Is Witch House Dead? -- Second Generation Witch House Picked Up By Goths

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mechanesthesia
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Is Witch House Dead? -- Second Generation Witch House Picked Up By Goths

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So some "music journalists" [i.e. bloggers] have been claiming Witch House to be dead since late last year. But I don't think so at all. I think Witch House is growing more than ever and it's the most popular out of the other micro-genres like seapunk, icepunk, and slimepunk. I think what happened is that the hipsters got tired of it and the goths picked it up. That's exactly how it happened for me. I found out about this pretty much by accident while looking at "goth subgenres" in wikipedia. I'm into the "goth/industrial" scene and go to goth clubs and such. And witch house has legit goth roots, regardless of what some may tell you. A lot of it sounds like dream pop, something kind of like Cocteau Twins or even Throbbing Gristle, but with a trap rap beat. And some of the references made are legit [unlike past genres like Nu Metal which were associated with goth and had nothing to do with it]. Also, in comparison to the bands this came from, like Pictureplane and Crystal Castles, it has a much darker sound. So, I had some other of my friends that were into goth get into it as well, and I found one of my hipster friends that was into it since it came out. We've been trying to promote it locally through Facebook and other means. Down here there has already been about 3-4 different witch house or related nights. We had White Ring come down here a couple of weeks ago. And I found out there were 2 local "witch house" bands that played in other nights. Some DJ's have been starting to add a couple of songs to their regular goth/industrial sets. It's spreading little by little. But in LA it's really big, they have a WH/Goth night called Warlock which seems to be doing pretty well. There's another one in Germany called Purge.

So I think this genre is successful and still growing. It actually has gone out of the internet pages and into the real life in clubs.

What do you all think?
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frequencymonsters
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Re: Is Witch House Dead? -- Second Generation Witch House Picked Up By Goths

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The dark beat is strong. Tumblr/Facebook/Soundcloud/bandcamp work together to flow the internet world with music. Pictureplane/crystal castles/grimes are all big namses now and when someone like SPF50 or TEARIST does a remix of their song the fanbase grows.

Its all electronic/industrial/trance to me and the new sounds are the product of thee collective consciousness. I believe slow dark depressive beats are growing because of the state of our dreams.

Anyways. Its been almost three years of the new okkvlt wave and its changing peoples influences, no doubt.

Im not sure about the rest of the physical world, but in chicago there is definitely SEAPUNK vibes with ZOMBELLE, ULTRADEMON and TEEN WITCH. MAINFRAME and CULT BERLIN parties.

Fun but needs more GLOOM!
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Mcll
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Re: Is Witch House Dead? -- Second Generation Witch House Picked Up By Goths

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I agree with the OP. The style is bigger now and spreading everywhere. People just do not want to call it "witchhouse", and bloggers always want to latch on to something new. often just redefining old ideas and playing at being relevant. Ten years ago I was in an EBM band, only the record label did not want to call it EBM because it had to have a fresh new tag. So we let them have their fun with press releases and interviews. But directly in the booklet credits I put a disclaimer "This is Electronic Body Music".

My point. People can call this music or this movement whatever they want. We all know it is essentially witch house and we are all going to continue making it whatever it gets called. For me, this is just another extension of EBM and Dark Electronic music. I am just thrilled that people like to listen and make this kind of music again.
ghettoa55witch
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Re: Is Witch House Dead? -- Second Generation Witch House Picked Up By Goths

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I think the Witch House Aesthetic is getting pretty big too.The fashion world is seeing inverted crosses, triangles ,and "witchy" inspired collections. The UK based shop Ivory Jar released headbands named after Mater Suspira, Modern Witch, and †No Virgin†. Miista released a collection called "Electric Witches." I think when anything starts becoming more mainstream some yokel always says "Ermagerd it's dead!" Punk is dead. Ebm is dead, etc/ I guess you can't be taken seriously unless your music style is dead.
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Nova Sol
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Re: Is Witch House Dead? -- Second Generation Witch House Picked Up By Goths

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punk really IS dead, though, and EBM should be (why the fuck isn't it?). any artistic expression loses an important part ov itself when it goes mainstream.
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Mcll
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Re: Is Witch House Dead? -- Second Generation Witch House Picked Up By Goths

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EBM is far from dead though. I think bands like White Ring and //TENSE// are showing that. Even some of that new Antoni Maiovvi showing up at SC has some EBM flair to it. Plenty of things left to say in that genre and plenty of audience that enjoys it. I use a lot of EBM influence in my own work as well.

Next week there is a new mixtape coming out from the label Electro Aggression Records. Plenty of awesome EBM and Dark Electro is going to be on that mix. It is going to be a statement I think.
Anton Maiof
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Re: Is Witch House Dead? -- Second Generation Witch House Picked Up By Goths

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I think it's the same with most genres, isn't it? There is the initial rush, the copycats - then the kool kidz move on leaving only those who were genuinely passionate about it left. The same thing happened with the Italo/Cosmic Disco revisionists.

Only the hardcore survive.

and thanks Mcll, I never really thought of it as EBM, more of a marriage of Italo, New Beat and early Detroit influences, maybe darker maybe that is EBM.

Then I don't really know how old people are in this scene, with it's secrecy and troublesome names ;)
I'm in my early 30s, I was a goth is school, some would say I still am - I was playing in one of my bands yesterday and people were actually flabbergasted (great word, should be used more) when they found out I made my living through disco, assuming, I think, that I was some kind of vampire or whatever. Looks can be deceiving.

Goths are everywhere, that's my point.
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Mcll
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Re: Is Witch House Dead? -- Second Generation Witch House Picked Up By Goths

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Anton Maiof wrote: and thanks Mcll, I never really thought of it as EBM, more of a marriage of Italo, New Beat and early Detroit influences, maybe darker maybe that is EBM.
Some of your newer stuff with harsh vocals sounds a bit like Klinik or Insekt. Do an album like that and sell it to the electro-industrial scene. I think you would make some waves.

Anyhow, I mentioned this mixtape the other day. It was just released. Fresh dark elektro & EBM.
http://electroaggressionrecords.bandcam ... tape-vol-i

The DJ used some cool Videodrome and Hardware film samples throughout. These films just never get old :D
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Re: Is Witch House Dead? -- Second Generation Witch House Picked Up By Goths

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Mcll wrote:
Anton Maiof wrote: and thanks Mcll, I never really thought of it as EBM, more of a marriage of Italo, New Beat and early Detroit influences, maybe darker maybe that is EBM.
Some of your newer stuff with harsh vocals sounds a bit like Klinik or Insekt. Do an album like that and sell it to the electro-industrial scene. I think you would make some waves.

Anyhow, I mentioned this mixtape the other day. It was just released. Fresh dark elektro & EBM.
http://electroaggressionrecords.bandcam ... tape-vol-i

The DJ used some cool Videodrome and Hardware film samples throughout. These films just never get old :D
this Klinik? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TI76uvA0K_I
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Mcll
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Re: Is Witch House Dead? -- Second Generation Witch House Picked Up By Goths

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Yes- and Insekt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0qO9A9vRVM

Maybe even some early Leaether Strip. Some of the hard EBM stuff. I hear when you are coming from with the Italo and Detroit Tech, but the way it comes together is dark and hard. I think it would appeal to people that really enjoy hard EBM and dark electro. Tracks like "Darkroom", and "Ritualz of Lust" off your Black Gloves EP.
Anton Maiof
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Re: Is Witch House Dead? -- Second Generation Witch House Picked Up By Goths

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I'm pretty broad with the Italo thing if I'm honest. Could include the later ZYX releases like The Invincible Spirit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DX-qzLixsY

or the missing genius of Arvid Tuba: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSkJpYLsSRQ

I don't want to derail this into a conversation about my influences. Just make my point about I guess the "dark" sounding stuff coming from all kinds of places, not necessarily traditionally "goth"

(these examples might be really bad ones - could be perspective)

I like the melting pot of ideas within what is called Witch House, this is what attracted me to it.
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twinvessel
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Re: Is Witch House Dead? -- Second Generation Witch House Picked Up By Goths

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While it's good some in the "goth"(modern EBM rivet cybergoth whatever) scene are getting into some of the darker new indie(AS THEY SHOULD:))), I think that dissing on the 'hipsters' is a missed opportunity. Just like I get crap for talking shit about the cybergoth VNV/combichrist 00ntz crowd(something I was a big part of for many years) for completely going astray from the wonderfully diverse dark sounds of yesteryear, I realize that the indie art student types are the biggest audience that shows up to these sort of shows.

I would have gone nowhere fast if I marketed the darker dance music I do to people in goggles and cyber furry legwarmers.
I've literally heard people like certain bands and then have a bad reaction when they see that(say Gatekeeper or AIMON) don't wear silly costumes or *gasp* actually have facial hair. So people can think hipsters are elitest, but Ive noticed the "goth" crowd is extremely insulated(least outside of LA) The rivet/goth scene has moved so far away from the original diverse nature of the scene(skinny puppy, death in june, swans, front 242, neubauten, wumpscut, etc) and into this bad angry trance music that it is indeed very cool to see new genres kind of picking those old influences up.

But we must first ask, what *is* "witch house". Is it slow droning saw pads with hip hop claps and wallowy female vocals?
I've heard the term thrown out to everyone from oOoOO, Tash Willmore, AIMON and Chelsea Wolfe to Pictureplane, Balam Acab, Purity Ring, Tearist, White Ring and Grimes.

I think a more accurate umbrella term is "dark indie" or just darker alternative, as lame as even that sounds.
Think about it. You have a HUGE growing fanbase for minimal wave/new retro EBM. Stuff like Light Asylum, Valis,
White Car, Gatekeeper, Present Moment, //TENSE//, Fostercare, etc.

You have the droney "classic" witch house like Salem, Crim3s, etc. You have the retro future stuff like Power Glove,
Com Truise, Actrazer, etc. Then there's certain chillwave, dreampop and trip hop which VERY CLOSELY feels like "witch house", and then darker pop like Grimes, Zola Jesus, Purity Ring, etc which has elements of "wh".

Then you have a number of rap, r and b and hip hop artists that do shows with all these bands and have a darker stream of conscious vibe...along with actual "witch house" r and b like Holy Other and oOoOO/Butterclock.

But I say just market yourself, bands you like, parties, clubs to whoeever. Play with weird art bands, do an event that spins old industrial, "witch house", minimal wave, rap mashups, etc.

Heck I just did my first ever gig as "VANDALAZE" opening up for big world famous fashion designers, playing a 5 song set in front of hoity toity/business/professional/media people and they seemed to totally dig it. And it was my dark ass dance stuff in full costume/performance art.
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twinvessel
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Re: Is Witch House Dead? -- Second Generation Witch House Picked Up By Goths

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frequencymonsters wrote:The dark beat is strong. Tumblr/Facebook/Soundcloud/bandcamp work together to flow the internet world with music. Pictureplane/crystal castles/grimes are all big namses now and when someone like SPF50 or TEARIST does a remix of their song the fanbase grows.

Its all electronic/industrial/trance to me and the new sounds are the product of thee collective consciousness. I believe slow dark depressive beats are growing because of the state of our dreams.

Anyways. Its been almost three years of the new okkvlt wave and its changing peoples influences, no doubt.

Im not sure about the rest of the physical world, but in chicago there is definitely SEAPUNK vibes with ZOMBELLE, ULTRADEMON and TEEN WITCH. MAINFRAME and CULT BERLIN parties.

Fun but needs more GLOOM!
Fostercare, Ritualz and even Mascara seem to be doing faster trancier dance music as is Funerals and NguzuNguzu. Though I like the slower stuff too. Im a HUGE fan of Arc, been getting into Tash Willmore as well as Black Ceiling(who is like our version of Girl Talk, heh)
But yeah even Kanye West seems influenced by this stuff, at least the weird videos on Vimeo
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twinvessel
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Re: Is Witch House Dead? -- Second Generation Witch House Picked Up By Goths

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ghettoa55witch wrote:I think the Witch House Aesthetic is getting pretty big too.The fashion world is seeing inverted crosses, triangles ,and "witchy" inspired collections. The UK based shop Ivory Jar released headbands named after Mater Suspira, Modern Witch, and †No Virgin†. Miista released a collection called "Electric Witches." I think when anything starts becoming more mainstream some yokel always says "Ermagerd it's dead!" Punk is dead. Ebm is dead, etc/ I guess you can't be taken seriously unless your music style is dead.
Yeah, Odd Future and Kanye West have been using 2010 era WH aesthetics, as have shirts and stuff you find at Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters(hazy off colored shirts with triangles and inverted crosses) the whole drugged out hazy instagram
photo filter look with the witchy look is huge.

Im tired of all that, at least for stage shows and fashion shoots i been getting more into the fine art avant garde look

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√ƸΩﬣ
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Re: Is Witch House Dead? -- Second Generation Witch House Picked Up By Goths

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Nova Sol wrote:punk really IS dead, though, and EBM should be (why the fuck isn't it?). any artistic expression loses an important part ov itself when it goes mainstream.
Punk isnt dead, it evolved into skramz and power violence, the scene moves on, styles change, names change. This website could easily be new-breed.com and it wouldn't make any difference.

great example is "ritualzzz" as he likes to be called now. changed the title and changed his style, hypermotion isn't even WH any more but it's still the same deal. I personally thing the sound has matured and diversified, no two albums I listen to nowadays sound the same (2010 was not like this), even if they're from the same artist.

With the advent of TRAP into thee mainstream, im sure its not long til his cooler older brother Drag get dragged along to his ~lame~ partys, then drag realises he has fun and gets laid, so he comes back every other week.
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