Rizz and Matt have dubbed their sound "Death Pop." Hey, it works for me, but these dark, finely crafted songs defy any sort of classification. It's a great fusion of guitar and keyboards, filtered through their sardonic viewpoint. Hypnotic and trance inducing, their music will keep you company on those nights you can't sleep. You'll find yourself swaying and spinning like some urban dervish seduced by their sound.

Remember when you were just in your early teens and you were hungry for music that spoke to you, resonated profoundly with you, and gave you a reason to get out of bed and go out and find more music that got you through that angsty bullshit? Well this is it! Download this now!

Two things come into play here:
1. Edward Gorey. Do I have to explain the delightfully macabre genius of Edward Gorey? If you don't know his work, Look into his work. 2. The Tiger Lillies I first saw them live when they were part of the touring theatre production "Shockheaded Peter," and I fell in love with them right then and there. Two delightfully perverse elements that do not cancel themselves out, but rather enhance each other. Pure fucking Genius!

I'm intrigued how an Italian group came to embrace the Post Punk era. There's echoes of Joy Division, The Cure, Killing Joke, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry and the Batcave Scene from the early 80's. But does it really matter what their influences are? Whatever muse they invoked, works. Moody driving bass lines, angsty guitars, and lyrics that would impress the Gothic poets of the past. Is reason enough to check this group out if you haven't already.

Yes, this Canuck does have Canadian Content in his collection, But Creeggan is not defined by his past.( he was a member of the Barenaked Ladies.) This is a beautiful album where his jazz influences come shining through. No vocals, just instrumentals to carry you away to more romantic places. "Judith," is the gem here that hooked me in.

Johnny Hollow was born out of collaboration between Musician Janine White and Illustrator Vincent Marcone of Guelph Ontario ( yes this is Canadian Content I CAN get behind!) What started as an online project became the soundtrack for many Goths in Canada in the 90's. Though their output these days is sporadic, it's still killer and any self respecting Darkly inclined soul out there regardless of nationality should have this group in their collection.

There's a dark whimsy to the group.
Anka and Patrick have concocted a delicious cocktail of Horror movies, spiders webs and foggy nights. imagine Lewis Carroll and Edgar Allen Poe playing in the black sandbox together in the middle of the graveyard. Spooky and unapologetically fun! Oh yes! One more thing: Are these tunes danceable? Absolutely!