Curated RSS Brief
Ashnymph’s Childhood EP is exhilarating dance goth rock
Entertainment Close Entertainment Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All Entertainment Column Close Column Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All Column Music Close Music Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All Music Ashnymph’s Childhood EP is exhilarating dance goth rock The London band blends motorik beats, industrial synths, and post-punk guitar on their fresh-sounding debut. The London band blends motorik beats, industrial synths, and post-punk guitar on their fresh-sounding debut. by Terrence O'Brien Close Terrence O'Brien Weekend Editor Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All by Terrence O'Brien May 10, 2026, 4:52 PM UTC Link Share Gift I can’t wait for a proper full length. Image: Blitzcat Records Part Of What we’re listening to, watching, and reading right now. see all updates Terrence O'Brien Close Terrence O'Brien Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All by Terrence O'Brien is the Verge’s weekend editor. He has over 18 years of experience, including 10 years as managing editor at Engadget. I’ve got to thank my oldest friend and concert buddy, Tim , for turning me on to this one. Ashnymph is a London band that blends post-punk melodies with Krautrock rhythms and industrial grime. Their debut EP, Childhood , drifts between dreamy vocals buried in layers of reverb and four-on-the-floor dancefloor pounding. It’s a thrilling opening salvo from a band that feels on the cusp of a major breakthrough. Childhood opens with an ambient recording of someone walking down a hall (I think), and some swirling synth noise before the first song, “Island in the Sky” kicks off properly with a motorik beat and bass throb. The thin, digitally manipulated vocals and robotic groove punctuated with bursts of noise, but the big chords of the chorus bring to mind Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s “ Whatever Happened to My Rock and Roll .” “Saltspreader,” the band’s first single, is next. It launches with a deep metallic grind splattered by clanking percussion and drum hits, before a soft synth arpeggio brings some melody to the party. In the back half, there are deeply chorused vocals that ooze ‘80s goth, driving guitar, and a disco stomp. Despite its slow build, it’s clear why the band chose this as their first single. It’s dark, dancey, and an absolute earworm. “After Glow” leans even further into ‘80 fetishism, recalling Depeche Mode and early Ministry , before Al Jourgensen discovered guitars. “47” marries industrial beats with chipmunk vocals and off-kilter guitars in the vein of No Wave acts like Swans . But the last-minute switch to a half-time groove removes the more abrasive layers, letting the beauty of the guitar melody shine through while ethereal vocals float over the top. The last track, “Mr. Invisible,” is possibly the most experimental of the bunch. It’s more explicitly electronic than the rest, relying on heavily manipulated samples, indecipherable vocals, and a relentless bass thump for the first chunk. Eventually, clearer vocal melodies and circular guitar lines play off the polyrhythmic synths. The whole thing is disorienting, dizzying, and exhilarating. It ends somewhat abruptly on a lopsided guitar groove and an echoed vocal, leaving me wanting more. So much more. Ashnymph’s Childhood EP is available now on Bandcamp and most major streaming platforms, including Deezer , Apple Music , Qobuz , YouTube Music , and Spotify . Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates. Terrence O'Brien Close Terrence O'Brien Weekend Editor Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All by Terrence O'Brien Column Close Column Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All Column Entertainment Close Entertainment Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All Entertainment Music Close Music Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All Music Music Review Close Music Review Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All Music Review More in: What we’re listening to, watching, and reading right now. Oh, hey, it’s Bandcamp Friday again. Terrence O'Brien May 1 XOXO has launched a full archive of the festival. Jay Peters Apr 30 Apple TV’s new horror series is scarier because it’s also hilarious Andrew Webster Apr 28 Most Popular Most Popular Someone out-Trumped the Trump phone Google Fitbit Air preorders
- Entertainment Close Entertainment Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.
- Follow Follow See All Entertainment Column Close Column Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.
- Follow Follow See All Column Music Close Music Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.
- Follow Follow See All Music Ashnymph’s Childhood EP is exhilarating dance goth rock The London band blends motorik beats, industrial synths, and post-punk guitar on their fresh-sounding debut.
If you want the exact wording, examples, or full context from the publisher, open the original source article.
Open Original Article
Comments
Post a Comment