Nonexister - Drowning in the Void - Song Review - Alternative Industrial Rock from Zürich, Switzerland
Another dark morning, a continuation of the night, where one can’t tell the difference. Standing here outside the house and writing these thoughts down while having my first coffee and smoke. Today is the first day of a new chapter, as well as the ending of the previous one. As the Swiss mountains' scenery, topped with ice and snow, surrounds me in my surreal reality here on a cold December day, I am writing about a band that I discovered last month: Nonexister, hailing from Zürich, Switzerland. It is about one of their latest singles titled ‘Drowning in the Void,’ released together with a music video in 2023, that I would recommend checking out.
NONEXISTER - Drowning In The Void (Official Video)
First and foremost, the Swiss gentlemen have caught my attention with their musical concept, which I was familiar with, and I truly enjoyed their interpretation of Depeche Mode elements. Downing in the Void kept growing on me during this month, as I continued listening to it on different days, different occasions, and through different mediums. Musically, it has its foundations in a simple drum beat that introduces the listener to the experience and accompanies them throughout the song, while entirely sticking to its role of setting the heartbeat. In the opening phase of the song, you hear bass, guitars, and synths join the action with the sole purpose of supporting the main idea, upon the addictive beats. In fact, the bass guitar plays another foundational role alongside the drums, while guitars and synths set the climate and tone. Although it might sound simple to some, I’ve found more than enough that might lead to somewhere fascinating in the future.
On the technical side is where I think the fate of the music was actually decided. ‘Drowning in the Void’, sonically, was one of those unique experiences that urged me to further exploration, mainly for its soundscape that incorporated elements similar to my preferences; analog sounds filling up a roomy space, yet well-polished. The producer has masterfully crafted a sound that encapsulates all the necessary "realness" in its character to an extent that it now leads the musicality, making a mark in my memory solely with his part in this promising work, even though it wasn't flawless.
Lastly, the musical foundation takes a straightforward approach to storytelling, and what set it apart in my experience was its ability to pull the listener into a cinematic world. Undoubtedly, the musical language and sound character together make a fascinating experience. Their influences immediately evoke memories of Depeche Mode with their soundscape, song structures, and production, leaving me interested in hearing in which direction they are going to take it.
Nonexister, band photoPhoto credit: Unknown
On the other side of the coin, I must admit that this is just the beginning phase for an exciting collective who has been releasing music since 2023, and their standards are already higher than what’s expected from an independent and newly emerging band.
Nonexister, band photoPhoto credit: Unknown
In conclusion, listening to their two most recent songs, 'Drowning in the Void' and 'A Promise in the Thin Air,' gave me enough proof to believe in Nonexister's potential. Fascinating sound production that incorporates solely analog sounds with delays, loops, and addictive rhythms, combined with a cinematic soundscape and empowered by a Swiss collective that evoked memories of Depeche Mode. Easily one of the hot prospects from Switzerland that I have discovered so far. Thank you for reading.
Nonexister - Drowning in the Void single artworkArt credit: Unknown
released June 7, 2023
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