Curses presents his album album >Incarnadine< Dischi Autunno. 150x only - Decks Tip
Hailing from New York and currently based in Berlin, musician Curses is set to release his sophomore album ‘Incarnadine’ on label Dischi Autunno operated by music pioneer Jennifer Cardini, featuring collaborations with Jennifer Touch and TERR.
Known for blending his Morricone – esque guitar with elements from early 80s music genres like New Wave, Post Punk and New Beat, Curses keeps pushing the boundaries of these references with an emphasis on his own ghostly vocals and guitars on the 2nd album for Dischi Autunno, following his 2018 debut ‘Romantic Fiction’. A resident DJ for Berlin’s infamous Pornceptual party, he also established his own label Ombra INTL in 2016. Further solidifying his love for genre-hopping, Curses runs a monthly Rinse France radio residency where he showcases artists who also share this passion for mixing Wave and the dark and weirder side of Italo Disco.
“The album is a dialogue between the inner self and outer, and romance of eternal and immortal existence. Hence the first single, ‘Miriam’ being a ballad to the Vampiress main character in The Hunger book and film from the 80s. How do we make an emotion timeless?“
Cult classic film The Hunger explores themes of immortality, love and timelessness, the post-modern vampire film contains a dark glamorous atmosphere and stars David Bowie. In a similar way we can see this reference transposed on Curses record. Slick production values and dark grooving melodies push the listener down a path. Opening with cloying nostalgic guitars the track ‘Miriam’ is based on the antagonistic lover from the 80s film. Played by Catherine Deneuve, Miriam is a character trapped in eternal loneliness forever searching for a love that can last the test of time. A battle between her internal desires and external reality. In the same way Curses music is caught in a push and pull between the melancholic beats of the past, contrasted with a contemporary and sophisticated production.
With ‘Boundless feat Jennifer Touch’ Curses turns his references on their heads, going from the dark moody guitar driving tracks akin to Depeche Mode into a more playful goth Siouxsie and the Banshees vibe. With vocals by Touch the melody is fast and dynamic with the lyrics almost holding a teasing quality. ‘Smoke’ continues the playfulness but this time pushing further into dance floor territory with vocal samples weaving in and out of a moody but very smooth rhythm. With ‘Ghost of Arms feat TERR’ Curses explores an ethereal pop atmosphere with the Brazilian artist’s vocals. Throughout the LP you can hear the signature running bass-lines from Dame Bonnet who tours with Curses for his live show. ‘Made In Shade’ closes out the album, paying homage to Curses’ musical roots and the sounds that have shaped him.