If your music taste favours the dramatic, atmospheric and deliciously moody, then Darkwave might just be your next obsession. Emerging from the Post-Punk underground of the late 1970s and early 1980s, Darkwave grew out of the same shadow-drenched soil as Goth and New Wave. It inherited their love of brooding atmospheres, introspective lyrics and stark, minimal aesthetics. All before adding its own cool electronic pulse.
It’s a sound that means a lot to Vox Sinistra. A DJ, curator and music writer based in Los Angeles, Vox is the founder of Strict Tempo, an event series, video podcast and record label dedicated to the darker corners of the dancefloor. She knows Darkwave like the back of her hand. “Darkwave combines synth-based structures with morose, romantic vibes,” she explains. “This scene is currently having a revival, with many women and non-binary artists leading the way.”
For Women’s History Month, we asked Vox Sinistra to shine a light on the Darkwave artists moving the needle today. Read on for her selections.
C Z A R I N A
An award-winning synth and electronic artist, songwriter, producer, visual artist and filmmaker, C Z A R I N A was born in New York City and is now based in Galicia, Spain. A progressive Darkwave artist and multi-instrumentalist, her sound is a sprawling fusion of orchestral swells and gothic choral elements interwoven with electronic synth currents. In her music, she explores themes of transhumanism, mysticism, rebirth and the mysteries of spacetime. “C Z A R I N A is a one woman force of nature who makes sci-fi and fantasy-inspired songs with high art music videos she produces herself,” Vox says. “Human relationships with technology are often examined, with her powerful vocal performance being the only proof she’s not a cyborg.”
Suzi Sabotage
Hailing from Finland, Suzi Sabotage fuses dark Coldwave with Synthpunk. As a result, she creates an ethereal yet danceable sound ready made for the club. Signed to Out Of Line Music, she has built a devoted Darkwave following across several continents. “Suzi Sabotage imbues traditional Gothic aesthetics while providing a voice for systemic issues on the world stage,” Vox shares. “As Suzi says herself, goth is a rejection of the mainstream, a celebration of diversity.” That ethos isn’t just talk. As the founder of Goths For Palestine, she has turned community into action. She has raised over $13,500 through benefit compilations featuring artists such as A Place To Bury Strangers and Belgrado. Proof that, for Suzi, the dark and the political will always go hand in hand.
BARA HARI
The alter ego of multidisciplinary artist Sam Franco, BARA HARI fuses Dark Pop, Synthpop, Industrial Pop, Electro-Pop, Darkwave and Goth for a truly unique flavour. The name BARA HARI itself carries history; it’s an amalgamation of 1910s icons Theda Bara and Mata Hari, stars of stage, screen and, in Hari’s case, espionage during World War One. “BARA HARImakes Dark Pop songs with spot on production,” Vox says. “She also directs her own music videos where she dons her Medieval and Renaissance-inspired handmade costumes. Tracks such as ‘Flower In His Garden’ hint at the strength and vulnerability of being a woman in the entertainment world.”