Dwelling in the depths of deliberate goth and subdued darkwave, Bay Area duo Vague Lanes conjures a sound built on thunderous vocals, relentless drum machines, and sparse, shimmering synths. At its core lies the dual bass guitar interplay of Mike Cadoo (Gridlock, Bitcrush) and Badger McInnes (Here We Burn, After the Apex), both southpaw players blending early ’90s indie grit, grunge grit, and spacey synth swirls. The result is a sound both weighty and whimsical, its dark undercurrents laced with a sly, forked humour.
Returning with the commanding Heptahedron, their latest single, the duo taps the formidable Martin Atkins (PiL, Killing Joke, Ministry) to inject his rhythmic force into the track. Serving as the first glimpse of their sophomore album, Divergence and Declaration, the song delves into fresh creative landscapes while staying rooted in their trademark blend of dark intensity and surprising levity. A striking interplay of resonant, ringing guitars and Cadoo’s thundering, bittersweet vocals, it delivers a sound both ominous and oddly alluring—evoking the spirit of Killing Joke, the melancholy grandeur of The Chameleons, and the evocative depth of The Sound.
Heptahedron now strides boldly onto streaming platforms, accompanied by a striking dancefloor remix from Portland’s atmospheric trio, Darkswoon. The remix twists and transforms, layering the original track’s intensity with a hypnotic rhythm destined to ignite late-night movements. The forthcoming album, Divergence and Declaration, lands March 21, arriving on compact disc via Swiss Dark Nights and as a limited edition red vinyl release through US imprint Viasonde.
Listen to “Heptahedron” below:
Vague Lanes will be playing on Feb 9 2025 at the DNA Lounge in San Francisco with Everything Goes Cold and Ashes Fallen.
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