While more passive listeners may have difficulty keeping up with the mainstream music scene, it’s truly nothing compared to what’s going on in the underground. Everything about it can shift at a moment’s notice, mostly because it’s a breeding ground for artists destined to blow up or retain their spot below the radar. There’s also the middle-ground, where more and more acts are beginning to dwell thanks to an increasingly attainable independent-but-not-really status. So what, then, are you to do when you’re simply searching for some underground bands to get familiar with? You head to the never-ending blogosphere, which is what led me to this post at Mooky Chick outlining that there’s apparently a new gothic music scene on the rise.
That’s right, the same scene that you might associate with the Smiths, the Cure, and other bands of their ilk is making a comeback. Mooky Chick points to the fact that acts like In Dante’s Eclipse and Obscure Pleasures are building rapidly growing fanbases. The latter has made an especially strong mark with the single “The Provocateur,” which sounds straight out of the ’80s with the deadpan vocals and synthesiser-heavy instrumental. They also make sure to don all the same outfits and often-heavy makeup as their predecessors, which again proves that everything in our culture is cyclical. Another notable act is William Control, who you may know as a former member of the band Aiden. He’s gone completely solo as Control, however, and creates his music from a combination of field recordings and plenty of synthesisers.
A big part of the reason an underground scene such as this one can remain fruitful for certain artists is that they’re able to cultivate a rich niche following. And one way they accomplish that is through a steady stream of merchandise, most notably limited-edition vinyl. Seriously: vinyl sales are up a whopping 100 percent in 2013 compared to the previous years, per the Mirror. A portion of that success is attributed to the “vinyl holiday” known as Record Store Day, but it’s also the fact that listening to records is easier than ever. There are now USB turntables that allow you to play your records not only through an amp and speakers. You can also hook up the player to your computer and rip all the music on your hard-drive, which means you can then transfer it to your smartphone, mp3 player, etc… It’s one thing to support your favorite underground artist by buying their merch, but it’s another thing altogether if it’s actually a useful item, like a record.
And then there is the fact that these artists are able to move their merchandise on their own terms through a steady touring schedule. Many of these new-wave goth bands mentioned in the above paragraphs hit the road together, making it even easier for them to supply their music to their core fanbase. The festival circuit is essential for bands like this, too. Primarily, it’s because they’re able to play on a bigger stage than they’re used to, and that allows them the chance to tap into a different audience. We’ve all been to shows where we’re there for the headliner only to be blown away by the opening act(s). And in the underground, you’ve got to take advantage of that as often as possible.
Dangerous Strings 