A multi-national band based in the heart of Busan, South Korea, Goths on the Beach have artfully blended sounds, styles, and subcultures on their debut album 'Greatest Hits Vol. 1'.
A talented mix of Canadians, Brits, and Australians, the band made their mark earlier this year with the debut record, 'Greatest Hits Vol. 1', a quick-fire eleven-track release that seeks to combine the joys of surfing with the joys of being goth. Self-released by the band in February, the album is a warm introduction to the joyfully experimental band, delivering a few standout anthems that blend punk, goth rock, and surf rock into a catchy, ragtag sound.
Opening with ‘GotB’, a slick eponymous track, and lead single ‘Hip to Be Depressed’, the album opens on a high, delivering a well-formed and familiar sound that is playful, and catchy, if not a little rough around the edges. As the album continues, the band experiment wilfully, diving into electronic dance sounds and an homage to New Order in ‘Don’t Hang (Ten) Yourself’ and the funk-infused, kaleidoscopic effects of ‘INTERMISSION (Do Ya Like Goths?)’. It’s a barmy, but enjoyable mix, and the first of a few special odes that the band have stitched into their album. On ‘Bela Lugosi is Dead Serious About Learning to Surf’ the band dip into stark Bauhaus vibes, while in ‘Du Liebst Da Surfen’ they cut right to the heart of the NDH movement that rose to prominence through industrial titans Rammstein.
Even in the closing moments, the band continue their journey into the weird and wonderful, splicing into place a conversation between Ken and Barbie in the final tracks. It’s a memorable experience, and you have to applaud the band’s willingness to experiment and be led by their influences. The trade-off however comes in knowing the band’s inspirations more than the band itself.
In a world of mainstream sounds and formulaic chart hits Goths on the Beach stand out as a fresh breath of air, and to their credit, their debut album is a fun romp, twisting and turning through styles and genres that echo with a dash of special strangeness.
In support of the album, the band have been playing local gigs and festivals and were also featured on BBC Stereo Underground, Radio WigWam, and Korea’s Underground Sound, among other shows. For more from the band, be sure to check out their socials below.
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