Delusion/Desire by Balvanera
Voice & lyrics by Agustina
Music written & performed by Lucas
Argentinian electronic duo Balvanera make infectious, clubby darkwave that neatly melds elements of minimal techno (those clipped beats), synth-pop (those handclaps) and EBM (that buzzing bassline) with swooping goth synth pads and singer Agustina Vizcarra’s vocal incantations. On harder, more industrial tracks like “Decode” and “Ruthlessly” she opts for an almost spoken-word approach; on dreamier ones like “Narratives” and “Citadel” she’s more fluid, more sing-song. Delusion/Desire is the pair’s debut full-length, released in 2018, and the balance and variety of the album, along with its insistent beats and elegantly placed, hooky synth melodies, make it a perfect witches’ brew. I’ve written a lot about the draw of the goth club floor, its aesthetic, and tunes that are perfect for it—melodramatic low lighting, sometimes too much dry ice—but finding Delusion/Desire (as I worked on another story) and falling for its instant appeal has me wishing pleather catsuits were appropriate for summer.
-Jes Skolnik for Bandcamp Daily
Tracklist
| 1. | Unarmed | 3:08 |
| 2. | Compression (The Absent) | 3:39 |
| 3. | Narratives | 3:11 |
| 4. | Citadel | 3:40 |
| 5. | Decode | 3:07 |
| 6. | Ruthlessly | 3:22 |
| 7. | Grey Angel Square | 3:16 |
| 8. | Black Sand | 3:56 |
| 9. | Aya | 4:44 |
