She Past Away @ The Novo

By Sylvia Ansley

Up the escalator and to the left, The Novo was clad in black leather and latex on this warm and haunting Los Angeles night. This past Saturday, post-punk sensation She Past Away rocked The Novo along with artists Forever Grey and Soft Vein. Unfortunate circumstances prevented me from seeing all but the tail end of Forever Grey’s set (luckily for me, they saved my favorite song for last), but all grievances left my mind as soon as She Past Away hit the stage. 

Traveling all the way from Bursa, Turkey, She Past Away has proved themselves to be darkwave legends. This duo, formed in 2006, is composed of guitarist Volkan Caner and Doruk Öztürkcan on keyboard and drum machine. The release of their first album, Belirdi Gece, which translates to “The Night Appeared”, secured their legacy with their track “Ritüel” as well as other beloved early favorites. Since their initial album’s release in 2010, they have been steadily releasing dark disco staple after staple. Undeniably post-punk and unapologetically devoted to 80s-style synthesizers, She Past Away has maintained its signature sound throughout its many projects. Interestingly, a large portion of their discography is devoted to the reworking and reinterpreting of their songs. Despite initial skepticism, I was beyond excited to find my favorites revamped as well as their massive collaborative project with seemingly every goth artist they could rouse from the grave. 

The duo strolled out onto the stage under a swirling cloud of purple and blue fog. No introduction, no time to wait, they launched into …. I can’t remember. The thrill of being in the photo pit, the volume at which the drum machine was rattling my skull, you’ll have to forgive me. However, the second song was undeniably “Durdu Dünya”. Opening with the synth melody that creeps up behind you and finally breaking into the driving bass. It’s immediately obvious that this is their most popular song, because when I turn around from my barricade sheltered refuge, I see that the entire crowd has thrown up their hands and begun to twist, kick, and howl along with the music. For the uninitiated, gothic music carries an unfortunate stereotype of solemn crowds whose maximum level of expression is the occasional swish of a long black skirt, a stereotype proven false that night. No matter how hard you try, none can resist the entrancing drumbeats of She Past Away. 

If I had to pick one stylistic choice that made them who they are, I would say that She Past Away’s echoing, ghastly vocals are what sets them apart. Up next in the set was one of my personal favorites, “Asymilasyon”, which is a perfect example of this effect. Caner’s vocals seem to bounce off the walls around you and fade into the distance. It is unlike anything else I’ve heard and yet so distinctly them. Even more impressive was the duo’s ability to recreate this effect live by singing in staggered tandem to give an analog reverb effect. 

This iconic vocal style is present throughout their newest album, Mizantrop, which was released in early February. This album stands apart from the rest of their discography due to its slower tempo and more somber tone. It feels mature, and its songs reflect a slowed and focused version of the band — fitting for an album named after the feeling of being dissatisfied with humanity. In their music video for the title track “Mizantrop”, an anchorman surrounded by analog-style radio equipment announces to the audience that the song he is presenting is She Past Away’s “Anthem of a Lost Generation”. However, I think this message is best expressed in the lyrics of my standout track on the album, “Inziva,” which translates to “Seclusion”.

This track is my favorite from this album for two reasons: 1. It resembles their original, more intense music, and 2. It has a FANTASTIC music video. The music video, directed by Muted Widows, is reminiscent of a 1920’s silent horror film with a heavy dose of surrealism. Think a gothic version of Relativity by M. C. Escher mixed with something out of Salvador Dali’s nightmares. It is hauntingly beautiful and, in my opinion, adds so much to this new album. 

As the concert was coming to a close, the energy was only climbing. As people hung over the balconies and clambered for the stage, I thought to myself, “This might be the rowdiest mainstream goth show I’ve ever seen. What is in the water tonight?” As if the energy could not climb any higher, the goth prince duo launched into fan favorite “Ritüel”. The excitement hit the roof. No longer within the safety of the photo pit, I feared for my camera while simultaneously feeling unable to stop myself from joining in the chaos. Despite being nearly 5 minutes long, this song consistently feels too short and always warrants a second listen. Through the chaos, Caner announced to the crowd, “Today is the anniversary of us writing this song!” and I started to fear for more than just my camera as drinks and leather accessories began flying through the air. This performance also secured my respect for She Past Away as live performers. Electronic music is often hard to translate to live performance, especially with drum machines. I thought Öztürkcan had a surprisingly electrifying performance while staying within the confines of his synth setup. While good live performers do make all the difference, I feel that a good crowd who knows when to put down the phone is invaluable when it comes to enjoying a show. 

“That was amazing!” remarked Caner at the end of the show, clearly impressed with the energy that LA brought out. Check out She Past Away’s new album, Mizantrop, here on Spotify!