Berlin’s Curses, helmed by renaissance man Luca Venezia, is a music project that seemingly has mastery over any underground music genre in the international darkwave scene. Curses can blend romantic desolation with the new wave cinematics of 80s sci-fi, horror, and fantasy, creating a sound that is able to traverse the moody landscapes of ’80s Goth with uncanny ease and earnestness while maintaining the deep emotional resonance core to post-punk. And then switch gears to drop an icy electronic music banger infused with the primal energy of early electronic body music.
Recently signed to Italians Do It Better, Curses introduces Elegant Death, a new single that offers a captivating mix of classic musical influences and modern sophistication.
The lyrics to Elegant Death express a deep familiarity with death, depicting it as a relentless visitor. Through repetition and vivid imagery, the song explores the inevitability of mortality and the effects of loss on the spirit. It discusses themes of enduring grief and the subtle, yet constant, presence of death in life, intertwining resilience with the metaphorical depiction of death’s quiet approach until the conclusion of existence.
“Death has a looming, dark reputation, it’s always there, but embracing the elegance in its romantic ceremony, and aesthetic of funerals in Italy is something that has always captured me,” says Curses. “Especially being raised half Italian between NYC and Sicily. There is a beauty in the legacy of a person’s story that death leaves behind. The power of a new chapter, shedding old skin to discover a new. In the last few years, I’ve had to face the reality that all of us eventually die. I’ve lost many friends, family members have passed, and overcoming the fear of death has allowed me to appreciate the present, the importance of now, creating life memories through music, to be remembered beyond when that time comes to eventually say goodbye.”
Listen to Elegant Death below:
Curses straddles the line between homage and forward-thinking innovation, creating a sound that resonates with the rich history of Darkwave while simultaneously pointing the genre toward new horizons. The project’s recent partnership with Italians Do It Better signals a pivotal moment, poised to propel their music to a broader international audience.
In 2022, Curses released “Incarnadine,” an album that not only stood out for its craftsmanship but also for its ability to encapsulate the essence of the genre’s past while peering into its future. The album track “Miriam” is gothic rock perfection while being a direct nod to the cult classic vampire film “The Hunger” from 1983. Meanwhile, “Boundless,” a collaboration with Jennifer Touch, is a dance-driven darkwave track further exploring the album’s thematic depths with a blend of cinematic scope and intimate introspection.
Adding another layer to their genre-defying approach, Curses has introduced the “New Wave Acid Punks” remix series. This endeavor has already produced two volumes, each featuring innovative remixes of Nuovo Testamento, a band that authentically captures the essence of Italo Disco-inspired synth-pop.
Listen to Curses’ new single, Elegant Death, via streaming here.
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