Image
Categories: Reviews

Listen to Ottawa Darkwavers The Seance’s Album “The Last Dance”

Didn’t you know when the devil comes out

In the shape of a bottle, calling your name

He takes many forms and weighs on your doubt

It won’t be my last, I will be here to stay

The Seance are a post-punk/New Wave/gothic synth-pop duo from Ottawa, Canada. Describing themselves only as “sacred and haunted,” they choose to cloak themselves in the same spiritual enigma as their name implies – a conduit of music from another realm.

Their lyrics, as one would expect, delve into death, addiction, alcoholism, dark nights of the soul, and Jekyll & Hyde stories; all set to eerie synths, pounding basslines, and vocals teeming with gravitas.

This album deals with dark material, but their instrumental mastery becomes pure dance floor ecstasy. There are heavily arpeggiated sequences evoking Human League, John Foxx, early Duran Duran, and the odd disjointedness and switch-hitting of Matthew Dear; with the world-weariness of Nick Cave, the sociopolitical bend of The The, and the post-disco intensity of Yazoo.

The album opens with the entreating darkness of “Join the Club,” which is followed by the brilliant and brooding pulsing darkwave anthem “Lunar Effect,” which highlights The Seance’s ability to weave a vocal croon similar to Matt Johnson, and Barry Andrews of Shriekback.

“Memory Void” is an eerie and cinematic dark disco dreamscape with a spine-tingling and seductive atmosphere, which continues with the shimmering and shadowy “Illicit.”

“Sounds of Solemn” is a phantasmagoric invocation that sounds like Phil Oakey having a duet with a witch in a haunted house, while “Black Widow” spins a melody of crystalline synths and tenebrous beats, with a haunting anima animus vocal interplay.

“From Dusk Till Dawn,” an album highlight, builds up slowly to a dance-friendly marvel, evoking classic at times OMD and Depeche Mode, but augmented with classic post-punk bass and guitars. The album closes with the murmuring incantations of the title track, “Last Dance,” bookending an album that is definitely one of the most engagingndarkwave albums released this year.

A fabulous effort from this beautiful mystery.

Listen to the album below:

Follow The Seance:

Alice Teeple

Alice Teeple is a photographer, multidisciplinary artist, and writer. She is not in Tin Machine.

Recent Posts

  • Bands

The Relentless Ticking of the Clock — Deathrock Crooner Daniel Knutz Debuts his Video for “Victim of Time”

Lines on my face tell stories of the years Each wrinkle a reminder of joys and tears I try to…

2 hours ago
  • Art

They/Live Returns With Shimmering Art-Pop Gem “For The Pleasure” — New Album “Nature & Structure” Announced

You wanted everything Except the truth Whitney Mower of They/Live has carved a distinct sound she dubs “womb pop,” a…

2 hours ago
  • Art

Indonesian Dark Disco Duo Camlann Debut Video for Scorching New Single “Ronny (Burn in Hell)”

Do you think I care and want To please your stupid grotesque fantasies? You hate me wearing suits Just because…

3 hours ago
  • Bands

Swedish Industrial Post-Punk Act The Below Debuts Bizzare Mike Coles Created Video for “Tabla Motors”

Fear is spreading like a virus Added to the sum In the distance theres an engine It slowly starts to…

5 hours ago
  • Art

Darkwave Trio Corlyx Colour Outside The Lines in Their New Single “Zombie Kid” — Plus Announce New Album “Purple Pain”

Darkwave trio Corlyx is a band that boldly colors outside the lines of traditional genre conventions, redefining the contours and…

24 hours ago
  • Art

French Synth Act Minuit Machine Returns With the Video for Their Resilient New Single “Hold Me”

They way they tore me apart Like I’m a corpse they wanna ditch They way they sold me for parts…

1 day ago
Sticky Footer Banner with Close Button