New Music: Pale Dīan – Misanthrope

Feral Birth sees Austin’s Pale Dīan establish a symbiotic relationship between post-punk, shoegaze, and post-rock to create what they call “Nightmare Pop.” Misanthrope is a great primer for the Feral Birth album.

Feral Birth by Pale Dian

With its nods to acts like Cocteau Twins, Kælan Mikla, and Ritual Howls, Misanthrope has a soundscape that dwells at that point where dreams can become something darker. The feeling grows as the guitar becomes more cutting and the vocals more plaintive, making for an unsettling but enthralling listening experience.

Pale Dīan are Ruth Ellen Smith (vocals, synth), Derek Kutzer (guitar), Misti Hamrick, and (bass), and Neil Durr (percussion, drum machine).

Feral Birth is out now via Green Witch Recordings, and you can buy the digital album on Bandcamp. You can also stream the album on Apple Music and Spotify – check out the band’s Instagram and Facebook socials for more listening options.

Video animation by Wiley Wiggins