Twin Tribes - The Best New Goth Band You've Been Sleeping On

If you feel like you're burnt out on your usual goth or darkwave playlist, or maybe have a hard time finding new, up-and-coming bands, don't worry! I'm here to give you the answer to your goth prayers. Twin Tribes are are a very new (formed in 2017) goth rock duo that have already gained a dedicated following from their hometown of Brownsville, Texas, to countries across the globe. They're just two LPs into their musical career and they already have me and many other dark music lovers absolutely hooked. The title of this post is a little cheeky, and purposefully so, because it was really me who was sleeping on this amazing band. I just started listening to them a little while ago, and the first song I heard from them was "Fantasmas", off of their most recent record Ceremony, released at the tail end of 2019. By the end of that song...my mouth was definitely agape...I was in awe. 

Spanish for "ghosts", "Fantasmas" is an occult rock jam that seems to be about a seance gone wrong (or maybe right) and about becoming possessed by ghosts. Definitely playing off of their heritage and Mexican folklore, this song manages to give chills while also making you want to dance wildly, as if possessed yourself. With the chorus being entirely in Spanish, it makes my bilingual self very happy, and is so far one of their only songs with Spanish lyrics. I really hope that in future releases they feel free to incorporate more Spanish into their songs, as I thoroughly enjoy it, and think it sets them apart from many of the only English-speaking goth artists out there today. Please check out "Fantasmas" for yourself below and be blown away by their powerful sound...

The rest of the Ceremony record is also absolutely gorgeous and equally spooky. There's the pretty, forbidden romance-sounding "Heart & Feather". Whose key line "this curse we have we cannot hide", and dripping, chiming synths made me fall even deeper in love with Twin Tribes. Followed by the darker, more brooding "The River", where the vocals seem to go even deeper than they were already (very Dave Gahan-like, in my opinion). In fact, overall the track feels very Black Celebration era Depeche Mode for me...which, if you know me, is the highest praise I can possibly give, as that album is my lifeblood. The track is so beyond amazing, that even though I just had you all listen to one, I'm going to link it below. Since I could go on about all of Ceremony, I'll just tell you to check out the entire thing after this, because I swear you won't be disappointed. "Avalon" is another favorite of mine... Until then! Check out "The River" below, if you like~

Their debut album from 2018, Shadows, also definitely deserves to be talked about here. The title track has the same 80's goth energy of greats like the Cure or the English-speaking counterpart to Caifanes. "No one will find us as we run through the dark tonight", has that freedom in isolation from the rest of the world, that is a sentiment many goths share (also definite "A Forest" vibes). The music video gives it a more twisted, sinister meaning though. There's sacrifice, kidnapping, blood drinking, tarot, and fire...oh my! It aids in keeping the band shrouded in mystery, and is definitely worth seeing. Overall the record sounds more like classic post-punk, whereas Ceremony takes on a fuller, big, synth-driven sound that makes me think more of Depeche or She Past Away. This just shows the progression Twin Tribes has made in such a short time, and the scope of what their sound can be. 

The standout synthy track on Shadows, however, being "Dark Crystal". A pulsing beat to dance and cast spells to, as the lyrics seem to be advocating for just that. "Commence the invocation" made my Pagan instincts perk up immediately. Twin Tribes definitely know how to pair goth motifs of general despair and longing, with magical, witchy ones, and still keep it dancable. It is what I think makes them different than a lot of other groups in the scene, past and present, as not many directly touch on summoning ghosts, or performing rituals with crystals. 

Whatever your goth heart is itching for right now, Twin Tribes has got you covered. And if you're looking for a group to follow and see consistently great new material from, they've got you there too. At just three years old, they are a fresh new duo that could already sit among the goth greats, as far as I'm concerned. I look forward to seeing what their mystical, spooky selves come up with next.

Thank you as always for reading, and have a spooky weekend! Here's the chilling yet sensual, official video for "Shadows" below to kick-start it with!