WL//WH Review MISFORTUNES
Misfortunes, GR
This is the first album review of 2025, and we extend our best wishes to everyone from the WL//WH team. January 10th is the official release date of the new “Voices Never Heard” LP by Misfortunes (Thessaloniki, GR) through Swiss Dark Nights, an album featuring 10 new tracks that signify the new era for the act, as it is its first release on this particular label after several years with TONN RECORDINGS.
Misfortunes is a solo synth project led by Ioakim Vasileiadis, who creates and weaves darkwave music with a rich artistic vision, often collaborating with various featured guests on lyrics and studio performances. You can find them in the credits of the new album. You can listen to this album and appreciate the contemporary darkness expressed by its creators, who offer a critical perspective on life in our beautiful yet fundamentally flawed country. These elements are woven into the music of most of the prominent darkwave bands of Greece and this year, Misfortunes has released a significant album that is important for both the music scene and his artistic journey.
I see the word “nostalgia” being used to describe this new album, and I don’t quite agree with that characterization. The music and lyrics here are filled with anguish, stress, and darkness, conveying a sense of “finiteness” that pervades all the songs. Darkwave music, much like punk music, doesn’t rely on nostalgia; instead, it reflects the current reality of our world through alternative expressions and unique perspectives. There is no nostalgia here, but rather a focus on the “current state of affairs” and how it influences all artists who create art rather than commercial entertainment. The “Voices Never Heard” album captures this incredibly well and has a distinct advantage, as it is primarily created with synthesizers that traverse the realm of the eternal new wave music, which will always evoke the bittersweet allure of our favorite music – like the sweetest poison.
All of Misfortunes albums are strong, and this new one, in addition to its passion and effectiveness, also reveals the “worrying” look in the creator’s eye, and this new album is absolutely good in all its elements (that are treated with the darkwave, and the synthwave principles at large, and with a good dose of minimalism too). The album also features a well-structured sequence of songs that enhances the listening experience and creates an ideal flow. Ultimately, this is an album that must be heard, and I believe many will truly love it. This appreciation is well-deserved for an artist who demonstrates such talent and persistence in his work and I extend my congratulations and a big, sincere round of applause. So, here is the new “Voices Never Heard” LP by Misfortunes, press play and listen loud!!!
Keep Up With Misfortunes:
photo by Ioakim Vasileiadis, edited and curated by Thekla Malamou
Written by Loud Cities’ Mike
