Second Still - Violet Phase

Violet Phase is the second full-length album from Second Still. Comprised of Ryan Walker (guitar), Alex Hartman (bass), and Suki San (vocals), the globally-recognised Los Angeles trio specialises in post-punk and coldwave genres. This release comes hot off the heels of last year’s Equals EP, which featured “Walls”, a song for which the band received some acclaim. Violet Phase is a more-or-less streamlined eight-track playlist of heavy industrial sonic formation and summarised by established tension with moments of release.

by Joshua Kranz

“Mouse” is a heavy number of erotic motivation, thematically distinguished most prominently by its refrain “falling too hard, digging a tunnel, ready to work, ready and able”. Second Still’s cool, perhaps even brusque honesty paints an unambiguous picture for the listener in that respect, with our almost immediate introduction to the lyric material being the confession – or suggestion – “I miss you underneath me, I miss you all the time.” The simple instrumental is generally comprised by heavy synths riding a drum box dance beat, while small electronic flourishes intermittently appear.

Also very heavy is “New Violet”, which follows on from “Mouse” with its dark and cold sound. A pulsing synth is the backbone of the song, and is joined by a descending bass riff that drags the listener down into the mood of the song. Similarly to the opening track, “New Violet” is beyond question of largely sexual motivation. A mostly disinteresting arrangement, perhaps the most engaging part of the number is the high, chiming instrumentation in the outro, which has a static, radio-mimicking soundbite spliced in.

“Double Negative” opens with pace, pushed by the now staple drum machine dance beat. The listener will likely find this song the most musically rich song on the record, as much of the song’s 3:15 runtime contains an intense instrumentation that carries a little bit of variation; variation that has been rather lacking thus far.

“Spiders & Spies” is, for the first time on the album, a slow-paced song, and predictably beholden to melancholy. The airy synths and flanged, detuned guitar tones suggests some of the more dark, experimental pop music of the 80s. San’s vocals on this track are at once most haunting and, in a very bizarre way, seductive. “Spiders & Spies” also features a more rewarding instrumental outro, with sweeping synths that wash over the firm and low primary elements.

At this midway point in the record, the listener might consider the record to be trending in a more curious direction – nodding to some of the more varied and even momentarily nuanced compositional aspects occurring in “Double Negative” and “Spiders & Spies” – and insofar feel a bit intrigued regarding the direction the band is taking.

The second half of the record commences with “The Future”, which hearkens to the relatively more streamlined structure and sound of the record’s first two songs. It maintains some of the more dance-like, industrial qualities that best characterise the record. Materially, it is a bit more existential than Second Still has yet offered on this release; San croons with a hint of pathos, “my body is so old” – a rather terrifying inversion of the hitherto prevalent theme of carnality.

“Special No One” instantly recalls in tone and voice Nine Inch Nails’ 1989 anthem “Head Like A Hole”. The song does own some tension, and that underscores the domestic lyrical moments with unsettling feelings “Mondays are hardest when you wake up in your little bed, Mondays you play the same, saving things from yesterday”. “No one understands, no one”, sings San – the record unfolds small moments of existentialism.

The seventh track is “Eternal Love”, which has a slightly more distilled punk feel. While the title suggests some richer thematic material, the song feels much more geared toward its instrumentation. “Eternal Love” almost serves as a mere refrain for the closest thing to a jam that Second Still has offered us on Violet Phase.

“Idyll” brings the record to a close, and opens with some startling, attacking guitar tones that rather effectively discomfort the listener – note that this discomfort is definitely an intended effect on the band’s part, and which is rounded out by compositional tension. In a laudable move, all the tension and discord sowed by the introductory and verse sections of the song are totally and momentarily released in a finely produced chorus, which is clean, relaxed and melancholic.

Second Still seems to have produced what they intended: a straightforward post-punk record with a hook. While the record does contain bits of existential material that present every now and then, the general lack of lyrical quality or introspection does not offer much to the music in terms of its ability to reel the listener in.

Instrumentally, the record is not strong enough to overcome the lyrical shortcoming – that is generally speaking – but there are some occasions on which the band displays some level of proficiency at composing a complete and engaging song. It is unlikely that listeners who are not disposed to this particular sphere of the music world will be dreadfully intrigued but, then again, that seems to be a large part of the allure and expectation of the place it does hold.

Second Still - Part Time Punks Session

Where does New Wave become Darkwave and Darkwave become Goth? I might have found an answer with the band Second Still that fills both of those questions. The single “Equals” sparked a Grail type quest to find more…much more.

Second Still is a three piece post-punk/coldwave band from Los Angeles, CA. Combining the definitive sounds of French coldwave with the unconventional time signatures of No Wave, then layering that hybrid with hauntingly beautiful vocal melodies, Second Still crafts a sound soaked in nostalgia but also one that marches onwards towards the future. Infectious bass lines infiltrate your body and attack your senses. Guitar phrases glide in undulating melodic waves that peak into moments of formidable delay feedback. Heavyweight drum machine beats feel like punches to the gut. Combing the 80s underground for only the best of influences like Xmal Deutschland, Garlands-era Cocteau Twins, Asylum Party, and Opera De Nuit, smooth running water slowly freezes as the sun’s reflection is blocked by a sound that is decidedly Second Still’s own unique imprint.

Second Still - Equals EP

After their first full-length record was named “best post-punk debut LP of 2017” by Post-Punk.com, Equals sees Second Still evolving their sound and progressing forward into sonically uncharted territory. The four main components of the band’s signature sound are still there –chorus and delay-heavy guitar, hypnotic bass grooves, heavyweight drum machine beats, and hauntingly beautiful vocal melodies– but they have added a couple analogue synthesizers into the arsenal for Equals, mixing a whole new element into their already uniquely realized style of post-punk. Commanding synth bass, subtle ambient soundscapes, and forceful lead synth hooks now supplement and enhance the distinctive sound that Second Still had already crafted on their first two releases. Lead single “Opening” picks up where the band left off with last year’s stunning self-titled debut. The track begins with Ryan Walker’s brief, but ominous guitar line before launching into a driving onslaught of hard-hitting drum programming and Alex Hartman’s hypnotic bass. Suki San’s vocals arrive soon after, dripping with reverb and peppering textural vocal repetition. The track twists and turns over the course of four and half minutes of cold bliss, building layers of guitars, staccato bass textures, and tense vocals into a frenzy, ending just as quickly as it began.

The band also explore a more pop-orientated and lighter sound on Equals, especially on the A-side, while the B-side stays true to the band’s more melancholic and gloomy roots. The EP kicks off with “In Order”, an upbeat and throbbing dance-floor anthem with a pulsating arpeggiated synth line driving the song forward. Following that is “Ashes”, a six-minute pop ballad who’s feeling is constantly shifting, at times being tastefully reserved and atmospheric, while at others totally unleashed and unhinged. The B-side offers a nice contrast to the pop sensibilities of side A, with three unrelenting back to back tracks of aggressive and forceful cold wave outpourings.

In contrast to their debut LP, Equals was recorded in piecemeal form in various practice spaces and provisional studios. Engineered, mixed, and produced by Chris King, guitarist of Cold Showers and mastered by Mike Tierney, Equals marks a more DIY direction, with no dip in quality or power. Jean Lorenzo, a NYC-based graphic designer, created the album artwork, which features a front cover with a die cut design, allowing for select sections of record’s insert to be visible through the openings.

Second Still - Second Still

Second Still formed in 2014 in New York, consisting of bassist Alex Hughes, guitarist Ryan Walker, and vocalist/violinist Suki San. Their self-titled 2017 album is a lauded blend of 80s-inspired post-punk, coldwave, and darkwave, featuring Suki San’s dreamy vocals and Ryan Walker’s sharp guitar work. The 8-track LP, recorded in Brooklyn, explores themes of anxiety, depression, and alienation, with a fast-paced, atmospheric, and often melodic sound. The album is described as having "dark Bauhaus/Joy Division vibes" mixed with Siouxsie & The Banshees-esque elements, creating a unique atmospheric, and nostalgic, yet fresh, sound. The album was produced by Hilary Johnson and mastered by Mike Tierney, featuring a mix of "reverb-heavy guitars," "hard-hitting drum machine beats," and "shimmering guitar lines". The album explores themes of "depression, frustration, anxiety, and alienation," with lyrics that are described as "cathartic, sentimental, and emotionally sensitive". The album has been praised for its ability to create a "beautifully dark" and "enchanting" atmosphere, making it a standout in the modern post-punk scene. 

Review by Bret Miller

In the late 1970’s and early 80’s creative types were coming together to create music that reflected and challenged the angst and anxiety of the era.  With Margaret Thatcher’s politics in England, Reagan causing fear of nuclear war with Russia and Germany split in two by the Berlin Wall, bands like Xmal Deutchland, Bauhaus, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Joy Division and The Cure were making cathartic sounds to remind the moon-tanned loners and introverts they weren’t alone. There’s an excellent primer on German post-punk HERE. The sound built on what had come before in the world of rock, jazz, blues and more, utilizing whatever gear could be afforded, crafting creepy, angry and beautiful music out of voice, guitar, drum machines and an audacious desire to sound like nothing that had come before.

Second Still started after Ryan Walker (guitar) and Alex Hartman (bass) met a few years back and the duo began recording instrumental demos.  In 2014, the duo moved to Los Angeles and met singer Suki San and the band was born.  In 2016 they released Early Forms, a 4-song EP of which three are rerecorded and included on their debut S/T full-length.

"Recover" begins with an almost metronomic drum beat and throaty guitars, Alex Hartman’s bass and the beat driving into your being.  Ryan Walker glides around the rhythm with his guitar work, exploring the empty spaces.  Then Suki San enters, hushed and mysterious as the rhythm takes on a looser flow.  Walker’s guitar takes on various voices of its own, and the guitar freak-out at the end is one of many on the album, an anti-solo as minimalist as it is thrilling.

Hartman’s forceful bass leads the way on "Try Not To Hide", the song noisy and anxious, Walker flittering up and about.  By now you get Second Still’s Modus Operandi, while also beginning to pick up on the richness of their limited color palette.  The ending of "Try Not to Hide" again thrills with a metallic shriek of guitars.

"Sleep" is dangerously alluring, as Suki San’s vocals become slightly more prominent, more melodic and throaty.  Walker’s guitars are fuller and minor chord pretty, he and Hartman changing up their playing for something more powerful and rocking.  The digital hi-hat cymbals offset the cavernous space.  You’ll find yourself unable to stop doing the noodle dance.

"You Two So Alike" is creepy and kooky, bouyed by a faster bouncy beat and playful call and response guitars and the occasional “wooh!”

Second Still’s debut album closes with "Judgment", Suki San speak-singing through an insistent bass rumble and drum beat, Walker layering higher and lower guitar parts, leading the way for San to almost growl. “I’m just another loser”.  Creating tension with repetition, San sings enigmatically “I see something in your ways/ Don’t get carried away”,  Walker digs into his guitar for another emotional freak-out, leaving the listener wanting more.

Second Still - Early Forms EP

Another one of my occasional forays into the underbelly of the US post-punk scene, see’s us stumble into L.A. based post-punk trio Second Still. Originating from Brooklyn, Second Still deliver beautifully dark, slate-grey coldwave music, as evidenced by the reverential post-punk on their two EPs, 2016’s “Early Forms” and 2018’s “Equals.” Now the band — Suki Kwan, Alex Hartman and Ryan Walker — are entering their “Violet Phase,” the title of the album they released on 17 May 2019. Taking their name from the opening song on Modern Eon’s album Fiction Tales a couple of Modern Eon members got turned on to their music and reached out to Second Still a while ago to say they really liked their songs. The bands that have influenced Second Still most are the early 4AD bands like Xmal Deutschland, Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, and This Mortal Coil. Channelling Head Over Heels era Cocteau Twins the primitive coldwave renderings that make up the band’s first EP, Early Forms has enchanting tunes that lure you into the deepest recesses of the night. Originally written by Ryan (guitar) and Alex (bass) as an instrumental demo in 2013, the band restructured the songs to leave room for singer Suki San’s added vocal melodies. Reverb-heavy guitars and pitch-perfect vocal melodies draw you in while a hard-hitting drum machine and a steady bass line keep the groove underneath take on the iconic 4AD sound of dreamy goth-pop anthems. Definitely not for daytime, drive time radio, (but then again if you’ve got this far that won’t be your thing anyway) they are nonetheless a band that should be played and heard by many.

Hot Dark And Moist - Darker Matter (Vol 10)

I’ll just google ‘Hot Dark And Moist’ and see what comes up…

Its midday on Monday and it’s a day for warm salted caramel brownies. A little comfort food while a wild wind blows across the country causing more havoc and death as the day grows old. If you’ve been out this morning and the wind has cut through you like a hot knife through butter, you’ll know what I mean (if you’re reading this in another country than the UK, you probably have your own weather issues). Even being dragged up as a child in the wild north east of Scotland, I've never enjoyed being out in a howling gale, fucking hateful weather.