Golem Dance Cult – Grotesque Radio (2021)
Are you in the mood for an EP that is heavy yet danceable with a ritualistic groove that draws you into an explosion of Instincts? Well, you are in for a treat with Grotesque Radio by Golem Dance Cult which ticks all these boxes and much more. Using a foundation of rock sensibilities, the band layers electronic lines over a spontaneous yet form melodic structure.
Through the six tracks of the EP, the band draws on culture, cinema and expressionist art to form a kaleidoscope of sound. This grooving EP comes from Laur Veglam (vocals), Charles Why (instrumentation). The duo first started playing together as teenagers before following their own musical paths. Now, they are back together for the exciting musical journey that is Golem Dance Cult.
The EP opens with ‘Heirloom’ which draws on Native American culture and traditional songs. The building opening of the track adds a mysticism to the song that flows into the incorporation of the Sioux Flag Song and War Dance. The combination of these traditional songs with a modern flair of instrumentation is rather intense, particularly when the drone of electronic sounds takes over. As this falls back into the traditional songs, you can feel something in your chest start to vibrate as you lose yourself in the music. This track is really quite short and you may be left feeling like you want it to go on for much longer.
‘Capital Blues’ pulls on threads of current events with inspiration coming for the events in the US Capital in January. The music has a great rock vibe while the drums bring a touch of psychedelia to the track. There is a hazy psychedelic rock vibe to this track that makes you think of old-school rock tracks. The breathy vocals add to this nostalgic hit as the lyrics swirl around your head like the inside of a lava lamp. There is a touch of darkwave to the single that weave between the rock tones and elevates the vibes of the single.
The beats of ‘Marry Me Frankenstein’ have your feet tapping to the rhythm before the vocals pull you into an interesting love song. There is a slightly off-centre feeling to the track that is really enjoyable and brings the interesting love story to sonic life. With a touch of industrial, the music gets you moving and dancing to it without any effort. This song also brings a touch of nostalgia with the retro vibes of the music while the vocals hazily waft around you. There is no way that you can listen to this song and not really enjoy yourself.
‘Nosferatu Waltz’ has a black and white horror movie vibe to the music. You can feel a creeping sense of something dark coming for you while the drums and guitars hook you into the sound. If you have ever watched ‘Nosferatu The Vampyre’, you can easily see scenes from the movie play out as you listen. It is a really amazing track that evokes a range of creeping feelings like something is watching you from just out of your vision. Inga Liljestrom provides some rather haunting vocals for the track that adds a new dimension to the sound.
The almost marching tone of ‘Doppelgänger’ leads you into a slightly woozy goth rock vibe. There is a psychedelic edge to the single, but this hits very differently from ‘Capital Blues’. The darkness of the song washes you in dark tones while the music warps and pulses around you. It is a little like a subdued and dark acid trip that has you questioning your surroundings. Everything in the track comes together perfectly to create a truly unique and intense listening experience. The guitar riffs that fly through the back of the track are really wonderful.
The EP comes to a close with ‘(In My Time Of) Living on Mars’ takes you on a cosmic journey into space. The track incorporates a recording of Mars’ wind as recorded by the Perseverance rover. When the vocals hit, there is a touch of Bowie to them as they invoke images of the Red Planet. The warbling echoes of the vocals add to the cosmic feeling of the track while you have to groove to the sound. There is no way to listen to this song and not feel the urge to shimmy to the tones.
Golem Dance Cult packs a lot into their EP Grotesque Radio with tracks covering everything from love to Mars. Each song has a slightly psychedelic feeling that fills you with an off-centre joy before you delve into the intensity of the listening experience. The vocals warp and warble their way into your brain where they stick for a long time after the EP has ended.
Find out more about Golem Dance Cult on their website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
