DVA Damas – Taylor Burch and Joe Cocherell – is a group tightly affiliated with Tropic of Cancer, reigning from producer Regis’ Birmingham label Downwards (currently operated by Juan Mendez). DVA Damas released their first EP in 2010, a collection of songs that represented the successful marriage of post-punk and industrial techno. The release bred a change in the label’s subsequent releases, which adopted penchants for warped new wave instead of typically heavy electronic music. Damas has released the EP Nightshade as well as a single, Le Face.

Live at Boiler Room:

Tropic of Cancer is a duo consisting of Camella Lobo and Juan Mendez (otherwise known as Silent Servant). Lobo’s music is dark, delicate, and melancholy, evoking themes of solitude and morbid romanticism. Though the group does not fall cleanly into any specific musical category, it is reminiscent of shoe-gaze, techno, goth, and minimal synth wave. If you are interested in exploring bands in a similar vein, you can look into other producers signed to Lobo’s label (Blackest Ever Black), which is currently based in Berlin and offers groups with similar new wave and goth-inspired electronic tropes.

The Hold Steady is an awesome band! Their lyrics and storytelling are big draws for me. Awesome riffs and great keyboards (when they still had a keyboardist). My favorite of theirs is Separation Sunday. One track on there actually has a line that outlines the themes for two of their future albums, which is super cool to look back on now. Craig Finn’s got a crazy voice, too. It’s kind of like if your uncle had a rock band, and was really good at Springsteen-esque storytelling.