dark-patterns

[dark-patterns]

"It’s a hypnotic ever-evoling slice of electronic rock with a dark atmospheric edge that feels like a stroll through a seedy part of town after a night out that welcomes you with a big bold embrace. There are elements of Gorillaz, Young Fathers, TV On The Radio, and Darkside, all combined into something that holds a supreme power over the listener."

[dark-patterns]

"A dark and edgy song that evokes 90s electronica styles such as breakbeat. It's not exactly danceable, as it has a fragmented structure, but it doesn't stand still and doesn't let you down at any point. The song alternates introspective moments with hectic and frenetic ones. Clearly the work of experienced people who know what they're doing." (Translated from Portuguese)

[dark-patterns]

"Berlin-based trio Dark Patterns craft a stylish intrigue on the single “Dislocation,” infusing dexterous synthpunk bustling alongside moody post-punk guitar tones and dynamic vocal foreboding. The act describes the accompanying lyrics as thematically set within topics of “social hierarchy, undeserved deference, and ‘tugging the forelock’ in an age of chaos, incompetence and division.”

Sporadic drum/bass pulses and understated synths assemble alongside alternating vocals, between a steadier lead and shout-y reflective quality. Twanging, nocturnal guitar tones align enjoyably as various vocal layers coalesce past the one-minute turn. Spacey synth adornments and rhythmic escalations ensue in the moments ahead, comprising a strongly memorable success from Dark Patterns."

[dark-patterns]

"Send yourself into a glitchy state of hypnosis with Dark Patterns’s “Dislocation.” The new single from the experimental group continues to see them blending seemingly opposing tones and tempos for a refreshing electro-psychedelic sound that instantly grabs you. There are hints of lo-fi in the vocals while the drums steer toward dance music with their spurts of lively tempos, and the guitar tones feel like they’re from an unknown emo-surf-rock scene yet to be explored. These elements bleed into each other without making a mess on “Dislocation.” While the band thrives on creating the unthinkable, their collage-style approach to song craft evokes a welcoming warmth. Dark Patterns’ captivating fusion work knows no bounds as “Dislocation” fearlessly ventures into unchartered electro-rock territory." (Blog only available in the US)

[dark-patterns]

What do you say in the lyrics of the song?  We hint at themes of social hierarchy, undeserved deference, the myth of trickle-down economics, and what’s called ‘tugging the forelock’ in an age of such chaos, incompetence and division such as ours. It’s just what came out at the time!  The call-and-response vocal deliveries fitted with the spacious but spiky collage of sounds we were trying to create, but it took me a long time to experiment and be happy with the lyrics and delivery in the verses. I wanted it to be like an angry rant but not so over the top that it loses composure or sounds like it doesn’t fit with the track. What is your message to the world? There’s no overarching explicit general message from us, it’s all in the music. As for the message in the song you could say ‘Dislocation’ serves well as a thematic sequel to ‘Have you got your country back yet?’ in that it’s about watching British politics play out from afar in the years during and post-Brexit. Wondering out loud and despairing at people voting against their own interests, or believing nonsense just because it’s spoken by someone with perceived status, money, a posh accent, or they're just dog whistling. How and in what situation did this song come about?  As an initial demo, I was messing with samples trying to make a stop-start breaks kind of rhythm with added pieces of abstract percussion and found the basic groove and bass line. It got to a certain point when Jonas and Kora came up with the guitar parts and the “Let the world...” chorus, added better drums and synths, and then it started to come together.  We produce all of our music in our small rented rehearsal studio in Berlin-Marzahn and iterate on several demos simultaneously. Without the pressure of paying for fixed time in a recording studio, it can take us a long while to get songs finished, but we go at our own pace and get to experiment a lot which works for us. What does the song cover represent? Throughout this series of Dark Patterns singles, I’ve been creating collages using the Chronicling America website as the only resource. I have a method of using search terms based on lyrics or themes in the song, then I find some potentially interesting imagery or parts of old newspaper pages and go from there. I believe adding limitations like this can bring about interesting results in art. For this particular piece, I found the blindfolded couple and based it around them, plus some headlines and snippets that I found to be suggestive or relevant. What does this song say about your country, Germany?  The lyrics weren’t written with Germany in mind at all. There are similarities and we have our problems here, mainly with the rise of the far-right, but the inspiration came from a growing disconnection to my old home of the UK, which looks more unrecognisable and feels more ideologically distant and foreign to me as time goes on.

(Interview posted in Portuguese)

[dark-patterns]

https://www.novorama.com/playlist/5754-playlist-electro-juillet-2024

[dark-patterns]

"Introducing Dark Patterns, the experimental post-punk and electronica trio, who are not afraid of genre fluidity. From independent label Wrongfoot Records, these sporadic producers release singles that defy classification.

Their new track, “Dislocation,” is a curious twist on the hazy breakbeat of synthpunk. The lyrics are a slap in the face of social criticism, where Dark Patterns takes aim against undeserved hierarchy, blind submission and false politeness in times of chaos, incompetence and division.

From the start, the song grabs you with a hypnotic rhythm and Matthew Potter's voice loaded with disillusionment, questioning conformism and lack of action in the face of mediocrity. Extending to the elite and the alienated mass that sustains it.

“Dislocation” is an electric shock that forces you to look social discomfort in the eye. It's an anthem for the nonconformist, an invitation to shake off the doldrums and demand change. If you like music that makes you think and churns your guts, Dark Patterns is waiting for you with thunderous synthesizers and social criticism without anesthesia." (Translated from Spanish)

[dark-patterns]

"Experimental post-punk/electronica trio, Dark Patterns, have an excellent new single out called Dislocation. Opening with the lines "They’re all coming out the woodwork. What you’re buying, are you not trying. Where have you driven us" it provides a commentary which they say delves "into themes of social hierarchy, undeserved deference, and ‘tugging the forelock’ in an age of chaos, incompetence and division". There's almost a 2-Tone feel to the lyrics and the vocal delivery, but musically there's a fresh approach which smoothly blends elements of drum and bass, electronica and post-punk angst. The production is restrained and even quite delicate at times, especially with regards to the synths. There's an edge and moral undercurrent, but thankfully it is not presented in that all-too-predictable shouty style. Dislocation offers something with a refined confidence, making it much more interesting than the van-loads of the noisy preachers out there."

[dark-patterns]

"Dark Patterns’ latest track “Dislocation” is a captivating blend of drum and bass beats, twinkling synths, and layered vocal interplay. The song begins with drums that skip around the beat, creating a dynamic groove reminiscent of classic drum and bass. Synths twinkle over this groove, while question-and-answer vocals echo and delay, adding to the song’s complexity. Gentle guitar arpeggios enter the mix, enriching the texture before the vocal chorus takes center stage, later giving way to a more synth-driven groove that propels the track forward. The result is a contemporary piece that nods to old-school influences.

Lyrically, “Dislocation” ventures into themes of social hierarchy, undeserved deference, and the modern struggle against chaos and incompetence. The song’s curious dive into cloudy breakbeat synthpunk offers a thoughtful reflection on these issues, making it not only musically engaging but also intellectually stimulating."

[dark-patterns]

New single "Dislocation" is out now!

Hello friends,

"Dislocation" takes a curious turn into the realms of cloudy breakbeat synthpunk, lyrically delving into themes of social hierarchy, undeserved deference, and ‘tugging the forelock’ in an age of chaos, incompetence and division.

Stream "Dislocation" on Spotify/Apple etc: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/darkpatterns/dislocation-2

Download "Dislocation" on Bandcamp: https://dark-patterns.bandcamp.com/track/dislocation

”These drums are from another universe" - Glide Magazine 

"Feels like performance art" - Alt77 

"A moody post-punk track with an intriguing and fresh soundscape" - The Cape Creative Collective 

"The chorus feels like a goth-punk spy caper" - American Pancake

"A really interesting sound, somewhat between trip hop and reggae" - At Cost Mag 

[dark-patterns]

We’re pleased to announce “The Screws” has been selected for a compilation album featuring shoegaze bands from across the world, put together by Aspirin Age (a shoegaze and psych podcast) and Broken Sound Tapes.

‘Aspirin Age Volume Three (a shoegaze compilation)’ is out today.

[dark-patterns]

May '23 📸 by @elisaalabim

[dark-patterns]

"They continue to make our heads explode with new music." (Translated from Spanish)

[dark-patterns]

“We start with Dark Patterns from Germany and their single “The Screws”, a song with a psychedelic electronic sound and shoegaze tints. The trio also experiments with an oriental sound, like Arabic, so it becomes a spiritual journey, a slow and yes a bit dark rhythm, but it's also a song that really relaxes you. This British/Danish project based in Berlin, in which its members already have a well traveled path in this music, and this is reflected in their music that is well elaborated.” (Translated from Spanish)

[dark-patterns]

“THE SCREWS” single out today 💿

Our new single "THE SCREWS" is out today on all major streaming platforms and as name your price download on Bandcamp.

Berlin’s British/Danish post-punk trio Dark Patterns emerge from the periphery again with “The Screws”, a winding spiritual journey through an ethereal dreamy expanse. The long-lost anthem blends haunting vocal harmonies and ghostly Eastern guitar licks with a slow pitch-shifted dub bass wobble, before switching into an epically rousing Chameleons-esque build-up and crescendo. Years in the making, forgotten and reworked, the song has finally been laid down as the seventh single in the series. https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/darkpatterns/the-screws 🖼 by Matt

[dark-patterns]

Many thanks to BlueDeck for featuring our new single "The Screws" on Ep. 094 of the podcast (at 43:50 in) 🙏