Independent Artist of the Week: Black Dahlia

May 31st 2021

Photo: Brenden Newton

Creating sinister dance floor dimensions and gothic live shows filled with distorted vocals exploring vintage sexploitation and empowerment, Black Dahlia fuses disparate sounds and values with crisp sensibility.

With international travel off the menu, Black Dahlia has been letting her music do the flying. She’s released music on labels in Scotland (Idlestates), Italy (Insane Industry), and the legendary Berlin label X-IMG, as well as on local favourites Up North Records and Deep Scan. 

Black Dahlia’s latest release, the stomping two-sided ‘Transmutative Discipline’ EP on Colombian label Body Musick, ratchets up the pressure and the tempo. With only two originals on the release – there’s two remixes by label head and dungeon don Filmmaker – the songs feel more focussed, honing in around central sonic tenets. The basslines are unrelenting, the gothic voices are intoxicating, and the raw, distorted shouts of ‘Killing For Company’ particularly lend to her exploration of sex, fetishism, and empowerment.

The release is brash, aggressive, and finished within 20 minutes, leaving you a bit shell shocked and bewildered. After you catch your breath and get your heart rate back to normal, ‘Transmutative Discipline’ will welcome you back into its dark sonic dungeon.

Purchase ‘Transmutative Discipline’ below & catch Black Dahlia’s Midday Mix from February here.

Tune in to Up For It with Courtney Ammenhauser every Monday from 6am to meet your Independent Artist of the Week!

Contributor

Read more from Conor Hughes