Ahead of the forthcoming album, My Side of the Mountain Kat Von D has released “Illusion,” a deft blend of synthwave, goth, new wave, post-punk, and alternative-pop that she coils and coalesces into her unique blend of goth-disco, a dark and delicious infusion of accessible yet alternative dance.
And, as much as the music here is a gorgeous and gratifying experience, a pulsing electro-rock beat draped with exotic sonics and lush vocals, it is, for me, at least, the lyrical message of her music as a whole, that is the natural charm. “Illusion” is part of an overall theme for the bigger release, not so much a concept album but certainly an album of concepts. The main one, as the album title, is taken from the famous book about a boy who ran away from home only to find comfort in isolation, self-reflection, and self-reliance in the wilderness, themes that Kat also explores in the more modern, urban setting, as well as sobriety and love.
This pulsing and propulsive slice of dancefloor deliciousness harkens back to the 80s heyday of synth-pop, although here it errs more toward the undercurrents and edge of its darkwave sonic sibling. It also looks to the cutting-edge sound of modern clubland culture. The blend of freshness and familiarity is positively addictive.
It’s the sound of the eighties reborn, the dancefloor reignited, the shade and shadows overcoming the neon lights of the nightclub. It is also the sound of a polymath—Kat already has a name in everything from TV to tattoos, books to beauty—returning to her first love, music, and doing so with the style and sophistication you would expect.
