WL//WH Review T.G.T.B.
After three releases in the biennium 2021-22 via the Italo-Berliner cult label Detriti Records, definitely a seal of quality, the East Stockholm duo of Nicklas Hietala and Alexander Lundberg drops the 7″ vinyl EP “Dissent/Undone” via fellow local Electronic pocket label åtåmåtån.
The pair dwells in a tenebrous, alienated yet infectious sound space, nestled at the intersection of churning EBM, moody Darkwave and trancey Techno/Electro impulses, by delivering ceaselessly cold, hypnotic, and compulsive dancefloor energy harnessed by pumping, metallic drum machines, dense, full-bodied low ends, and hazy flickering synths atop, to inject eerily anxious hazy atmospherics, grounded by profound brooding vocalizations, laced with restrained yet resonant wistfulness and distress.
The opening “Dissent” pulses on punchy snares, murky throbbing low ends and relentless jittery swirling synth arpeggios over softly spoken yet deeply heartfelt baritone vocals, giving comfort to a loved one, lost in a pool of darkness, through strength and determination.
Throbbing with mechanical and syncopated rhythmic urgency, the poignant “Undone” is imbued with an uncanny space-out aura of doom, looming over grave baritones, switching between pain-filled anger and hopeless melancholy, while helplessly watching another person fall.
An additional couple of digital remixes provide further intriguing sonic flavours, with Stockholm‘s dadaistic dark electro producer Majestoluxe, who wraps “Dissent” in a gritty droney industrial-clad, while the Italo-Finnish duo Hidden Lines rework of “Undone”, lit by the intoxicating Tatiana Tatsuli’s vocal layers, yields marching and epically uplifting ravey Disco vibes.
While treading on inflated territories, the Swedish duo imbues their throwback Electro-Body Music sound with just enough nuanced to set a modern discernable identity.
T.G.T.B.‘s limited hand-numbered 2-track 7″ vinyl EP, “Dissent/Undone”, is out now via Stockholm’s imprint åtåmåtån.
Keep up with T.G.T.B.:
