Needle Drop: Sacred Skin, “No Surprise”

Formed in early 2020, Los Angeles based duo Brian DaMert and Brian Tarney began writing and producing glittering and emotional post-punk.

Few bands are able to reinvent their influences, and with Sacred Skin the source material is clear. New wave, synthpop, post-punk, Talk Talk, and The Fixx all shape this band, but their unparalleled sound is utterly their own. Subtle in their aggression, the power of Sacred Skin is in their perfect arrangements, their use of vintage studio gear, and DaMert’s mysterious voice. This band is potent and on the rise. This past March saw them opening for AFI at Hollywood’s legendary Palladium.

“No Surprise,” the fifth release from their forthcoming album, Decline of Pleasure, hits with that distinctive Fixx guitar tone through a number of different synths: Moog Source, Prophet VS, and Emulator II (used by Depeche Mode and Genesis). “This song came together in one late night session” they told TVD. “We wanted to make a track reminiscent of early Ministry and Duran Duran. Something dancey, but with a bit of edge.”

Much like the rest of their releases, it’s a brilliant, dreamy track. And there hasn’t been one disappointing song, just climactic tunes building the anticipation for their highly awaited album. Their aesthetic—more novel at this moment than purely nostalgic—is an early ‘80s nod to a time when our culture was not so overproduced. Sacred Skin is a band worth getting acquainted with—one that will draw you in.

Stay tuned for the Decline of Pleasure out on NYC label collective SYNTHICIDE this May. You can pre-order it here on Bandcamp.

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