Laughter by a/lpaca

Goth naturally reappears as hopes shatter and decay deepens, giving the genre a reputation as a sort of one-dimensional emotional vampire that reflects nothing but death itself. Even if goth stopped here, the genre would still provide an endless well of interesting art, but experimental outfit a/lpaca push these boundaries on Laughter, an eclectic mix of gothified sounds that call out to us through a downpour of malaise. Guitars from noise rock, rhythms from psych rock, drums from idm, and samples from viral videos expand the record’s sonic palette, building a surprisingly lively base for this undead sound. Mumbled vocals and fuzzy production refocus the record onto a goth aesthetic, imprisoning the energetic, eclectic, angsty band within a commentary on a regressing culture and economy. Authentic, individual feelings pierce the misery of collective devolution, reintroducing us to ourselves and our consciousness despite the weight of a world looking for every chance to crush us.