"Witch House" - A Great Performance From A Scene I Don't Really Believe In

Made-up genres are undeniably annoying. Maybe it's the smugness you glean from reading (because inevitably you find these concoctions in written form) certain publications throw together random words to christen a new "scene." Better yet, maybe it's the irritation of hearing these same random combinations written about in a matter-of-fact manner. Let's make it clear: these "genres" are catch-all terms for disparate bands, not a universally-defined collective.

Excuse my rant, which has little to do with this post except as a disclaimer. The "Witch House" "scene" bandied about a few months back is a terrible case of pre-emptive labelling. Undeniably, a number of bands have emerged with similar aesthetics and an ill-defined musical base that seems to vary from description to description; some ascribe it to the "chopped and screwed" remixes pioneered by the purple drank-swilling DJ Screw, others to house music, others to broader hip hop, 80s synth pop, etc etc. These variations expose the dangers of creating a scene united on a merely aesthetic basis; after all, if this scene is defined vaguely by sound, but concretely by a gothic horror image, where does it stop? Why not just drag in every goth band that experimented with certain beats, or the dark hip hop style known as horrorcore, another scene defined mainly by aesthetics?

Second disclaimer over: I really like some of the bands that supposedly embody this scene. Many have been put forward as part of the "Witch House" style; some were merely dull but others were indeed very intriguing. I especially liked this live session from Tearist, featuring the song "Civilization." It's a very intense listen, crossed somewhere between heavy synth-pop and 4AD goth (the latter conjured up by the extensive reverb and delay drifting above the drum and synth base). Vocalist Yasmine can be heard creating this reverb fog with a voice that brings to mind none other than goth pioneer Siouxsie Sioux. A great performance here:

Song of the Day: Snoop Dogg - Murder Was The Case

While Snoop Dogg is today portrayed as something of a fun-loving pimp figure, back when he still had "Doggy" in his name his persona was a lot more sinister, bolstered by real life brushes with the law (shortly after the release of Doggystyle he was charged with murder, but later acquitted). "Murder Was The Case" captures this atmosphere of dark menace through ominous synths, while Snoop's rapping veers between nonchalance and distress, fitting the lyrical themes of mortality, the afterlife, and the consequences of a materialistic lifestyle.