By Keith Walsh
“Trickster,’ the new single by Esoterik, is a fusion of bubbly synthpop and darker elements, such as gritty vocals from Allison Eckfeldt and minor key melodies, actual analog synthesis, and production that pushes brighter electronics into more complex territory. From the American Midwest, the duo of Eckfeldt and Brady Bledsoe have been active since 2013, finding inspiration in techno pop of the early 1980s, including bands like New Order, Depeche Mode, OMD, Yazoo, and Siouxsie and The Banshees.
There’s a familiarity with these 80s bands that resonates throughout “Trickster.” The mix of pulsing bass, processed drums and handclaps, and Eckfeldt’s passionate vocals are of electronica and new wave, while the lyrical obsessions with emotional pain bend the new wave definition into goth territory. The single is from the upcoming EP titled Archetypes. We’ll find out how Esoterik expands the fatalistic groove they’re specializing in.
Esoterik’s previous LP, titled Alchemy, is ten track set with titles named after elements found in medieval lore, including ancient chemistry, astronomy and witchcraft. Combining minor key themes of love and heartbreak with those of a science made mystical by the passage of centuries makes for a captivating musical experience. I’m looking forward to the Archetypes EP.
Esoterik are hitting stages with CombiChrist and Dead Animal Assembly Plant , two bands with synthesizers and even darker themes than Esoterik, around the U.S. through April.
REMAINING ESOTERIK TOUR DATES:
April 8 New York, NY @ Brooklyn Made
April 9 Pittsburgh, PA @ Preserving Underground
April 10 Columbus, OH @ King of Clubs
April 11 Piedmont, SC @ Tribbles
April 12 Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade – Hell
April 13 Tampa, FL @ Crowbar
April 14 Orlando, FL @ Conduit
April 15 Miami, FL @ Gramps
April 18 Houston, TX @ Scout bar
April 19 Austin, TX @ Come and Take it Live
April 21 Dallas, TX @ Haltom Theater
April 23 El Paso, TX @ Rockhouse
April 24 Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge
April 25 Albuquerque, NM @ Inside/out
Esoterik LinkTree
Esoterik Facebook
Esoterik Instagram
Esoterik On Spotify
finis
