The dark pop artist slides effortlessly between EBM, electro and goth
In no time at all, Newcastle’s very own Lubber Fiend have done an impeccable job of offering a proper DIY venue that the city centre was sorely lacking. Although it’d be heresy to even imply that the wider Newcastle area was lacking on this front, it’s still satisfying to have a venue that caters to a broad audience on a DIY scale, and this upcoming show on Saturday 25th February is no exception to the rule.
The mysterious, masked Kontravoid is the alias of Canadian-born, Los Angeles-based Cameron Findlay, who has perfected the fine art of dark pop that slides effortlessly between EBM, electro and goth. Releases such as 2019’s Too Deep and 2021’s Faceless are deep excursions into the darker side of dance music, being every bit as inscrutable and unpredictable as their creator, whilst still maintaining an impeccable sense of danceable, melodic groove. Support (so far) comes from Newcastle’s finest purveyors of darkwave splendour, Vigilance State, crafters of filthy bangers and dystopian analogue soundscapes. The duo will be instantly recognisable to anyone attuned to the more synth-laden corners of the community, and they make for a perfect fit to Kontravoid’s similarly dark delights.
Kontravoid and Vigilance State play The Lubber Fiend on Saturday 25th February.