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Certain Creatures – 8 Tracks Influential Dark Wave

 
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There are certain creatures in this world that prefer to lurk in the shadows, biding their time as they await their prey. As they eagerly yet patentiently lay in wait for the perfect moment they find themselves just aboout ready to pounce… And then some dark wave sounds blare out from behind them, ruining their concentration and scaring them witless. No matter how tactile certain creatures may be, Certain Creatures is always one step ahead.

Vipassana, the debut from Oliver Chapoy aka Certain Creatures – a term from Theravada Buddhism, meaning 'meditation involving concentration on the body or its sensations – explores Oliver’s relationship between 'the self and external stimuli'. Behold the product of 15 years hard labour. Well, hard enough.

Vipassana navigates through "heavy f*ckin' techno and lifted darkwave" so what better thing to ask him to curate for us than 8 Tracks of Dark Wave. Veering from This Mortal Coil into the Eurythmics and back out via Leonard Cohen and Scott Walker… This ain't your typical selection for what constitutes Dark Wave but we know you'll enjoy the journey.

Vipassana is out on October 30th. As well as being digitally released, you can also try and get your hands on a copy of the limited 2xLP vinyl.
Pre-order here.

LISTEN
Leonard Cohen - Famous Blue Raincoat

from the album Songs of Love and Hate (Columbia)
Rumor has it this song is a letter to a former lover who left him for his brother. How dark is that? There’s also a bizarre reference to Scientology, which Leonard had apparently dabbled in.
Certain Creatures takes it’s name from a Leonard Cohen poem, One Night I Burned the House I Loved.

  • Leonard Cohen - Famous Blue Raincoat

    from the album Songs of Love and Hate (Columbia)
    Rumor has it this song is a letter to a former lover who left him for his brother. How dark is that? There’s also a bizarre reference to Scientology, which Leonard had apparently dabbled in.
    Certain Creatures takes it’s name from a Leonard Cohen poem, One Night I Burned the House I Loved.

  • Cocteau Twins - Wax And Wane

    From the album Garlands (4ad)
    I first heard this song when I was 15 and living in Mexico City for the Summer. I was playing in a band with my cousins and they were heavily influenced by this LP. This was the Summer that I was introduced to 4ad and the label would continue to influence me with their catalog through the late 90’s. Garlands is by far Cocteau Twins darkest and heaviest record.

  • This Mortal Coil A1 Sixteen Days Gathering Dust 1

    From the 12” Sixteen Days / Gathering Dust (4ad)
    Another 4ad gem, let by the labels found Ivo Watts-Russell. This Modern English medley features Elizabeth Frazer and Robin Guthrie, Gordan Sharp (Cindytalk) and members of Modern English.

  • Scott Walker - Clara

    From the album The Drift (4ad)
    I love Scott Walker and the Walker Brothers. However, Scott Walker’s later material is extremely hard to listen to. Creeping through the unease of the strings. Heavy and violent pulses. Walker’s dramatic croon wraps around you from behind. This song is like a fucking horror movie. The percussive sound throughout that resembles punching, is actually drummer, Ian Thomas punching raw meat.

  • Raga De L'Apres Midi Pour Aude

    From the album Day of the Demons (Desire Path Recordings)
    Try listening to this one while driving through the woods in total darkness.

  • Eurythmics - Le Sinestre

    from the album In the Garden (RCA)
    I was never a big fan of Eurythmics, but this record is another story. Overall, not a very dark record – this is about as dark as it gets – but every song is solid. This album was produced by the great Conny Plank and this song features Holger Czukay (Can) walking around and on french horn.

  • Ike Yard - Night After Night

    From the 12” Night After Night (Les Disques Du Crépuscule)
    This was the song that got me. When I listen to this I can’t help but imagine life in Alphabet City in 1981. It oozes the art, violence, sex and unease of the pre-Giuliani NY streets.

  • Coil - Triple Sun

    From the album Ape of Naples (Important / Threshold House)
    From Coil’s final LP, released in 2005 after the death of John Balance in 2004. I love this song, it’s just fucking gorgeous. The entire record from start to finish, is perfect. It listens like future folk music. Death and light. Darkness and melody.

  • Bonus Track: The Names - Nightshift

    From the album Swimming (Les Disques Du Crépuscule)
    Just a great song from this early post-punk band from Brussels.