Los Angeles new-wave act Sacred Skin sincerely recreates the soundtrack of the mid-80s with a new single: “No Surprise”, the fifth from their forthcoming debut album, The Decline of Pleasure, due out this spring via NYC label Synthicide.

Side-stepping the modern trappings of revisionist nostalgia, “No Surprise” channels the era with authenticity, raw emotion, and poetic lyrics. The sinister synths are balanced out with Brian DaMert’s powerful, husky vocals, bringing to mind “Open Your Eyes” by Lords of the New Church, with pop hook stylings of Talk Talk and Peter Gabriel as well as The Teardrop Explodes and the soundtrack to Miami Vice.

The video for “No Surprise” bends time with a lo-fi-style live performance of the band. If one did not know the history of Sacred Skin, it would be difficult to discern precisely when this band cut a record…and the video playfully reflects that.

Watch the video for “No Surprise” below:

Sacred Skin, in fact, is not a band of time travelers, but rather formed in the spring of 2020 by friends Brian Tarney (formerly of VR Sex) and Brian DaMert. Their shared love of new wave with warm production drove them to collaborate on creating their own catalogue of sounds equally vulnerable and heartfelt. Longing for a shared musical awakening beyond the plastic pop of the modern era.

Following the self-release of several digital singles, Sacred Skin recently signed to Synthicide—a label, club night, and concert event in NYC established in 2014. The release of their debut LP The Decline of Pleasure is scheduled for later this year…

Stay tuned…

In the meantime, check out the Nuovo Testamente remix of Sacred Skin’s previous single “Earthbound”.

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