The Dark Clan- Fade/Dance Magic Dance

Artist: The Dark Clan

CD title: Fade / Dance Magic Dance

Label: Radio-Active Music

Genre: Alternative, Electro, Industrial, Goth

Website: https://www.thedarkclan.com/

Reviewer: DJ Kantrip

Date: 05/12/2011

Buy Here https://thedarkclan.bandcamp.com/

Between working with Null Device and Stromkern, and producing remixes for artists like Caustic, XUBERX, Sensuous Enemy and Ego Likeness, the fact that Dan Clark continues to release material for The Dark Clan regularly is amazing.   This is probably the welcome side-effect of creating a project to be a musical sandbox for all the ideas that don't fit into other projects.   Fade and Dance Magic Dance is a Double Album released back in 2010 of several collaborations and original material that manages to span across several genres of music and showcase some of the dark Alternative music scene's most notable talents in ways most fans have never heard.

Starting with Fade, the album starts with the soft folk-ish sounds of Maybe You Fall which features a duet of Dan Clark and Patricia Wake.  Then it explodes into alt-rock fueled anthems like the title track Fade, which prominently feature Clark's stunning guitar solos and soul-stirring vocal harmonies of Lane and Mercy.  Sounds exaggerated, but it has to be heard.  Every song sounds like it could be part of a movie soundtrack, as the viewer watches the protagonist struggles through regrets, strife, depression, and soul-numbing nostalgia.  The album even closes on a track named Anthem which sounds like something out of the mid-90's Athens, Georgia alternative scene.

While Fade focuses on the core line up of The Dark Clan (Clark, Ellen, & Skye), Dance Magic Dance combines the talents of the band with some rather notable guest voices.  Kicking off the album is Daily War featuring Brittany Bindrim of I:Scintilla.  Bindrim's heartfelt vocals pour out an inspirational song that encourages the listener to pull through those painful days when struggle and sacrifice seem to be all that lies ahead.  While the core sound is unmistakeably The Dark Clan, it seems like the song was tailored to showcase the strengths of the guest vocalist.   Dance Magic Dance does this for all the songs on the album.  While Daily War is an upbeat and perky alternative rock song, I Love You Where You Are, is a sinister sounding dance track with middle-eastern drums and eerie synths.  Eric Oehler of Null Device sings out desperately of traveling the world to find a lost love no matter the dangers.  No two songs on this album have the same approach and style to them.  Sex Sex Sex Sex Sex, is an industrial rap that jabs unforgivably at the false machismo of modern Rap artists.   Old Blue Quarry featuring Donna Lynch, takes the listener down a bluesy  trip into the dark mines of West Virginia.  Strip Strap Stripe with Jai is reminiscent of the female fronted industrial projects of the mid to late 90's like Ruby, and Meg Lee Chin.  Quirky sounding synths that march over a steady dance beat like weird mechanized ants. From dark sultry Goth, to Noize Industrial, Dance Magic Dance perfectly demonstrates the musical versatility of The Dark Clan, and Dan Clark's ability to work with another artist's strengths and not just trying to get that other artist to fit into his own sound.

In closing Fade/Dance Magic Dance is nothing short of amazing.  Fade is chocked full of the alternative goodness of days gone by and really draws that sense of nostalgia out of the listener.  Dance Magic Dance, is more than just a bunch of guest vocalists lending their talents to some Dark Clan tracks.  Its an album that paints some some rather familiar voices in a new light.  And considering all 21 tracks are on Bandcamp for a rather fair price, it's an album this reviewer highly recommends checking out