Sitting at the intersection of resistance, queer culture, and self-expression, the goth subculture is as prolific as it is misunderstood. Extending into fashion, music, and lifestyle, it emerged from the U.K.’s underground post-punk scene during the 1970s and 1980s. Defined by its signature makeup and all-black macabre ensembles, it evolved into a music-based movement that amplified melancholia, dark romanticism, and pertinent shades of gloom. Ethereal sounds, heavy basslines, synthesized loops, and reverb-heavy guitars dominated the various strands of the genre (dark wave, gothic rock, Death Rock, Ethereal Wave, and more). Be it The Cure or Cocteau Twins, this distinct music subculture became the soundtrack of non-conformity, a reverence for everything that exists within the many shades of darkness.
Closer home, South Asian goths, while underrepresented compared to their “pale-skinned” counterparts, are carving an identity that’s entirely their own. Melding tribalistic and cultural influences with signature aspects of the subculture, their sound shifts away from westernized markers of “goth,” shaping a new language of expression. From Shamanic metal to ambient darkwave, Rolling Stone India spotlights South Asian goth and alternative artists who are deservedly taking up space.
Gurpreet Singh Matharoo: “Subsong Of The Night”
A tune that instantly transports you to a 1980s underground dive bar, brimming with rhythm and post-punk grit. A sped-up, adjacent to “Smalltown Boy” by Bronski Beat, with an electric guitar solo that blends goth and rock, this modern Indian post-punk track is bound to evoke your inner Batman.
Willow Scarlet: “Saaya”
With polyrhythmic tones and an energizing drum loop, Saaya, by Willow Scarlet, a desi gender-fluid goth musician and artist, is reminiscent of “Udi” from Guzaarish. It’s equal parts sultry and catchy; a perfect background score for female villains in early 2000s psychological mystery thrillers. The instrumentals, infused with desi production elements like the sitar, conjure the image of an ominous, wintry forest engulfed in a blanket of silence. Apart from music, Scarlet, whose real name is Bhumi, constantly champions artists and creators from the desi goth scene.
Aurat: “Nasha”
There’s no way you can resist headbanging to this. In the start, “Nasha” creeps up on you slowly, like the calm before the storm in post-apocalyptic films. Then, a sickening, synth-bassline loop builds anticipation, while the repetitive verses and loaded production take over your soul. Aurat is an LA-based post-punk band, led by the killer voice of Pakistani-American vocalist Azeka Kamal. The band incorporates Urdu lyrics, an inherently complex language, into its lyrics, offering its global listeners a linguistically nuanced experience.
Android Lust: “Stained”
Layering drawling atmospheric echoes atop gritty electronic beats, Android Lust’s “Stained” is an introspective yet enigmatic track. The brainchild of Shikee D’iorna, a musician of Bangladeshi origin, Android Lust is a fusion of various sonic influences, including electropop and darkwave. From 1995 to the present, D’iorna continues to put out music via platforms like Bandcamp, creating post-industrial dance tunes with electro-rock undertones.
Arogya: “Misery’s Lair”
With each listen, Arogya’s music reveals something visceral. India’s first Assamese Dark Synth rock band combines metal, folk, and dark electronic elements into a cohesive, head-banging whole. That too, while curating a KISS-esque visual-kei-coded onstage look with elaborate headgears, Northeastern tribal patterns, intricate jewelry, face paint, and more. “Misery’s Lair,” with its high-octane instrumentals, reveals a tragic love story simmering in melancholy. Oneiric yet angsty, their versatility extends to both their sound and creative ethos.
Echo Eudora: ‘Kali”
Intoxicatingly ambient, “Kali” by Indian darkwave artist Echo Eudora is as defiant as it is catchy. With lyrics like “My Brown Skin Has The Blood Of Gods In It,” and “This Is My Identity//Fuck Your Fascist ‘Democracy’,” it’s a youth-infused anthem that channels frustration and reverence through contrasting elements of dreamy production and hard-hitting verses.
Hellish: “Angels Don’t Live In Hell”
This would be the type of song that would roll on the end credits of an eerie psychological thriller. With a vocal fry resembling Born To Die era Lana Del Rey and Crybaby era Melanie Martinez, Hellish — the stage name of Delhi-based artist Astha — “Angels Don’t Live In Hell” is a somber, alluring sojourn, like moonlight illuminating waves at sea. Siren-esque and airy, the New Delhi-based artist’s soundscape is a heady mix of dark pop, shoegaze, and hyperpop that leaves a murky aftertaste.
Serpents Of Pakhangba: “Invocation Of Pakhangba”
A prayer song so power-packed that it would put your gym playlists to shame, “Invocation Of Pakhangba” by Manipur-based Shamanic art metal band Serpents Of Pakhangba, takes you on a multi-sensorial journey. Inculcating Meitei mythos, sizzling electric guitar solos, airy Toudri flute tunes, and guttural vocal belts, the song pays homage to the ancient Meitei serpent deity, Pakhangba. A symphony of controlled chaos, the band’s discography is not for the faint of heart.
Long Distances: “Delicate Surrender”
If you’ve been craving an Eighties-inspired, high-school prom-esque song, “Delicate Surrender” fulfills it all. Hailing from India, Long Distances channels all the present worldly anxieties into a reverb-laden, nostalgia-inducing soundscape. With production choices drawing parallels with The Cure and The Wallows, it hits the sweet spot between post-punk and indie rock.
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