Fans of darkwave and synthwave rejoice! CATBEAR are in town! In truth, the British duo has been in town for a while, with millions of streams across platforms and consistent live shows between London and Brighton. Their appeal is easy to understand; championing a nocturne, intense flair, the pair oscillates between emotive synth-pop and highly nostalgic synthwave, more recently entering darkwave territories with a gothic-esque, decadent nugget of euphoria, ‘Darkness’.
Props must be given to Zoe Konez’s nuanced and witty production. ‘Darkness’ boasts a fringe, leftfield sound, and in part, it reminds us of a slowed-down instrumental. Perhaps she spent time listening to vaporwave; it’s a valid hypothesis. What we do know is that the formula behind ‘Darkness’ works very well; its melancholic, mysterious and cinematic vibe is bound to conquer even the most apathetic of listeners out there. It sure conquered us!
Delving deeper into ‘Darkness’, CATBEAR explain: “It’s about navigating those darker moods and finding the strength to keep moving”. Now supported by Arts Council England and Help Musicians, and with a healthy live calendar under their belt, Zoe and Sarah continue to make waves across the UK music scene. If you like what you hear, the group is gearing up to release their second album ‘For Now, For Ever’, expected on October 24th.
Recommended! Discover ‘Darkness’ on Spotify: