VOSH, where have you been all our life?!?! VOSH is the kind of artist where we’re definitely both relieved and excited to have finally come across but also one that makes us feel dumb for not being in the know sooner. But, y’know what? With the kinds of sounds that VOSH is creating we’ll gladly take those feelings of inadequacies over not knowing them at all any day.
With that, we’re here with another “Spooky SZN Sounds” session partly because of the Gothic Post-Electro-ness of the VOSH sound but also because they’ll be in our fine state soon (At Ralph’s Diner on Sunday, October 6th but more on that later…). Hailing from Washington, D.C., VOSH is currently riding high following the debonair Vessel full-length which dropped last year. And if you hadn’t heard it yet… well, we’ll forgive you this time since we missed it as well (See opening statement)! It’s a gorgeous record that we kinda want to shoehorn into our “Best of ’24” list despite the release date.
“Honey Moon” alone runs the gamut of styles embodying Post-something, Goth, Synthwave, Darkwave, and more with vocalist/instrumentator (Not a word) Josephine Olivia immediately standing out with a style that’s a mix of Siouxsie Sioux but also Rachel Pierce from Glaare if you’re looking to compare. Oh, and it’s got some saxophone on it by Kurt Ballou?!?! If we have to parenthesize who that is then we can’t be friends. Anyway! “Pray” is a whole ‘nother kind of animal with Olivia utilizing an upper range with co-instrumentator (Again, not a word, just covering the dual instrumentation roles) Chris Moore providing low range harmonies on a thumping, foot-stomping banger in the vein of some of Ulterior’s greatest with “Bleed As One” reminding us of Chicago’s Replicant but then goes into this synthetic symphony while also digging deep into the dark recesses of your favorite Goth club/night as Pat Vogel’s guitars bring about a blissful counter melody to Olivia’s ethereal vocal efforts.
“Superstition” is ominous in a Philip K Dick kind of way while latest single “Perfection” is a statement and then some with a haunting air and structured like a Skinny Puppy classic but with Siouxsie Sioux on vocals. And that’s barely the first half of the record! Elsewhere, “Devout” is akin to something on the Return Of The Living Dead soundtrack mixing Post-Punk and Gothic sounds to perfection, “Cruel Intent” is all swirling shreds and bewitching vocals by Olivia, and “2F8CD” (Get it?) is playful Pop but more in a teasing potential prey kind of way. “Falling” is a bombastic, percussive trip with “The Static” offering a masterclass in Electro-Rawk awesomeness. “Night” is another side of Heavy from VOSH built off of some crushing riffs (From Tim Mullaney) to inject some Doom into the Gothic sonic cathedral erected here and then “Numb” exquisitely exits VOSH out the door with a pulsating Goth-y rawk out that’s sure to leave fans wanting more.
Vessel is out now via Trash Casual on the VOSH Bandcamp page along with some killer merch items which you can peruse and (hopefully) purchase by heading here. For more from VOSH, like info on their current tour (With the show we mentioned happening on Sunday the 6th at Ralph’s Diner in Worcester with Sadist, Manic Abraxas, and A Constant Knowledge Of Death located here), follow the trail of socials along the information superhighway by clicking here, here, or here.