New Wave – MELT REVIEWS

Donzii Interview: The band talk new EP, live shows, the Donzii universe, drum machines, and more

Out of all the modern Post-Punk bands, Miami, Florida’s “Donzii” are by far the most exciting group. Maybe that’s because they don’t adhere to the confines of any particular genre. Sure they wear their influences on their sleeves. You can spot genres such as No Wave, Gothic Rock and Italo Disco in their wide array of sounds, but instead of diving too far into moroseness or gloom like most bands associated with Goth or Darkwave, “Donzii” also bring an element of fun to their sound, bringing a much needed eccentricity to the world of goth-adjacent Post-Punk. Simply put, “Donzii” can’t be categorized.

Led by core members Jenna Balfe and Dennis Fuller, who currently reside in Los Angeles, CA, “Donzii” is more of a universe than a specific lineup. There’s such a large list of talented musicians and performers that contribute to their live shows, and Jenna and Dennis feel that their audience and fans are members of the “Donzii” universe as well. The band released a new E.P. titled Kaliedoscopic last month, and I had the opportunity to speak with them about it, as well as their live shows, recording process, lyrical themes, drum machines, dream collabs, new music, and much more.

First, I wanna start this off by saying thank you for your time. I’ve been a fan of your work for awhile now. I stumbled across your music back in 2020 I wanna say. I believe the only releases you guys had out at the time were the Mines EP, the Gladugly EP, and the Burn single, and when I heard these for the first time I was immediately hooked. Your music strikes every fancy for me. It incorporates elements of No Wave, Post-Punk, Goth, Italo Disco, New Wave, Funk, and a myriad of other styles, which makes it impossible to sum your music up with one label. Is it fair to say these genres have an influence on your sound, and what’s the creative process like when creating a “Donzii” track?

Those genre’s most certainly influence us yes! A good friend of ours who recently passed, actually gave us a genre title “Esoteric Funk” and I feel particularly aligned with this one. The creative process truly varies as does our sound. Sometimes it will be just me and Dennis, jamming on drums and bass, that’s actually how we started to find “Mines” for example. Other songs were the result of a full band playing like “Green Elevator” and “Sand”. Our song “Fun” actually started from a little riff that Jenna wrote on guitar and then the band filled it out. “Luxury Condo theme” we wrote with our old keyboardist Miles Hancock as a part of an alternate project “Sticky Bunz”and we eventually just brought it over to the Donzii side.

I understand “Donzii” is more of a universe than a specific lineup. You two are the core members, but you guys have a rotating lineup of fantastic musicians for your live shows. Who are the members of the Donzii universe, and do they play a part in the recording process?

Thank you for understanding the nature of the Donzii Universe! We feel that this title extends to our audience and fans too – we once had a fan tell us they’d seen us play 10 times with a different lineup each time – Our current LA lineup consists of Jenna and Dennis, Troy Woodhall on live drums/production and Dakota Blue on guitar. We are often joined by Cameron Ward aka PILO – who we have been writing some really fun electro-clashy songs with out here. Our main homie, Danny Heinze has been our guitarist for years, but still lives in Miami. He loves to travel and play shows with us around the country when his schedule permits, so we always have a spot open for Danny. Sometimes Jorge Elbrecht will join us on guitar or produce a track with us out here in LA. We have two percussionists that we collaborate with – Yamil Rodriguez in New Orleans and Fernando Diaz in Miami. Violeta De Laguardia or Mauricio Abascal will take turns on keyboard duties when the shows call for it, and Paul Garcia from Denver joins from time to time on keys, guitar or as a performer! For performers we have our main collaborator Misael Soto or “Miss.Miss”- who will join us for larger shows. Most of the time, the recording and writing is done as a duo or with 1 other collaborator in the studio. If too many people start getting involved we lose direction. Sometimes we will re-work the same song in different studios when we feel like it’s not sounding Donzii enough haha. All of our bandmates play a role in the music making process and Jenna and I kind of filter all that influence into a final song. Currently we are working on new music with so many people, including Andrew Clinco of Drab Majesty, Pilo, and Troy Woodhall of Fuedal – We are also very lucky to work with incredible engineers like Chris Coady and Chad Gordon, who play a major role in what our finished songs sound like.

I love the use of drum machine in your music. I was in a band awhile back that used an Akai XR20 because we couldn’t find a drummer, but I enjoyed making all these beats for the band, even though we got a lot of shit for not having a live drummer. What drum machines do you guys use for your music?

The XR20 is cool, we truly use any drum machines we have access to, but I have started a collection of Alesis HR-16’s with different kits loaded on each one. I like the Alesis because it’s not super expensive and the programming was very intuitive for me. Each one is like a journal of beats and where I was in my programming and style, so instead of erasing them I just pick another one up for like $100.

What inspired the name “Donzii”

There is a legendary speed boat maker from Miami named Donzi. The name represents Miami and its history, but it also kind of sounds Italian. Initially our plan was to be an Italo-Disco band but our songs kept going sideways of that haha the name stuck. There is also DON-Z-PAWN in Miami right by where we grew up and it may have subconsciously influenced us.

Jenna, you have a Master of Science in Dance Movement Therapy, and what I love about Donzii music videos and live shows is that there’s a great deal of performance art and spontaneous movement. Do you intentionally incorporate your experience in Dance Movement Therapy into Donzii shows and music videos?

I absolutely do! I began my artistic journey with poetry, and then performance art, landing on being in a band quite later. So for me the starting point is actually my poetry and physicality. When I write, I am often transcribing the performance felt in my body as we are naming on a drum beat, or however it is we are starting a song. For all of our shows, I incorporate performance art yes, but it also is “just me” in a way. Like I don’t know how else to present myself in a performative manner haha.

Dennis, your bass lines are killer, and you bring to Donzii a kind of angular No Wave bass style that is often absent in modern Post-Punk. What inspires your bass lines and what kind of gear do you use?

Thanks, I really just try to approach my bass line with a few goals to make it Donzii. It has to have a real conversation with the drums, tonally and rhythmically, and then there has to be an element of honed-in dissonance to separate it from being too straight forward. I pretty much use Boss pedals and a Peavey T-40, the bass I got when I was 12, a hard pick, and that’s about it!

Your new E.P. Kaliedoscopic opens with the track “Bird,” which was inspired by a dream Jenna had where she had figured out how to fly. Jenna, can you tell me more about this track and its central theme?

Yes! Like you said, “Bird” was inspired by a dream where l am flying. In this dream I figured out how to fly! I would take off by pressing down really hard on my feet, engaging my core and squeezing my fists. Then when I would take off I would fly with my legs straight out and my hands by my side as though I was sitting on a chair with my legs out and gripping some handles on the side of the chair. While I am flying all kinds of people are seeing me fly, some of them are friends, some of them are people I have never seen before. I am like amazed that l am flying, and no one who sees me even acknowledges me! I even see Dennis, and he is just like whatever and keeps looking at his phone. To me this represents the sort of apathy we have all developed towards life. Like it is so insane to me that we are even breathing. Bird is about wanting to re-claim that wonder and love despite the oppressive nature of this existence.

What are some recurring themes in your lyrical content?

I often write in a sort of existential wonder towards life mode. I write about people existing in a strangely dualistic paradigm. I write about striving for human freedom and wanting to share that desire with people. I also like to be funny, “Sand” is a deep song, but also is funny for example. When I sing “I for one, prefer to die right now” I initially wrote as a joke- to make fun of overly morose goth bangers, but as I wrote the rest of the song-it came to represent a sort of ego death. The line “pretend you’re dead and watch the sun rise” is actually referring to a moving meditation that I made up, where you allow yourself to imagine that you are dead, to allow yourself to feel free of others judgement, or your own baggage etc. I often practice this meditation on stage to allow ,self to find full freedom, like “Hey I am not really here, so I can do whatever I want” The song is also about my Mother and Father who both died young, the chorus-“Nothing takes the place of you, Cause time is Material,” and “l’ve gone through you, back to me” is about my parents being gone- but their spirit and memory still being tangible to me, as time and space are like a soup that I can swim through. I see myself in those lyrics traveling through them, and everyone alive to travel back to myself, and them back out. When I sing those lyrics it is my most honest moment during a performance to connect with everyone present.

“Kaliedoscopic” features remixes of the tracks “Grave” and “On The Inside.” Who remixed these tracks, and what inspired you to feature them on the EP?

“Grave” was remixed by lan Marcel in Miami. We had been talking about doing a remix for a while and this EP presented the perfect home for the project! We love what he did with and feel like it’s a more complete song now. Our homie Troy not only remixed “On The Inside” but also produced the shit out of “Bird” haha. Honestly we are bad about getting the stems of our material when a project is done, but we did have the stems for “On The Inside,” so Troy, once again, worked his magic and we couldn’t be happier.

Who are some dream artists you’d like to collab with?

Dennis: One of my favorite beat makers and producers of all time is DJ Premier. His beats have this signature toughness but they’re slick too, and the songs he samples are pure class – l would love to spend some time with him making no wave / hip hop songs haha. I would also lose my shit if Action Bronson did a verse over a Donzii groove!

Donzii originally formed in Miami, Florida, but you guys currently live in Los Angeles, CA. What inspired you to move to LA, and does your experience living in Miami, Florida still inspire your creative process?

305 for life but we had to come out here to see the land. We had a few friends out here already which made the move much easier, and so many of our favorite bands are based in LA. It’s been amazing to get to know this city and meet so many inspiring people.

“Kaliedoscopic” was self-released through your “Gladugly” imprint. Do you find yourselves having more creative freedom being independent, as opposed to having to answer to a label?

Not really, labels are super helpful and we have never felt creatively silenced by anyone we’ve worked with. We are writing constantly, so being on a label with distribution and recording help would actually be awesome!

If each of you had to choose your favorite Donzii track, what would it be, and why?

“Funny Pants” or “Curveball” – they each epitomize the Donzii template; angular bass, hard drum machine, irreverent and meaningful lyrics with unexpected melody and of course atonal guitar parts that ride the line of texture and percussion.

Are you guys currently working on a new full-length album?

Yes, we have just wrapped recording with Andrew Clinco out here and it is currently being mixed. Details to come.

Kaliedoscopic is out now! https://donzii.bandcamp.com/album/kaliedoscopic

2026 Album Roundup

So much music, so little time to review everything, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been listening. 2026 has been a great year for music so far, and I would like to take this opportunity to spotlight some albums I didn’t get a chance to review.

Genre is Death – Attractive People

Though a myriad of modern Post-Punk bands incorporate elements of No Wave, very few bands fully epitomize the genre that had its heyday in late 70s-early 80s New York like “Genre is Death.” Taking the dissonant nature of No Wave, and combining it with heavily distorted guitars and minimal drum machine, the band’s second full-length album Attractive People is the sign of band that has no interest in being trendy, but has all the interest in bringing an uncompromising sonic experience to the world of modern Post-Punk, all while being melodic enough to hold every listener’s attention instead of pushing them away with abrasiveness.

https://genreisdeath.bandcamp.com/album/attractive-people

Crooked Man – Crooked Stile

House music is in late-stage broism. Many of us yearn for something less formulaic, and something with more personality. Though there are some outliers, the EDM-ification of Electronic music continues to reign supreme, which spawns an exhausting number of DJs and producers playing it safe by vomiting out the most commercial sounding music. Leave it to a veteran like Richard Barratt to bring us back to what makes House music so infectious. Most famous for being one half of the duo “Sweet Exorcist,” Barratt knows Electronic music and its various subgenres such as House and Acid Techno inside out, so it’s no surprise that his new album Crooked Stile under his “Crooked Man” moniker is pretty great. This album is refreshing.

https://crooked-man.bandcamp.com/album/crooked-stile

Pond – Terrestrials

Australian band “Pond” describe their 11th studio album Terrestrials as “goths at the pub,” and this is the truest description of the album. Much like what “MGMT” did on their album Little Dark Age, “Pond” departs from “Pink Floyd shit,” and incorporates 80s-driven New Wave, Goth, Post-Punk, and a dash of Glam Rock on Terrestrials, and they nail it!

https://pondling.bandcamp.com/album/terrestrials

IDK – E.T.D.S.

A celebration of Hip Hop. New school and old school. Inspired by the immediacy of mixtape culture of the 90s and 2000s, IDK has released a mixtape that’s quite possibly the most ambitious and interesting Hip Hop release I’ve heard in years. If there’s a release that can bridge the gap between old heads and new heads, this is it. Blending Boom Bap with modern Pop Rap hooks, and let’s not forget the fantastic breakbeat of the track “Stigma,” IDK is shaping himself to be one of the most interesting rappers today.

Odor Eater – But For Who?

Saying I like 80s-tinged music is like Robert Smith saying he likes eyeshadow, yeah no shit! So it’s no surprise that a band like “Odor Eater” has my attention. The Portland, Oregon-based duo wear their “Devo” and “Depeche Mode” influences on their sleeves, but also channel something distinctly their own on their debut album But For Who? Bands that go this route often sound like a pastiche of the beloved era of teased hair and synthesizers, but “Odor Eater” sounds natural doing it. This music is catchy, fun, political at times, and features some killer clarinet.

https://odoreater.bandcamp.com/album/but-for-who

Earth Tongue – Dungeon Vision

New Zealand’s own “Earth Tongue” aren’t afraid to spotlight their “Black Sabbath” worship, but aside from some Doomy and fuzzed-out guitar riffs, the band resides in their own world filled with Dark Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi, and just about every nerdy thing you can think of. This music packs a punch, and there’s only two members!

https://earthtongue.bandcamp.com/album/dungeon-vision

Genesis Owusu – REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE

Using the term “genre-defying” is a bit of a cliché at this point, but in the case of Australian rapper Genesis Owusu’s music, there isn’t a more appropriate term. Fusing Hip Hop, Punk, Post-Punk Revival, Indie Rock, Funk, and New Wave, REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE is Owusu’s most eclectic album yet, and God damn it’s his best! It’s a political album that critiques the current state of propaganda, systems of inequality, the rich, and alt-right extremism. This album couldn’t have arrived at a better time.

https://genesisowusu.bandcamp.com/album/redstar-wu-the-worldwide-scourge

The Healing Power of Horses – Summer Indoors (or outside wearing black)

Blending Trip Hop, Indie Pop, Industrial, and Experimental with deadpan vocals, UK band “The Healing Power of Horses” sounds like a band out of the “Windmill scene” in Brixton. Though they weren’t part of this scene, they take the PVA-style to the next level and show much promise on their new E.P. Summer Indoors (or outside wearing black). Hopefully there’s a full-length album on the horizon.

https://thehealingpowerofhorses.bandcamp.com/album/summer-indoors-or-outside-wearing-black

Written By: Steven Sandoval

Album Review: Josh da Costa – New Wave Graveyard

Rating: 8/10

“Aside from being kind of a facetious way of describing my album, New Wave Graveyard is more of a reference to my perception of LA – the sort of hollowed out carcass of this shiny, new, and exciting future city as depicted in TV & Movies and pop culture in general throughout the entirety of my childhood,” says Josh da Costa about the title of his debut solo album for “Stones Throw Records.” Described as a “greatest hits from an alternate universe,” New Wave Graveyard is an apt title for an album filled with 80s-tinged bangers. I could say this music is anachronistic, but given the resurgence of 80s-styled media whether it be B-movie Horror sleaze, or the frequent use of synthesizers and punchy drum machines, (see just about every modern Darkwave band) New Wave Graveyard sounds as modern as it does nostalgic. However, this music isn’t just nostalgic, it’s more of a period piece, a natural continuation of 80s and 90s styles such as Synth-Pop, Post-Punk, Shoegaze, Jangle Pop, and Madchester adjacent Alternative Dance. This isn’t Josh’s first rodeo when it comes to showcasing what makes these genres so enticing. His former band “CMON” often flirted with these styles, but I feel like everything was leading up to this. New Wave Graveyard is by far his best work.

Opening with the track “Skygirl,” a song about falling in love, the listener is immediately teleported back in time to the early 90s. It’s familiar, but refreshing, and that’s what makes this album so damn good. Josh acknowledges the past all while creating his own distinct style. Everything from “Proving Me Right,” which sounds like if the “Bee Gees” made Shoegaze, to “Tissues,” which is his ode to depression and anxiety, to the danceable “Slip By,” a track that wouldn’t sound out of place on New Order’s Brotherhood, this album is varied, which perfectly nails the concept of a compilation of various hits composed by various artists from an alternate universe, but is cohesive at the same time. There’s a recurring dreamlike quality to this album, and that dreamy haziness is front and center on tracks like “Cordelia,” which is a tribute to both his girlfriend and his favorite record label of the same name, and the mysterious “96 Year Old Girl.” This album is a thoughtfully produced opus where no second is wasted.

New Wave Graveyard is a perfect example of how it’s possible to unapologetically wear your influences on your sleeve while staying true to your own distinct vision. I recently interviewed Josh da Costa via email, and in that interview he said he does plan on touring to promote this album, so I’m excited to see how these songs are translated live, and I’m excited to see what musical endeavor he embarks on next.

Written By: Steven Sandoval

Josh da Costa Interview: https://meltreviewssite.com/2026/07/14/josh-da-costa-interview/

Josh da Costa Interview

Photo: Tonje Thilesen

I first became aware of Los Angeles-based musician Josh da Costa back in 2018. It was a year when I went through a lot of life changes, and it was my third year of running “MELT Reviews.” I fully immersed myself in music and live shows that year. I would take the Amtrak from Hanford, CA to Bakersfield, then take the bus all the way to L.A. for numerous shows. One of these shows was Geneva Jacuzzi at “The Echo,” which was a fantastic show, but one of the opening bands that really blew me away was CMON (Confusing Mix of Nations.) Their blend of New Wave, Post-Punk, Electronic, and Neo-Psychedelia was irresistible, and all of these very pleasing sounds were coming from only two people, Josh da Costa and Jamen Whitelock. I instantly became a fan. Fast-forward two years to 2020 and “CMON” now have a debut full-length album out. However, 2020 was, well, 2020. The pandemic derailed every band’s tour schedule, including “CMON,” and Josh da Costa also went through a lot of life changes, which prompted him to revisit music from his adolescence and “get deep into some of the gear I’d had lying around for years but overlooked.” Over the following years Josh DJed around LA, shared a myriad of underground tracks on his “Confusing Mix” show on “NTS Radio,” and performed with various bands including Drugdealer, MGMT, and Jessica Pratt, and during this time he began writing and recording his debut solo album New Wave Graveyard, which is set to be released on July 24th via “Stones Throw Records.” I had the opportunity to interview Josh about his upcoming record via email, and he gave me some very in-depth answers regarding his creative process, what inspired the record, being signed to Stones Throw, and much more.

Steven Sandoval: I want to start this off by saying I love the new record. I think it’s a perfect amalgamation of everything that makes 80s and 90s music so enticing. It’s varied, but cohesive and features a distinct sound that’s very much your own, as opposed to being a complete emulation of certain bands or styles. You’ve described this album as a “greatest hits from a parallel universe, classic songs from an alternate reality.” Can you elaborate on that? Are their specific bands or genres of music that inspired you while recording this album?

Josh da Costa: As you so eloquently put it, I’d like to think it’s an”amalgamation of everything that makes 80s and 90s music so enticing”. That’s pretty much my area of interest, or rather my obsession.

Steven Sandoval: Did you play all of the instruments on this album?

Josh da Costa: With the exception of Daryl Johns who played bass on “Tissues” and some programming assistance from Jamen Whitelock, yes I played all of the instruments on this album.

Steven Sandoval: Do you plan on touring to promote this album?

Josh da Costa: Yes!

Steven Sandoval: This is your first album since signing with “Stones Throw Records,” which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, and has released some iconic albums, Madvillainy being one of them, which is one of my favorite Hip Hop albums. How did you get signed to Stones Throw, and how has your experience with them been thus far?

Josh da Costa: I had been working on a bunch of songs for a good few years and was looking to find them a home. I sent Peanut Butter Wolf a folder of about 20-25 songs and to my delight he agreed to release them. I’ve known Wolf for a while now through my involvement in the LA weirdo indie music scene and also through DJing at his bar the Gold Line which is in our sort of shared neighborhood of Highland Park. It felt like a very local connection that I wanted to try and honor if possible.

Steven Sandoval: The album’s opening track “Skygirl” is a banger and reminds me of bands like “The Stone Roses” and “The Charlatans,” which brings to mind the Madchester scene of the late 80s – early 90s. Were these bands an inspiration, and can you tell us what this song is about?

Josh da Costa: Yes, those bands and that scene / sound was the biggest inspiration on “Skygirl.” That song is about falling in love, plain and simple.

Steven Sandoval: The track “Tissues” is an ode to anxiety and depression, two things a lot of us know too well, and you lyrically nailed the feeling of living with these things perfectly. If you don’t mind me asking, are these things you too live with, and if so, how do you control them amongst touring, making music and being surrounded by large groups of people?

Josh da Costa: Yeah I live with those things but I wouldn’t say to a crippling extent, for which I am grateful. However that song had been kicking around my mind for years without any real lyrics and one day I was like OK I *have* to finish “Tissues.” So I set out to write it properly and when it came time I think I was in the mood to try and embody the feeling that the music was conjuring inside of me, which spoke to that part of my emotional makeup. Because those feelings are definitely in there and in certain moments or phases of my life I can succumb to them for sure. It can be pretty harrowing when they kick in, for instance, on tour because being on tour can put you in a pretty existential state and depending on the touring party, can be quite uncomfortable. But to be honest, tour sometimes is a convenient escape from the woes of daily life at home, which can also be pretty existential I guess, except you’re not distracted by tons of people and you’re not keeping busy, moving from place to place- you’re just at home. And I typically work from home – as a matter of fact most of the songs on this record were recorded at home – so to have to be able to stay focused and motivated when surrounded by your daily reality at home can be a little challenging, especially if depresh’ and anx’ are rearing their ugly little heads. How I control them? Not totally sure I do other than sticking to a loose routine that usually consists of me going to the same café every day and ordering the same iced cappuccino and then bugging my friend at his shop around the corner for a little chat – socializing and being around people is kind of my drug of choice. Classic extrovert shit I suppose. Nuzzling up against my cat Thomas helps. Going for walks or drives with my girlfriend and coming home to watch some X-Files before bedtime is just what the doctor ordered. I used to love going to record stores but sometimes those actually make me more sad. Can’t explain it but sometimes it just feels heavy.

Steven Sandoval: “96 Year Old Girl” is one of my favorite tracks off the album. I read that it was written one night “after getting really high, ordering Dominos, and watching Terminator 2, and reckons with not feeling seen by a loved one. Can you tell us more about that?

Josh da Costa: I mean that’s pretty much the story right there. That song is special to me – I think it definitely achieves something that I admire in other songs which is that it sorta defies genre or conventional structure but still manages to flow nicely and evoke something mysterious. Mystery or intrigue is a really hard thing to manufacture but I think I kinda bottled some of that with this one by illustrating some kind of a scene and some kind of a person. Like who is she? And then the chorus has a different perspective since I’m not addressing the 96-year old girl but addressing “you”. So it has some funny shifts and quirked up imagery that I think gives people something to think about and the textures are cool too. But all of that came about by experimenting after having had a lot of time and space to digest lots of ideas and melodies and then when I had a window to myself one night, I kicked back, relaxed with some’za and some T2, and felt inspired so l went for it.

Steven Sandoval: “Cordelia” is such a luscious and dreamy track. Who exactly is Cordelia?

Josh da Costa: Cordelia is my girlfriend. But at the time, Cordelia was just my roommate. I met Cordelia outside of a show one night after my house had recently burned down and I was looking for a new place to live. She had just moved to town and needed a roommate so I threw my name in the hat. She graciously accepted me and I felt so honored that I wanted to pay tribute in a song. The plot eventually thickened, but I’ll leave it at that. I was also inspired by the record label “Cordelia Records” and figured it would be a great way to pay homage to both this special person and this special label.

Steven Sandoval: The album is titled New Wave Graveyard. What inspired the name?

Josh da Costa: My friend Douglas Mcgowan inspired the name, which I had actually inspired him to say out loud one day by proposing a compilation of fairly obscure 80s songs that I was fixated on at the time. I thought it had a nice ring to it and I sorta put it in my back pocket. Eventually I felt like it applied nicely to my album.

Steven Sandoval: You’ve lived in Los Angeles for awhile now right? How much of an impact does it have on your music, and has it changed at all since you first moved there?

Josh da Costa: I’ve lived in LA for over a decade and its had a profound impact on my music. In fact, I feel like aside from being kind of a facetious way of describing my album, New Wave Graveyard is more of a reference to my perception of LA – the sort of hollowed out carcass of this shiny, new, and exciting future city as depicted in TV & Movies and pop culture in general throughout the entirety of my childhood. It has changed though, and what used to be a little grimier and sketchier now feels a little more safe and sanitized. Of course, that is a mixed bag, and not really a can of worms I care to open but let’s just say if I were to say I miss the old days, I am sure someone else would be quick to point out that by the time I got here it had already changed a lot anyway.

Steven Sandoval: You’ve also played drums for various bands including “Drugdealer” and “MGMT.” How does being behind the drum kit differ from recording solo material?

Josh da Costa: It differs in many ways but ironically the way in which it differs the most for me is that I am pretty unfussy with drumming on my own material because I know that there is so much other work to be done that I try to spend as little time on the drum performances as possible. I inevitably end up editing the hell out of them anyway, so maybe that’s foolish, and maybe I should put a little more effort into exploring my drumming abilities on my own songs but I think I just need there to be something solid and predictable so I can just get cookin on the other parts I need to lay down.

Steven Sandoval: I’ve listened to your “Confusing Mix” show on “NTS Radio,” and I’m very impressed with how deep your knowledge goes when it comes to underground and obscure music. How do you discover these artists, and just how big is your record collection?

Josh da Costa: I discover music primarily through three different channels – through friends, through going to record shops and digging, and through youtube. Occasionally the algorithm will surprise me but not too often. My record collection used to be bigger but it’s still fairly chunky. I haven’t counted in a while but it’s .. something.

Steven Sandoval: Any chance we’ll hear new “CMON” music in the future?

Josh da Costa: It’s anyone’s guess as far as new “CMON” goes. Jamen and I stopped working together in 2020 and briefly jammed again a couple of years later. The last time we got together to make music felt super organic and inspired and even though it sounded completely different from what “CMON” sounded like it sounded extremely true to our shared musical vision. So even if we were to produce more music together, it’s likely that it wouldn’t sound like anything we’ve done before.

Josh da Costa’s new album New Wave Graveyard drops July 24th via “Stones Throw Records.”

Pre-order: https://joshdacosta.bandcamp.com/album/new-wave-graveyard

Album Review: Station Model Violence – Station Model Violence

Rating: 8/10

Nowadays a common misconception about “Post-Punk” is that it’s all dark and goth-adjacent, which reduces the genre’s artistic and experimental history of incorporating elements of Funk, Industrial, Pop and Krautrock to something that’s just dark and moody. Sure Gothic Rock derived from Post-Punk, but not all Post-Punk is Goth. Though that misconception can be frustrating for Post-Punk scholars, there are bands that still understand the assignment when it comes to continuing the artistic, intellectual and anti-commercial ethos of the beloved genre. Australian band “Station Model Violence” are one of those bands. Consisting of members of bands such as Total Control, Den, and R.M.F.C., “Station Model Violence” have crafted a fantastic debut album that harks back to 80’s Post-Punk, when the genre evolved into a more pop-oriented style often called “New Wave.” That’s right, this album is more Psychedelic Furs than Gang of Four. This album sounds like it came from a band who frequently performed at “The Batcave” in London in 1983. This album sounds like what “Zero Le Crêche” would’ve sounded like had they stayed together. Despite the band’s obvious Post-Punk influence, that influence doesn’t turn the music into a gimmick. These are tunes that also dive into psychedelia, Krautrock inspired 4/4 drum rhythms, and dark but soothing walls of sound topped with smooth as Hell saxophone. The pulsating rhythms will put you in a trance, which leads to a hypnotizing experience. Sure the band acknowledges the Post-Punk and Goth forefathers, (“Cliffs” is a dead ringer for Bauhaus’ “King Volcano”) but this is a solid album that’s entirely their own, and I feel like they’ll somehow top this record in the future.

Written By: Steven Sandoval

https://staticshockrecords.bandcamp.com/album/station-model-violence

Donzii Announce New E.P “Kaleidoscopic,” Share New Single “Bird”

Formed in Miami, Florida, “Donzii” have been making music as far back as 2018, crafting an infectious blend of Post-Punk, No Wave and Industrial. Today the band have announced a new E.P. titled Kaleidoscopic. According to the band, the E.P. will be released “slowly like a waterfall with the second single arriving May 2026, followed by additional releases leading into the full project.” The first release from the E.P. is a banger titled “Bird,” which was inspired by a dream lead singer Jenna Balfe had where she had figured out how to fly. “She thought it was insane and incredible, but no one seemed to bat an eye or care. Rather than a commentary on ego- this dream reflects the often disaffected approach people have toward the wonder of life. It’s not just about driving a car to work and buying shit. Life is an ecstatic ecstasy! Every breath is so insane and precious. Bird is an expression of wanting to maintain that wonder and share it” says the band. You can listen to “Bird” at the link below:

https://donzii.bandcamp.com/track/bird

Riki Shares New Music Video for “Florence & Selena”

We’re just two weeks away from the release of Riki’s upcoming album Gold, and while we wait, Riki has shared a stunning new music video for her track “Florence & Selena” for us to enjoy. The video is directed by Travis Waddell, and is as visually compelling as the song is sonically enticing. Gold will be released on November 26th via “Dais Records.” You can watch the music video for “Florence & Selena” below:

Riki Shares New Single “Florence and Selena”

Every time Riki releases new music it’s impossible not to swoon over her angelic vocals and impeccable attention to dreamy soundscapes consisting of retro synth-laden New Wave that explores a myriad of emotions. Her new single “Florence and Selena” is no departure, but the track offers a refreshing sense of balladry that’s absent from modern Pop music. The track will appear on her upcoming album Gold, which is set to drop on November 26th via “Dais Records.” You can listen to “Florence and Selena” below:

Riki Announces New Album “Gold,” Shares New Single “Marigold”

Following her self-titled debut, which was released last year on St. Valentine’s Day, Riki is set to drop her follow-up album Gold on November 26th via “Dais Records.” The Los Angeles-based artist has also shared a new single titled “Marigold,” which is a duet featuring Telefon Tel Aviv co-founder Josh Eustis, who helped produce the album as well. “Marigold” carries on that dreamy synth-driven New Romantic sound that delightfully lit up her previous album, but the track pulls no punches when delivering an atmospheric tone with reverb-drenched guitars that will transport you to the days of old where New Wave was dominant. However, Riki is more intent on breathing new life into these genres, as opposed to being overly nostalgic, showing there’s much to be explored in these musical realms. You can listen to “Marigold” below:

The Reality TV Shares New Single “Beats”

Musician Benjamin Mace-Crossley has released his new single “Beats” under his “The Reality TV” project, and it’s appropriately titled because this track has a danceable drum machine beat that will get you moving immediately. Topped with goth-tinged guitars and synthesizers that evoke the spirit of 80’s “Dark Wave” or “EBM,” this song is a gloomier and doomier dance tune that brings poppy fun to the aforementioned genres without straying into despair. You can listen to “Beats” below: