre. Instead, I get smooth keyboard jazz. And it WORKS. Watch this. Seriously.

Psy'Aviah - "Circles"

Do you want some brand, spankin' new Psy'Aviah this morning? Do ya? Do ya? Well, that's not really a question, actually. I'm going to give it to you, regardless. That said, Psy'Aviah being Psy'Aviah, you don't get the same thing twice, which means you never get bored, although it does mean that you can be on a bumpy ride at times. This feels like a moody, dark pop song, kind of reminiscent of the dark pop of the 90s. It doesn't feel at all like futurepop, and it barely sits on the edge of the knife of industrial. It's certainly the kind of music that I absolutely love and probably needs to be on a new playlist with songs like I:Scintilla's "Capsella" and Chamber of Echoes's "Esoteric".

Slick Idiot - "Make Me Believe"

I don't know if this video was meant to be hilarious, but I'm falling over myself laughing at this. That being said, I mean no respect, because I genuinely enjoy the song and the video. Still, I think many of you will find yourself in stitches if you have similar music video tastes to mine.

The Dreamside - "Open Your Eyes"

This is a darkwave song that feels kind of like it got a metal video -- with some Rogue thrown in.

Kidneythieves - "Taxi Cab Messiah"

I really hope you were in the mood for Kidneythieves, today. Because that's what you're getting.

The Crüxshadows - "Return" (in the background of Sym Bionic Titan)

The Crüxshadows shows this on their Facebook page a day or two ago, and I felt like showing it. It's a clip of a remix of "Return" that was done by The Dreamside. It's cool when you see scene music get recognized in the mainstream.

The Sisters of Mercy - "Lucretia, My Reflection"

This, my friends, is old-school, down-and-dirty post-punk goth.

Marilyn Manson's first interview on Letterman

If you want to fall out of your chair laughing, watch this. It's from back in the days when Letterman was a little more funny and a little less caustic.

This Hollow Machine - Cycle

This is Chad VanPelt's solo project's first album. If you're expecting something that sounds like Spider Lilies, you'll be horribly disappointed. If you like stuff like Android Lust's instrumentals, then you'll like this.

Wolfsheim - "Once in a Lifetime"

I thought I had posted this video a long time ago. Regardless, if you want to hear my favorite Wolfsheim song (and probably the best known), check this out. I prefer the long version though.

SyntheticDollx - "Goth Insults/Comments and Problems"

If you want to laugh yourself silly, the first half of this video is for you. People can make some really idiotic insults when it comes to people who express themselves in regard to alternative subcultures. It's like people aren't even trying to be creative. The second half is interesting, too, but it's nothing that I haven't shown you in one or more videos I've shared before. The vlogger talks about job issues, and I've already mentioned my comments on that before. A lot of the thing about jobs is the who, what, where, when, why, and how of the matter. There are circumstances when you'll have no problem if you express yourself, and there are circumstances when you would be better off just conforming to a significant extent with the mainstream, because you'll suffer otherwise.

I:Scintilla - "Salt of Stones" (anime music video)

I usually don't post this kind of thing here, but since I:Scintilla explicitly endorsed it on their Facebook page, I'll share it.

Imperative Reaction - "Time Doesn't Care (Mercury Lust Remix)"

Just so you know, the new Siphon EP by Imperative Reaction is totally name-your-price on Bandcamp. You should give these guys money, because they rock, but you can download for free, too.

Dusk to Dawn - "Homecoming"

This is an interesting video, albeit a little sleep-inducing. I think that might have been the intention though.

MDFMK - "Torpedoes" (in sign language)

So, there's this video of a lady doing ASL signs to an MDFMK song... YES.

Daft Punk - "One More Time"

I know Daft Punk may be a little mainstream for a good bit of my crowd, but I like them. Here's some old school Daft Punk to liven up your day.

The Crüxshadows - "Resist/R" (live)

Good song from Wishfire.

Tying Tiffany - "One Place"

This is a Tying Tiffany video. If you expected that I wouldn't post this almost immediately, I'd just have to say, "Welcome to Audio Cantrips! You're clearly new here!"

Colony 5 - "I Want to Stay Young" (live)

Want to see some old Colony 5? Like, old-old? Here.

Siouxsie and the Banshees - "Face to Face"

One day, I'll get tired of posting Siouxsie and the Banshees vids... but not today.

Alice in Videoland - "Cut the Crap"

I've not posted any AiV in a little while. So, here's probably their most famous song, except for maybe "We Are Rebels" (although I think this one has "We Are Rebels" beat on pure popularity).

Tank and Mary - "Industrial Dance in Las Vegas"

I'm not a really big fan of the whole "industrial dance" style concept, but this is kind of a novel video for no other reason than the fact they did this in Las Vegas. There are some places where you can practically film anything, and it looks cool. Las Vegas is one of those places.

Tubeway Army - "Are Friends Electric?"

If you can't appreciate old synths, I don't know what to do with you!

Pat Benatar - "Love Is a Battlefield"

Want old stuff? Here's old stuff. Pat Benatar-style.

Culture Kultur - "The Only One" (live)

Culture Kultür had a good song going here, but it didn't seem like they did a whole lot to really put on a show. I think that's a good bit of why the audience didn't seem really into this in the video.

Joy Division - "Disorder"

Ian Curtis died 33 years ago, today. I think it's appropriate to give you some Joy Division this morning.

Brudershaft - "Falling"

I forgot to mention the new Brudershaft song that's come out. So... here it is.

Billy Idol - "Rebel Yell"

I won't lie and say I'm the biggest Billy Idol fan ever, but I understand he was integral to the 80s New Wave movement. So he should get a little representation here.

Questionable Goths - "Tuesday Discusses Gender Roles In The Goth Subculture"

If you want to get one person's opinion on gender and sexual orientation within the goth community, here's a good video. I wish someone could alert me to some videos about that subject within the rivethead community, because that's a topic that's discussed a whole lot less.

Siouxsie and the Banshees - "Red Light"

By default, there is no such thing as a bad Siouxsie and the Banshees song, so here's one that will automatically brighten your day.

Emilie Autumn - "F.L.A.G"

It's not my favorite Emilie Autumn song, but I like the video a lot. She really knows how to produce an artistically poignant, socially biting video.

Chamber of Echoes - "Scar Tissue"

I'm really getting into this Chamber of Echoes stuff.

"Making-of Photoshooting Junksista" - japfotografie

This is the making of a Junksista photoshoot. The song is worth it, alone.

Lovelorn Dolls - "Frozen Inside"

This is the perfect song to listen to while on a commute. Seriously. Actually, oddly enough, most Lovelorn Dolls songs are good for that.

Tears for Fears - "Pale Shelter"

So, you said you wanted some 80s New Wave today? Actually, you probably didn't say anything, but I'm going to pretend you did. Here's some Tears for Fears.

Black Dove Design Company

(Property of Brittany Bindrim, used under Fair Use for direct, substantial commentary on product)

As many of you should know, Brittany Bindrim of I:Scintilla is a master visual artist. She's the one who designs all of I:Scintilla's album covers. Her art business is Black Dove Design Company, and if you want to see her art, buy a piece of her art, or get a commission, this is the place you go for it. Take a look at her illustrations page, in particular, if you want an idea of just how well she has mastered this craft.

Covenant - "Dead Stars" (live)

Here's some Covenant for your Sunday afternoon.

Prometheus Burning - "Beyond Repair" (live)

Prometheus Burning is crazy -- and that's why I love them.

Santa Hates You - "We Need You Alive" (fan video)

On the Santa Hates You official Facebook page, there was a mention about a fan video for this song from Jolly Roger. It's a fairly simple fan video, really, and I do think that Peter Spilles was kind of an afterthought when pictures were chosen. (Heh.) Still, watch it and stuff.

Emmon - "Secrets & Lies"

I've always been on the fence about Emmon. I can't really decide whether I like her music or not. This song is technically sound, but there just feels like there's something missing. I can't quite put my finger on it.

Electrocute - "Saturn Rings"

This is about as far from Front 242 as you can get. Here's a video that's so cute and saccharine that it's almost torture (but not quite) from Electrocute.

Front 242 - "Quite Unusual"

One thing I like about Front 242 is that these guys can do funny things and act like they're enjoying what they do. This video is a good example of it.

Javelynn - "Wannabe"

Yaz/Javelynn went YOLO and SWAG? I kid -- I kid -- This song isn't bad, at all.

Alfa Matrix - Sounds from the Matrix 014

So, Sounds from the Matrix 014 is out. I tend to like the Sounds from the Matrix series for new music from Alfa-Matrix, and it's probably my favorite recurring compilation album of theirs. Anyway, here's their Soundcloud streaming of most of the songs. Notable omissions from the stream are Ayria's "Plastic Makes Perfect" and Helalyn Flowers's "White Me In Black Me Out (Extended Club Mix)".

Miss Kittin & The Hacker - "1000 Dreams"

I had never heard of this duo before, but apparently they've been around a hell of a long time.

Rotersand - "Merging Oceans" (live)

So, Rotersand and Ronan Harris decided to sing something together. I can get behind this.

Krystal System - "Rage"

Mannequins, oh so many mannequins. Still, this is the kind of beat that doesn't get out of your head easily. Well played, Krystal System.

Helalyn Flowers - "White Me In Black Me Out"

I like how Helalyn Flowers has modernized their sound in this. This song feels like a departure from the mid-2000s futurepop sound of their older stuff. It sounds very clean, very crisp, not minimalistic.

Joy Division - "Transmission"

It's Joy Division, just as advertised.

I:Scintilla - "Sequins & Pills"

Whoa, I:Scintilla... This song is -- whoa.

Ladytron - "Destroy Everything You Touch"

OK, I may be getting a little bit too into Ladytron these days for my own good, but how can you not think these videos are the best thing ever?

SyntheticDollx - "Rant Vlog - What makes you goth? Labels and Hate."

SyntheticDollx brings about some interesting points in regard to this subject that's really been done to death on YouTube. She seems exceptionally open and willing to eliminate subculture hierarchy.


I have a couple of comments I'd like to add:

1. In regard to her comments on labels, even beyond the feeling of being able to fit in, I think the best reason why we have labels is simply to give some level of definition to consistently occurring traits and to have vocabulary for it. Labels create a shorthand that make it so people can understand each other when discussing matters within the subculture. For example, it's easier to talk about a cyber goth than it is to talk about someone who has goggles, wears bright colors, listens to EBM, and so forth. Even if people don't agree on the exact subtle nuances of what a cyber goth is, when you mention the term, everyone around you will at least have a general idea of what you're talking about. Labels aren't necessarily a problem until you attempt to use them as leverage to create a sense of inequality with someone else.
2. The term "baby bat" kind of makes me cringe, too. I had never heard that term until just the past year or so, and I am still of the opinion that the general idea of the term is misguided. If it only applied to people who are very young, say tweens or young teenagers, I'd be a little more on board with it, because those people are young of age and generally lack the resources, knowledge, and maturity to have deep, seasoned notions about the subculture. But calling someone who is older than that who is starting to come into his or her own within the subculture a "baby bat" seems a little patronizing. Even if that person hasn't been able to express as a goth but for a short time, it's not like her or she necessarily has immature or uninformed opinions and ideas about the subculture. In my experience, some of the most interesting things I've heard in regard to goth have come from people who don't consider themselves goth at all, or they just dabble on the fringes.

Alien Sex Fiend - "Ignore the Machine"

Do you want to rock it old school? Here's some Alien Sex Fiend.

Evils Toy - "Virtual State"

I don't usually use this blog to make light of other people's work, but this really feels kind of like the Snakes on a Plane of industrial music videos.

Sleater-Kinney - "Jumpers"

This is considerably outside of the normal confines of this site, but I just felt like sharing this, because it's awesome. More goth-electronica stuff to come tomorrow.

Ayria - "Friends and Enemies"

Of the four tracks for Ayria's Plastic Makes Perfect I've heard so far, this is my favorite. If you're on the fence about buying the album, this should change your mind.

Marsheaux - "Exit" (live)

It's been a while since I've posted any Marsheaux.

Covenant - "Bullet"

Who wants some Covenant? I do! I do!

The Cure - "Friday I'm in Love"

I don't think I've posted anything from The Cure here, before. Anyway, here's something.

Assemblage 23 - "Alive" (live)

I agree with the one person in the YouTube comments who said this Assemblage 23 song is best heard live.

kazlovesbats - "About Bickering Within the Gothic Subculture"

I probably talk about kazlovesbats's videos more than I should, but here is a good one to read when you feel inclined to start drama.

The Crüxshadows - "Deception" (live)

I like the fact that there's an old video from approximately the time when the song was made for this. This feels like the most "pure" live performance of this CXS song.

Freezepop - "Super-Sprøde"

It's never a bad time for Freezepop. Is it? Especially when they're thanking you...

This is ... AUDIO CANTRIPS! (300th Post)

This is Audio Cantrips's 300th post, so I figure I'll give you something marginally interesting. Here is a rundown of all the interviews this blog has done since its existence in December:

On January 9, I posted an interview with DJ Jason of ABSOLUTION, a New York goth night.

Later that month, on January 14, I put up my first musician interview, one with the splendid Stacey Campbell of former Crüxshadows fame and currently the frontwoman of Spider Lilies.

January 16, I posted an interview with the intriguing, opinionated Kaia Young from The Luna Sequence. Although I have enjoyed all my interviews, if someone forced me to pick one that's been my favorite, so far, it would be this one.

On April 5, I put up an interview with Shikhee D'iordna from Android Lust. Not many people have gotten around to reading this one, so I highly recommend you read it if you haven't.

Last, but certainly not least, just a few days ago, April 23, I posted an interview with Jennifer Parkin of Ayria. If you've not gotten around to this one, check it out!

Ashbury Heights - "Die By Numbers" (live)

Here is a live video from Ashbury Heights from back when Yaz was in the band.

Mesh - "Just Leave Us Alone" (live)

I think the EBM/synthpop mix fits well for Mesh. This feels almost like a really super clean, very polished EBM.

Wolfsheim - "The Sparrows and the Nightingales"

If you're in the mood of a beautiful, kind of sappy video, here's "The Sparrows and the Nightingales" by Wolfsheim.

Slick Idiot - "Merci Beaucoup" (live)

This is what I think of when I hear about non-futurepop industrial from around the turn of the century. Slick Idiot is -- slick.

Bauhaus - "Kick in the Eye"

They just don't make goth like this anymore. Bauhaus is, without a doubt, a legend.

Siouxsie and the Banshees - "Happy House"

I don't know about you, but I think Siouxsie and the Banshees make this house look really happy. (And that collar!)

Switchblade Symphony - "Sweet" (live)

This is one of my favorite Switchblade Symphony songs. The original and the Apoptygma Berzerk remix are both top-notch.

Clan of Xymox - "Delete"

Here is a moody Clan of Xymox song for you all. And the video is -- uh, a video. Yes, there is video content.

I:Scintilla - "Girl U Want (Devo cover)" (live)

I:Scintilla took this bonkers dance song from the 80s and turned it into this soulful cry. I wasn't the biggest fan of Marrow 1, but this is probably my favorite song from it. Which reminds me -- I need to check into Marrow 2...

Devo - "Girl U Want"

You need more Devo in your life. I know it.

Crystal Castles - "Celestica"

And for your Tuesday afternoon, some more Crystal Castles.

Interview with Jennifer Parkin

Audio Cantrips: We have something truly epic for you, today. Today, we get to hear from the "Razor-Sharp Beauty Queen", Jennifer Parkin of Ayria! When I think of cybergoth, Ayria immediately pops into my mind very first thing, and I know it's that way for other people, too. What is it like being a cybergoth icon? When you first broke into the scene and as time went on, did you try to make your music and style fit this mold or was it just something that kind of happened?

(Property of Jennifer Parkin, taken by Jeff Turner Photo)

Jenn: I’m not really sure what the term cybergoth means outside of purely fashion.  I do wear a lot of different styles of futuristic clothing, or what can be considered “cyber” from companies I love to support like Plastik Wrap, Future State, Artifice.  Most of them Toronto companies from my hometown area.  Companies like Plastik Wrap make these high quality, unique  fabric and designs and styles that are really comfortable to wear on stage while still looking amazing.  I like the whole look combined with some punkier clothing, stompy boots, and a lot of fusion with 80’s like lace gloves, big black hair bows, hearts and stars.  I never considered myself an icon, since I take existing popular designs, and blend it all into my own stylings.  But I’m flattered if anyone thinks I’m an icon. For my music, which I more considered, electro-industrial-dance. Then I’m very flattered to be considered an icon. I’ve been working my butt off in this underground scene for a decade now though, so it didn’t come out of nowhere! ;)

Audio Cantrips: You have some projects that have just been completed, and you have more music on the horizon. You put out the Hunger single back in June of last year, and you just released the Plastic And Broken EP on Valentine's Day. Your upcoming full album, Plastic Makes Perfect, is coming sometime soon. First things first, when can we expect to see Plastic Makes Perfect? Are you going to give us any tidbits to listen to between now and release date? What should our ears expect from the full release? Also, do you intend to make any more music videos anytime soon? Unless I'm mistaken, the last time you did a music video was for "My Device".

Jenn: Woah, a lot of questions in there.. ;) First off, “Plastic Makes Perfect” is scheduled to be released on May 24th, 2013.  There are audio snippets of all of the tracks on my webshop where you can already pre-order (ayria.com/shop).  I’m also going to post a sampler online soon, closer to the release. So far there’s actually been 4 tracks released and available from the upcoming 12 track release: “Hunger”, “Missed The Mark” and “Plastic Makes Perfect” from the EP that was released on Valentines, and now “Friends And Enemies” that was given to anyone who pre-ordered the upcoming release from my Bandcamp site.  So, these songs can start to shape what listeners can expect from the upcoming release, a mix of aggression and delicate electro pop melodies, but again, like every Ayria release, some of these don’t even scratch the surface of the other diverse tracks that are still to be heard. I’ve included many different styles and genres on this release. Some typical dance club songs, but more ballads, mid-tempo songs. I explained it before, as human beings, we have so many dimensions, and moods, I could never write a 100% stompy aggressive album, that’s only one dimension of me ;)  As for another video, I’d love to shoot another one this summer. My friend who did the “My Device” video wants to work together again. We’ve both grown so much since then. It will be cool to come back together.. hoping I can raise enough funds to pay for a video shoot with the upcoming release!  So, we’ll have to see first if we can make it a reality.

Audio Cantrips: So, you just put out the Plastic and Broken EP. Pretend I'm someone who is on the fence about whether or not I want to buy it. I'm being wishy-washy, scratching my head, twiddling my thumbs, and showing off every other painfully indecisive signal imaginable, and you need to do a sales pitch to tell me definitively why I should buy your EP. This is your chance to really sell it to me. Why should I buy your latest release?

Jenn:  oh god, I don’t know. I’m terrible at hyping myself up like what you’re asking me to do.  Honestly, if you like my voice and what I do with it, you’ll love this album. I’ve put countless hours into coming up with what I feel are some of my best hooks, vocal melodies and harmonies.  If you don’t like my voice, don’t bother.. well, you probably wouldn’t have anyways!  This release contains a lot of diversity so you won’t get bored if you don’t like a particular genre or song style.  I’ve gone back to doing more ballads, and experimental type songs like I did on Flicker I guess... but it’s really nothing like Flicker.. you have to hear it in it’s entirety I think. Let it sink in. It’s not as obvious a release as “Hearts For Bullets” either. I’ll let others do the selling for me if they like it, hopefully they’ll share it with their friends who might like it too. You should also “buy” it to support independent musicians who use up all of their free time when they aren’t working their normal day job to create this music, and who use any possible vacation time and beyond to tour and meet you all! ;)

Audio Cantrips: As of right now, you have a twenty-three stop tour planned for May and June in which you support Project Pitchfork. What's it like to tour with Project Pitchfork? You toured with them before, and based on what I could tell from your blog posts about it, you had a magnificent time. What will be the same and what will be different about this tour? What hopes and expectations do you have for it?

Jenn: It’s a full one month long tour. It’s a very grueling schedule with very few days off to rest (usually on those days, we are driving for 10 hours to get to the next stop). I’m excited to play for fans again, and touring with Project Pitchfork is always a blast.  I guess bands tend to like us! Every band we’ve toured with has taken us on the road with them at least twice! ;)  My hopes is that the new album is well received on the road, we see familiar fans and faces along the way, make some new ones, meet a lot of great people and sell a lot of merch and try not to get sick as we are usually prone too on  tour!  That’s really all I can hope for at this time ;)

Audio Cantrips: Your first album, Debris had probably the most raw, unprocessed sound of all of your albums. I think that's why it's my favorite, although I like all of your albums. Was this intentional when you made Debris? It felt like it had a little more EBM influence in it than the rest of your albums. Also, would you say Debris seemed to have a bit more angst in it than the rest? Why or why not? "DOS", "Had Something", and "Substance" are what lead me to ask about angst, in particular.

Jenn: Haha.. they were raw and unprocessed because I wasn’t yet skilled enough to pull off anything more!  I listen back to some of those songs and cringe at the vocals or the production. I mean, yes, still one of my babies, and I’m still incredibly proud of all my efforts.  I never thought Debris to be my angstiest release actually.  My harshest songs “My Revenge On The World”, “1000 Transmissions” are from Flicker and Hearts For Bullets respectively.  I did cover many topics on “Debris” though,  my favourite songs from that one is “Disease” since it’s so pretty yet sad.  I think it had more of an EBM influence since I collaborated with so many people on it, the main person being Shaun F. who was doing Glis at the time.  He was programming with the virus, so yeah, we had an instant built in EBM sound. Haha. Seriously though, I love all the songs from Debris, but I believe I’ve come very far from that first release a decade ago. I try to grow and expand with each new release. So if Debris is angstiest, then I’d say Flicker is the saddest and most artistic, Hearts for Bullets is the smack you in your face until you move, and “Plastic Makes Perfect” will perhaps combine all of the previous efforts, and add an element of happiness (gasp) with perhaps more wisdom as I’ve grown.

Audio Cantrips: Science and science fiction seem to be heavy influences for you, too. What would you say are your likes in that department? What inspires you in that regard? Also, I'd like to mention your "My Device" video, once again. You take on a 90s-style underground hacker theme in that video, and as anyone who pays attention to my site knows, I'm a huge sucker for that kind of thing. Were you ever a fan of stuff that was part of that culture, like The Matrix, ReBoot, or Hackers?

Jenn: Totally a fan of the Matrix, Hackers... don’t know much about reboot.  Favourite movies include Alien, Aliens, Blade runner, etc. but I think many people in our genre are heavily into all of this genre?  I also combine it with Fantasy like Legend, and 80’s... I can’t take credit for the My Device video story line.  It was all my friend Grahams vision. I just went along for the ride, and learned Irish stick fighting from a real expert.. and suffered sore legs and arms for a week! 

Audio Cantrips: Considering I've talked about your old stuff, I guess it's fair to ask how you feel like you've changed as an artist and a person over time. What influences you now that didn't matter as much in the past? What would you say you do now that you didn't do back in the earlier part of your career? Do you feel like you're a better musician now than you used to be? Why or why not?

Jenn: I’ve changed a lot.  I wouldn’t continue doing music if I didn’t feel I was progressing, perfecting myself through music development. I write better melodies, I now think I’m great at song structure and writing hooks, I work hard on harmonies.  I’d like to say I improve with every release. My newest element in this new CD is happiness.. I joke I have a song that’s dainty and happy this time.  You can’t stay angsty (100%) for your whole life.  Other emotions will emerge! ;)  I have lots more confidence about what I’m doing and know that there’s people that do truly connect with what I do and want to hear more!  That’s the most amazing part of this all!  It keeps me going that I’ve reached fans on a level like that.  I now also try to step back and enjoy it.. something I would never have done in the past.

Audio Cantrips: Finally, what do you see in the future for Ayria? What are your short-term and long-term goals? Do you see continuous evolution in your sound, or are you pretty happy with how things are now? Are there things you'd like to do that you haven't, yet? Are there musicians you'd like to collaborate with who you haven't, so far?

Jenn: You want the honest truth? I have no idea what I’ll do next.  After “Hearts For Bullets” I said I wouldn’t write another album.  I didn’t have the energy and I felt like there was nothing left in me.. It’s a weird exhaustive and drained feeling I get after writing an album, yet on the other hand, it’s always been a temporary feeling and I can’t imagine NOT writing still. we’ll see how I feel after the tour. I’ll probably come home with new inspiration.  One thing I’ve been wanting lately is to be part of a real band!  I’d love to work with other inspired people who have the talents and where I could focus solely on writing vocals and singing and collaborating instead of doing everything.. Maybe I’ve come full circle. I miss collaboration, it gets lonely as a solo artist!  We’ll see! ;) I still want to do music in the future, that’s all I know for sure! ;)