A Darkwave Synth-Pop Sanctuary for Those on the Edge of Acceptability –

Darkwave synth pop got its swagger back in the enigmatic single and debut music video, Dead/Basic by the alt-indie trio, Bushwick Princess, who may not hide their influences, in this case, it’s a mash-up of Thriller-era Michael Jackson and Depeche Mode, but originality still slithers from the single, which gyrates through the shadows of 80s pop and the strobe lights of electronic post-punk.

As an earworm guaranteed to give you hard enough kinetic kicks you’ll be left with bruises, Bushwick Princess, with their deadpan debonair panache, left nothing to be desired. There’s no trace of irony in the mantra “I’d rather be dead than basic”, which could be read as pretentious, but those in the know will resonate with the refrain that highlights the insufferable nature of a world which rejects culture and individuality for hegemony.

It’s the kind of single you could imagine Joe Keery releasing, if he were daring enough to be contrarian in a bid to comfort the other disturbed outliers looking for anthems to dance to on the edge of acceptability; the cinematic music video is effortlessly in that vein. Just don’t ask where they got that coffin.

Based in Brooklyn and led by Matt Francini, Bushwick Princess is setting Dead/Basic up as the opening statement from an EP due later this year, channelling a love for indie dance and post-punk through a sound that also tips its hat to LCD Soundsystem and Hot Chip. If you’re tired of banal and superficial alt-electronica, you’ll want to save a space on your radar for the forthcoming hits from Bushwick Princess, who have more than earned their royal status with their debauched approach to adding a touch of class to the airwaves.

Dead/Basic is now available to stream on all major platforms. For the full experience, stream the official music video on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast