With Halloween just around the corner, the desolate, wicked sounds of synth duo Branes is the perfect soundtrack for zombie dance parties and haunted houses, but in reality their music should be enjoyed all year round. Listening to Branes’ album Perfection Condition, which was released earlier this month on Burger Records, is like running through a sci-fi movie, full of suspense, lasers and creatures from other worlds. Vocalist Ivy and her male counterpart Susan Subtract create a world that is dark and foggy, but one that is fun and animated. Considering that Branes started as a performance art project, it is not surprising that the music has a lot of movement that evokes visual characteristics. The synths are the deep and fuzzy backbone, but the sharp percussion adds some bounce to the music, while Ivy’s vocals move from sounded robotic to gargled. She has a pull and release vocal quality that makes it seem like she is telling a gripping ghost story around the camp fire. Her high energy and style of vocals bring to mind UK post punk bands like Essential Logic and Au Paris. Branes will be heading overseas to take part in Drop Dead Festival in Berlin, Germany on Halloween. – Karla Hernández
