Considering the absolute wealth of 80s-style synth acts at the moment, it’s quite impressive when a group actually has something different to say. Miracle, the dark synthpop duo featuring Steve Moore (Zombi) and multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Daniel O’Sullivan (Sunn O))), Ulver) take a more nuanced and novel approach to the style, one that’s both familiar, frightening, and fresh. Conjuring the neon-dream visuals and existential fever dream of Blade Runner, the eerie melodicism of Depeche Mode at their darkest, and the suspenseful and progressive soundtracks of some of the best horror of the 70s and 80s, the band’s sophomore record is much more than a mishmash of disparate yet great ideas; The Strife of Love in a Dream is an acid-trip dream pop filtered through a psychological horror film co-directed by Dario Argento and John Carpenter. No matter how abstract and weird this record gets, there’s always something alluring about it to keep you interested.
That gets to what separates Miracle from the ever-growing retrosynth scene. No matter how contagion-level catchy (“Light Mind”), disco-inflected (“The Parsifal Gate”), distant and chilling (“Night Sides”), or Goth dancefloor (“The Seventeen Nineties”) things get, the sheer density of sound and attention to detail make repetitions purposeful rather than rote. There’s suspense and hair-raising terror the slow sections and exuberance when Miracle highlight their pop sensibilities. At their best, this duo can hang with the best of the twee neon indie favorites for sheer hooks, but there’s always a darkness in even the brightest moments. Aside from the closing two songs that stall some of the record’s otherwise palpable momentum, The Strife of Love in a Dream is a remarkable and bold exercise in dark synthpop, a cinematic musical experience that carves out quite the impressive dose of sonic fear. It’s the type of terror that’s like a drug, like candy for horror and Goth fiends.
