Twist Helix – "Graphite" (single premiere)

Forty years ago, almost to the day, a young woman made her first mark on the music world and would become a legend that has inspired tens of thousands of artists. On August 18th, 1978, Siouxsie Sioux and The Banshees released their debut single, “Hong Kong Garden”, which rose as high as #7 on the UK Singles Chart. The rest, as we know, is history, and her legacy lives inside the likes of Karen O and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Peaches, The Knife, and many more. And residing a couple hundred kilometres north from her hometown of London, another band draws inspiration from the Goth-rock / new wave queen, and their name is Twist Helix.

Comprised of Bea Garcia (vocals/synths), James Walker (drums), and bassist Matthew ‘Baz’ Baron, the alt-pop / synth-pop / Goth-pop trio have established themselves as one of North East England’s rising bands in just two short years . As evidence: BBC have featured them several times, and they’ve performed at several festivals around the country. If that isn’t enough, they’ve established a significant fan base in the UK and Spain, which is from where Garcia originates. While it remains to be seen if they can reach the lofty heights of one Ms. Sioux, their newest single will accelerate their journey to the top.

“Graphite” is the song, and it buzzes with the Goth-infused new-wave and synth-pop of the late ’70s and early ’80s. Of the electronica that filled the underground clubs of Berlin, Paris, and London. A brooding soundscape fills the air, as the synths blaze with a steely eeriness and the rhythms carom off one another to create miniature explosions. It’s dark and haunting yet gripping and intoxicating. Those who truly lose themselves within Twist Helix’s spell will find themselves dancing or even spinning within their sonic hurricane.

Meanwhile, Garcia’s wails like Sioux. Her piercing voice reveals her frustrations with the world and what constitutes perfection. As she explains:

“‘Graphite’ is probably the most aggressive single we’ve written, as it’s dominated by terse, shouted lyrics. We wanted to say how bad it feels to fail. How frustrating it is to be a creative, and to throw away work after work because you know it’s not enough for it to be good. It has to be exceptional.”

So Goth-like. Maybe, just maybe they’ll be at the forefront of a Goth renaissance in music.

“Graphite” is taken from Twist Helix’s, forthcoming, debut album, Ouseburn. It will be released on October 5th via Madrid-based boutique label Paul Back Music. Pre-order the record now on Bandcamp.

The trio have a handful of songs coming up. The one to circle on your calendars, if you live in the Newcastle area, is October 8th, which is when they will perform an album release show. Dates and information for the upcoming live shows can be found here.

Follow the band at: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter