Since their formation in 2001, The Raveonettes — comprised of Sune Rose Wagner (guitar, vocals, production) and Sharin Foo (v0cals, bass) — have developed a reputation for going on their own path creatively and stylistically. Interestingly this year, the Danish indie rock duo plan a monthly release series in which a new single will be released on the last Friday of every month until the end of the year that they’ve dubbed the Rave Sound of the Month. Admittedly, they’re not the first artist to do so — JOVM mainstay Rene Lopez is in the middle of a Jam of the Month series that started last year, and several other artists have adopted the format. And it makes sense. Although the artist isn’t constrained by having to write with a cohesive style or theme in mind, they are forced to come up with ideas within a strict, demanding and regularly occurring deadline. Additionally, the idea is to capture the highs and lows of a year within the recording process — and in a way that’s reminiscent of an audio journal.
The first song of the Rave Sound of the Month series is the moody, New Wave-leaning synth pop single “This World Is Empty (Without You).” Thick cascading synth chords, eerily swirling electronics and skittering drum programming and paired with Sharin Foo’s plaintive cooing to create a song that evokes desperate loneliness, heartache and regret in a way that subtly hints at 60s pop and 80s Freestyle — while being much darker.
