Chicago indie-rock band Madame Reaper & the Gentleman’s Club combines synth-pop with a healthy heaping of gothic theatricality. The Big Takeover is happy to premiere their newest song “Satanic Tango (Is)”, which takes on a more literal interpretation of a Madame Reaper and features a Spanish-inspired sound.
Following their first single of 2024, “Alright Tonight (This),” this second single tones down the new wave-inspired sound and slows the tempo to a steady, Flamenco sound between the guitar strums and the horns. Songwriter and vocalist Kira Leadholm said, “I wrote this song with the intention of challenging myself to write an eclectic beat with layered vocals a la Sylvan Esso.” She continued, “My guitarist, Kev Sheppard, added essential elements to the song, like the chromatic plucking you hear in the choruses. Kev also had the brilliant idea to replace the lead synth with trumpets, which adds to the eerie and timeless nature of the tune.”
Both “Alright Tonight (This)” and “Satanic Tango (Is)” shows Leadholm’s willingness to expand her sound while not deviating from the theatrical synth-pop sound of last year’s debut Madame Reaper’s Gentlemen’s Club. And both singles seem to spell something out bigger when taking the words in the parentheses as a whole.
She continued, “Thematically, ‘Satanic Tango’ deals with the dark side we all possess but try to avoid thinking about. This dark side is personified by an evil dominatrix that lures people into making unwise or even fatal decisions. I envision the spirit’s allure to be like a dance—the victims are aware that they’re about to do something bad and want to resist, but the temptation is too great. It’s biblical, really.”
Madame Reaper will be releasing singles throughout 2024 and “Satanic Tango (Is)” will be available for streaming tomorrow. And while you’re out there, check out the band’s official website, Instagram, and Spotify page.
And if you happen to be in the Chicago area, check them out live:
May 10, Sleeping Village (headlining for single release)
June 12, Chicago (support for KOPPS)
