research into Ethereal Goth and Dreampop (and other stuff for fans of early 4AD and Projekt)

it's probably important to take a moment, and be cognizant of the fact, that, Bimble would have loved this thread.

St. Bimble.

Getting in late to the Lanterna discussion... The original cassette release of the first Lanterna album has several extra tracks - including one with Lynn Canfield on vocals - which further blurs the lines between all that. The first s/t and Sands are the ones to get.

Always wanted to hear those extra six tracks from the cassette release... only 17 of 23 made it onto the CD versions.

x-post. i had no idea lynn canfield collaborated with lanterna!

Controversial opinion: Nicole Sabouné's Miman is a better 2015 goth album than Chelsea Wolfe's Abyss.

there are probably no good goth albums in 2015, unless they were made by lycia or other old-schoolers.

except, maybe? a few people have come in here, (and, bless their hearts), talking about things that really have nothing to do with goth or ethereal.

kalinkaland is p. f-ing cool, though.

everything is dark cabaret now, even the last black tape album. it isn't my thing. i'm still waiting for it to pass, and looking forward to the incredible ethereal albums that will come out in 2020, after people get over this phase.

the best album on projekt in 2015 was by forrest fang

i bet you're correct, f. hazel.

i feel like i've been talking too much about projekt and hyperium in this thread, and not living up to my promise of sharing other wonderful, obscure ethereal with y'all.

but, yeah, when it comes to really wonderful darki-ish ambient stuff, projekt is the first place to start. the hypnos label needs more love, too (but that hasn't much to do with this thread).

hyperium and hypnos are different labels, just to make sure to absolutely clarify for ya'll.

Is this Hyperium the same label as the acclaimed classical label?

um. not quite sure. it's basically the 90s european version of projekt. you know that!

anyway, gonna make a post in a moment, brother.

also: i'm sure most people in this thread already know; the Heavenly Voices compilations are essential. only I-III were good, and the IV and V were just kind of... not very good (but you need all of them).

^ it's hard to talk about those Heavenly Voices compilations, actually. there's SO much garbage on them, mixed with a few extremely wonderful songs, here and there. bleurgh. people need to listen for themselves, and then decide. there's one secret, however: on Heavenly Voices II, there's a band called Pupilla with a song called "Jealousy". it features caroline seaman from this mortal coil's filigree & shadow ("alone" on that album). (she also did a song with 808 state called "europa").

I'd like to make an apology to Robert. I feel like I've taken this thread off track, and that I'm not being goth enough. Lol!

See, ethereal darkwave is my thing. It's my home-base. We can talk about bands like Love Spirals Downwards, Lycia, Black Tape for a Blue Girl, Cocteau Twins, and This Mortal Coil all day.
I'm not very interested in that, however. That's basically Ethereal 101 for Freshman.

I'm a little more interested in bands with an ethereal base, which go beyond and take it elsewhere. That's why I love Area/M7X (they mixed it with indie rock), Orange (they mixed it with indie pop/and were quite unnerving as they did), Soul Whirling Somewhere (mixed it with sadcore/slowcore), etc.

Understand? Accept my apology, Mr. Gilmour!

Anyway, I just listened to this, for the first time in 8 years, and, I don't even know how to describe it. But, it's certainly ethereal:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7I2Vy3T_Bo

And, then I listened to the Heavenly Voices I version of Attrition's "I Am" (one of my favorite songs).

that In The Nursery song almost made me cry, this morning.

Yeah I love that track.

The classical label I was thinking of is actually called Hyperion.

Where the Hell is Ned R.? He needs to sort us out.

Really! I'd like his opinion on all of this!

Re,e,ber Bimble

Someone else had better join me in remembering him.

He would have gone crazy all over this thread.

The Chandeen Christmas album is kind of nice.

Also, let me amend my earlier statement: The Stratosphere album Projekt released in 2015 is also damn good.

I'm glad I'm among friends in this thread, and I do apologize for the events of the other night.

Skinner Box were another wonderful, lost ethereal band. I don't really know much about them, other than that they had two great songs on ancient Projekt compilation, called 'From Across This Gray Land, Vol. 2'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrnCTGxqS-o

Sure, it's a little cheesy, but... still fantastic.

I have a couple albums of their's/her's sitting on my hard drive. By the way, I don't know if they're officially called "Skinner Box" or "skinner.box".

Also search the beautiful instrumental track called "Isola" from the aforementioned compilation.

I know it's a long shot, but I'd like to request some discussion on Ventricle records.
The website/webstore went down a few years ago (it was probably only a p.o. box, anyway), but here's the Discogs page:

http://www.discogs.com/label/17754-Ventricle

I was always extremely interested in this label. Most of their releases, from what I can remember, had ethereal female vocals backed by avant-garde instrumentation -- and all of this was done to an unnerving effect -- and actually almost scary (think 'Marble Index' or Diamanda Galas, but more ethereal). That's what I know from their 30 second mp3 samples, on their old/abandoned/taken down site.

I'd love to know more about the releases on this label. All I have is a Mauve Sideshow album, called "Meet Me in the Wasteland". It is wonderful.

Concerning Ventricle: their webstore used to have so much more stuff from other labels (than discogs.com shows). They had all the scarier stuff at their shop!

Monster Mash says

"I'm glad I'm among friends in this thread, and I do apologize for the events of the other night."

Don't know anything about this.

Unfortunately none of that Skinner Box stuff appears to be on CD. Sounds very nice.

Just by chance caught the sight of Mephisto Walz on a sidebar and listened. I thought they were more straight deathrock but it sounds mostly quite fitting with this thread.
Here's "Icarus" from the Immmersion album
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC110H5ua7c

I put too many "M"s on Immersion.

Unfortunately none of that Skinner Box stuff appears to be on CD.

I have The one CD, currently mouldering in a climate controlled storage unit with most of my possessions.

Here's a not-so-great quality mp3 rip I've had for 15 years. Someday I'll get around to FLACifying my library.

again, i must apologize for only talking about the big/successful ethereal stars (lsd, lycia, black tape, etc).

especially when i promised to talk about/share with ya'll, other lost and wonderful ethereal bands/albums.

i did that a little, at least.

i'm curious about "Live" by Love Spirals Downwards, though (by the way, their name is grammatically incorrect, which they've acknowledged in an interview, and is very funny).

about "Live", however. this is a live, acoustic album by LSD. it's wonderful. they're live stuff is wonderful - it's quite surprising how much those two were capable of with only an acoustic guitar, a voice, and reverb.

i have an mp3 copy of it from soulseek, but the files are defective and have hiccups. does anyone else around here have a good rip of it they could share? i mean, it probably went out of print in 2000. i'd love a good mp3-album of it.

their* dammit.

Well those bands aren't soon in danger of overexposure so there's no reason we cant talk about them as much as we want.

I just noticed after over a decade, all of my mp3 tags are for Love Spirals Downwards.

That strikethrough on the final 's' is less visible than I hoped.

by the way, i always disliked bel canto, except for "the glassmaker", which sounds like cocteau twins on crack.

i want to be persuaded to like bel canto! everyone else likes them! i have 'birds of passage', but i've only ever listened to it a few times, eight years ago!

which songs should i try again with?

*from any album

I've only got Birds Of Passage and I like it a lot.

i w9sh you could smile/

i wish you could smile.

i heard the most beautiful music in a dream, the other night. it was ethereal.

--> it's hard to explain, and it might sound funny: it sounded like a cross between Loop/that Daring Buds' album called 'Erotica'/'Nowhere' by Ride/Hum/Love Spirals Downwards.

I don't know how to explain it, but it was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard, in a dream.

Dream pop, dream rock, post-rock, ethereal wave, etc. It sounded like "universe pop". it was the most beautiful thing i ever heard.

the closest it comes to is 'loveless', but much more, at once, poppy and ethereal with female vocals.

help. i need to hear this again.

re: Dream pop, dream rock, post-rock, ethereal wave, etc. It sounded like "universe pop". it was the most beautiful thing i ever heard.

I discovered this 2015 album by British band, Midas Fall that fits your description, earlier this week. and the album is highly recommended.

discovered via:
Abysmal Hymns - the Top 10 Goth Albums of 2015
http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/top-10-goth-albums-of-2015.html

6-Midas Fall : " the Menagerie Inside"

These guys have assembled pieces of many genres and pasted them together into something that is very much their own.The dramatic piano intro was unexpected as I assumed this was going to be more of a indie rock thing than some weird progressive goth. I can hear a slight Tori Amos influence , but the vocally are very over wrought and passionate and not so Kate Bush tinged.No the same time she she is not a goth singer in the vein of Siouxise either, but more along the lines of a less operatic Nightwish or the Gathering. Her influences seem all over the place as their is even a country tinge to her voice on "After Fall". It is draped in majestic elegance. The guitar twinkle around the song rather than going for the typical chug. This a real solid listen that grows on me with every spin and will make its way over the the sacred iPod, fans of bands like Marriages ...this is a must.

Midas Fall – The Menagerie Inside (CD Album – Monotreme)
http://www.side-line.com/midas-fall-the-menagerie-inside-cd-album-monotreme/
Genre/Influences: Post-shoegaze, gothronica, ethereal-psy-rock.

From the very first notes of the first song you’ll discover the heavenly sound universe refined by piano arrangements and the passionate, ethereal like female vocals.

and

Conclusion: Midas Fall is certainly not the most familiar name, but I can assure you that their new opus has the grace and beauty to make them immortal. This is without a shadow of a doubt one of the most poignant and artistic albums of 2015!

Apparently they were formed in Edinburgh and now based in Manchester.

Official website:

Midas Fall
http://www.midasfall.com/

Described as "chiming vocal-led post-rock", Midas Fall have carved a unique sound, combining elements of electronica, post-rock and alt-goth to create "powerful yet fragile, devastatingly beautiful and beautifully devastating" music (Founder Magazine)

This year Midas Fall released their third album 'the Menagerie Inside' on Monotreme Records.

press
http://www.midasfall.com/press

The Menagerie Inside

'The Menagerie Inside will not disappoint. Sit down, plug in, and be prepared for an onslaught on your emotions. Both musically and lyrically.” – Echoes and Dust

“Their best and most accomplished album yet…I hope this is the record that finally takes Midas Fall to the heights of commercial success they so richly deserve. 4.5/5.” – 17 Seconds

“A beautiful, lonely, haunting, abrasive, intelligent set of songs by a band who really do deserve the future to be theirs. 9/10.” – Reflections of Darkness

"The Menagerie Inside bridges prog and dreampop in a way that hasn't quite been done this way before…a splendid album.” – Pop Matters

“Taut, emotive instrumental drama pervading the album is balanced by Heaton’s rich, bright tone…a breathtaking album…” – Factory Worker Media

"Concrete compositions and gripping performances" - Rocking GR

Midas Fall - The Menagerie Inside

spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/72q4NMDbRBzyhdZSHE6yy1

Piccadilly records:
http://www.piccadillyrecords.com/prod/MidasFall-TheMenagerieInside-MonotremeRecords-104822.html

Described as "powerful yet fragile, devastatingly beautiful and beautifully devastating" by The Founder Magazine, UK-based quartet MIDAS FALL have carved a distinctive and captivating sound, fusing elements of electronica, post-rock, shoegaze and alternative rock with progressive and gothic undertones to create taut, shimmering soundscapes led by the hauntingly melancholic vocals of Elizabeth Heaton. Forged in Edinburgh, Scotland and now based in the north of England, the eclectic collective – founding members Heaton and Rowan Burn (guitar, piano) with Steven Pellatt (drums/percussion/piano) and Chris Holland (bass) – has spent the past year composing the follow-up to their 2013-issued Wilderness full-length.

Titled The Menagerie Inside, MIDAS FALL’s third long player was captured live at Red Wall Studios, mastered by Seattle legendary engineer Ed Brooks (Pearl Jam, Caspian, Fleet Foxes et al) and offers up ten sprawling tracks of sonic enormity. From the sorrowing echo of wilting violins in “Counting Colours,” to the emotionally gutting close of “Circus Performer,” the forty-six-minute epic is as heavy sonically as it is cerebrally. An introspective journey through dark and light, The Menagerie Inside is at once graceful, urgent and star-gazingly compelling. Cascading riffs ebb, flow and surge into rich, ethereal piano crescendos, the weight of Heaton’s delicate angelic resonance adding depth to her every echoing word. With The Menagerie Inside, MIDAS FALL manifests a sound and atmosphere that’s organic, emotionally stirring and habitually awe-inspiring, further verifying the strength of their songcraft and musicianship.

rym:

Midas Fall - The Menagerie Inside
https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/midas_fall/the_menagerie_inside/

Elizabeth Heaton
vocals, guitar, piano, synthesizer, recording engineer, mixing engineer

Rowan Burn
guitar, piano

Steven Pellatt
drums, percussion, piano

Chris Holland
bass

Ed Brooks
mastering engineer

Midas Fall
songwriting

Joni Fuller
strings

via ILM search

their only previous mention on ILM was by Glenn Mcdonand on New and Noteworthy Additions to US Spotify on board I Love Music on Sep 18, 2015

honestly, i got a serious drinking problem, and i'm probably not fit for ilx, anymore... anyway, i'm doing my best to stay straight in this thread (it's my favorite genre and the main thing i care about on ilm).

as promised, i'd like to key you guys in on another obscure, ethereal band, called:

Velvet Belly

(they must have taken the name from This Mortal Coil).
check them out on Discogs, here: http://www.discogs.com/artist/82221-Velvet-Belly

i felt sentimental about this band from day one... and, i'm not quite sure why. i don't even love them or anything, but they really are a special little band, in their own way.
i don't have too much to say, there's just something about them, though.

they're another one of those bands that straddle the line between actual ethereal wave and actual dream pop (with some indie pop flourishes).
i must have all of their albums -- i'd say just start with the first and work from there.

for fans of: Area/Moon Seven Times, Ars Poetica, Elysium, Johanna's House of Glamour

i'm not exactly sure how i found out about them, but i suspect it may have been through the Ectophiles' Guide: http://ectoguide.org/genre/ethereal
(which is, actually, a really good resource for ethereal goth if you take your time with it).

Also: projekt really, REALLY, needs to reissue that Heavenly Bodies album. I'm guessing it's the sax that turns Mr. Rosenthal off.

Anyway, projekt fans would love it, and it's an absolutely essential piece of the history of this genre (it featured Caroline Seaman of This Mortal Coil on main vox).

More importantly, however (I know, I've said this before), it's the first fully realized ethereal goth album not on 4AD. Yes, yes, 4AD had the ethereal goth thing going for a while before this album, and a few non-4AD bands did similar things too, but for me, this album is really where the genre takes off and, how to say this... makes it OK to be a 4AD band not on 4AD.

I really want that Heavenly Bodies album. Hard to find at a good price.

Well, I'm quite drunk now, but I did my part today, by talking about a couple of old, obscure, wonderful ethereal bands.

Now i'm a break it down and tell a little story
Straight out the box, from the gothic category

^ That's an Eazy-E reference, but I don't know if anyone gets it here. ANYWAY.

So, I decided to go to Goth Night a few months ago, for the first time [I will not say at what club/location, for personal reasons].
I don't even have any irl "goth" friends, so I decided to just go on my own, since I was drinking, bored, and curious.

So, I went alone.

I'm more of a death rocker and ethereal waver, although those two have nothing to do with each other, if that makes sense, if it matters.

Anyway. So, I get to the club alone. It's a club I go to often, but I've never been there on Goth Night.
So, I don't really know anyone there, except for the bouncers and barkeeps.
I just hang around in the backroom for a while - smoking, drinking cheap beer, mingling, joining and leaving groups, having an all-around OK time.

After a while, jeez, I must have been really drunk, I entered into a suspicious circle.

All I remember is this girl asking if she could bite my neck. I was probably just like ". . . O. . . K. . . If you must".
So, I let her bite my neck really,REALLY, REALLY, hard. I can't believe she didn't draw blood.
(She said she was an expert at not drawing blood.)
The thing is, she bit my right side... I felt uneven... So I asked her to bite my left side.
(She did.)
She said she gets that all the time, after biting people.

I think I let her bite my wrist, too.

It isn't like any of this needed to happen, but I live without a care, so whatever.

I never saw her again. I'm not quite sure how I got home that night (it must have been an expensive, single cab).

I still feel funny remembering it.

And, that's the story. That's the story about my FEELINGS.

Robert: private message me, about, ya know, the stuff

::cough::cough::heavenly bodies::cough::cough::

I don't think I sufficiently praised Rosewater Elizabeth for their second album upthread (I still need a digital music player so I can hear their debut). It has one of the things I find most lacking in ethereal/dreampop: unusual structures. I know it's called dreamPOP and Cocteau Twins got an amazing mileage out of mostly sticking to a fairly predictable structure, but this type of music is begging for more experimental and symphonic structures. The later Trance To The Sun albums have a lot of longer tracks on them.

oh, man. i need to talk about rosewater elizabeth! i dislike them! except for "milk", which is kind of an incredible song.
i think i'll listen to it, now. it's been years.

Monsieur Gilmour, let me know if you got the stuff, ::cough::cough::heavenly bodies::cough::cough::

My favourite Rosewater Elizabeth is "If Evil Is A Hollow Man".

They turned into a band called Underwater. Listed as triphop, so I doubt I'll like them as much but their albums are ultra cheap, so I'll have to try them some time.

Then one member joined an indie folktronica band called Allegra Gellar, named after the character from eXistenZ, they even have a song called Jennifer Jason Leigh.

Death To The Demoness Allegra Gellar!

Good insights into Rosewater, Robert. And, also, great insights during your early posts here, as well.

I never liked Rosewater Elizabeth much, though. However, as I said, I love "Milk", so I feel like I should give their album another shot, and probably check out their other eps, based on the strength of that song.

I hate speaking ill of any ethereal band, and I worry that band members could see this, so... I don't want to be to critical or say anything too harsh. Overall... Rosewater just wasn't my thing, although I love their influences. Anyway, I should give them another listen. Other people like them.

too critical*

fucking hell. i'm about to listen to "pandora (for cindy)" by the twins.

i haven't heard it in some five years. this is my comfort music.

i was psychologically abused by a pathological liar and a person with actual Narcissistic Personalty Disorder. it's gone on for years, so, i drink now.

i just want to hear this song, and i just want my thoughts to fuck off (hundreds of hours of thoughts about the trauma this person caused me).

i used to listen to this song when i was a boy. i want to go back.