What are more bands like (the goth/shoegaze) Salem?
February 22, 2010 6:08 PM   Subscribe

What are more bands like (the goth/shoegaze) Salem?

(I'm making the distinction because there's like ten different metal bands named Salem.)

Anyhow, here's a Salem song and here's a song by a band I just saw the other night called White Ring with a similar sound.

Specifically I'm looking for really, really minimalist (almost preset-level) snare/bleep beats on top of drones and distorted, mournful vocals. It's the minimalism that is important, but it's got to sort of teeter on the verge of danceability.

I guess I should note that His Name Is Alive's "Mouth by Mouth" is one of my favorite albums (which shares this sort of sound) and that I'm not too fond of Zola Jesus.
posted by griphus to Media & Arts (6 answers total) 6 users marked this as a favorite
 
The London Apartments - their album Signals and Cities are Forever is available to download for free.
posted by K.P. at 6:24 PM on February 22, 2010


Neither of those tracks sounds minimalist to me.

If you like minimalist/droney on top of distorted, mournful vocals, but WITHOUT snare/beats, you want Grouper (another from the same album). Or you may like Ilyas Ahmed. Here they are together.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 8:01 PM on February 22, 2010


Neither of those tracks sounds minimalist to me.

I believe the person means the rhythms (be it drums or eletronic noise) should be minimalist, not the track as a whole.

Perhaps also some Sol Seppy (that's be her most rockin' tune).
posted by K.P. at 4:02 AM on February 23, 2010


Best answer: Pretty sure, but not certain, that Salem are influenced by the minimal synth & coldwave genres. I'd start with bands of that genre - and there are plenty from the 80s til now. Two "big" names are Martin Dupont and Opera Multi Steel.

There are also plenty of new bands that follow in the minimal synth/coldwave tradition. I'd pick up the recent Minimal Wave records compilation (related podcast), as well as checking out the releases on Wierd. Some of those bands include Light Asylum, Led Er Est, Xeno & Oaklander, Further Reductions. Also check out Nite Jewel and some of Glass Candy's recent work.
posted by stachemaster at 7:52 AM on February 23, 2010


Best answer: Since you're in Brooklyn, do you ever go to Weird on Wednesday nights at Home Sweet Home in the city? If you are into coldwave then it's a good place to hear some.
posted by sub-culture at 10:29 AM on February 23, 2010


Best answer: As Sub-culture mentioned, go check out Wierd [sic] on Wednesdays at Home Sweet Home. They have a minimal synth band play every week, as well as well knowledgeable djs. Also, Pendu & Harrison's Tuesday night events at Glasslands (where Salem played a couple weeks back) have a similar sound.
posted by stachemaster at 9:24 AM on February 24, 2010


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