Secret Shame - Dark Synthetics

Post-punk is one of the oldest rock subgenres to remain both relevant and largely untouched. Most post-punk albums follow an established formula that has worked for decades but doesn’t always feel as revelatory as it once did. Secret Shame recognised this, as evidence by the way Dark Synthetics specifically aims to breathe new life into the genres it draws from. A whole host of sounds from the dark rock pantheon make it into the album’s tracks, and each song manages to update them with a sense of urgency and a touch of the band’s own personality. Striking just the right balance of post-punk nostalgia and innovation, the group employs a “dark rock” kaleidoscope throughout Dark Synthetics that touches on elements of deathrock, darkwave, and goth rock. Yet, at their core, the band maintains the punk energy that defined the earliest days of their genre; in essence, falling somewhere between Warsaw and Joy Division on post-punk’s moodiness scale. It makes the album’s 27-minute runtime more memorable and affecting, as does the band’s penchant for writing songs that are complete statements in and of themselves. It’s a must-listen for anyone looking to spin one of 2019’s essential post-punk offerings.