Night In Athens burst forth from the heart of East London in 2020, bringing with them a dark synth project that feels like a gothic fairy tale gone wonderfully wrong. Their unsettling vocals— whispers, cajoles, and the occasional banshee scream—dance through their music. They revel in the murk and mire, shining a grimy spotlight on the sociopolitical rot that used to be noble societies. Their haunting tunes are dynamic dirges, gleefully dragging skeletons from the closet to expose the rather grimy corners of the human condition.
Their latest single and video, Pressure, from the album Wasted Reflektions, feels like a dance with chaos in a hellish nightclub. Themes of creation and destruction waltz hand-in-hand, with imagery of blindness and confusion thrown in for good measure. Blood and relentless suffering paint the scene, while the incessant call to “run” adds a touch of frantic urgency. It’s like a rollercoaster ride through a haunted house, only with more existential dread. The band mentions that the girl in the video represents the pressure exerted by those pesky invisible forces we all love to hate.
With icy beats and vocals taking cues from Hardcorps, Nitzer Ebb, and Stu Phillips alike, Pressure’s minimalist chant will no doubt haunt you, as will the intense Lynch-inspired performance video directed by Simone Pellegrini.
Watch the video for “Pressure” below:
Wasted Reflektions is the third album from Night In Athens. It presents nine tracks that explore the unexpected calm one finds amid the chaos of modern existence. In this collection, they plays with more melodic vocals, adding a touch of sweetness to the storm. Yet, true to the band’s punk roots, several songs maintain a brisk tempo that would make any mosh pit proud.
Wasted Reflektions is out today via Wave Records. Order here.
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