Written by Shea Roney | Photo by Emely Truong

Every Wednesday, the ugly hug shares a playlist personally curated by an artist/band that we have been enjoying. This week we have a collection of songs put together by the Brooklyn-based band, Van Goth.

Composed of duo Sydney Salk and Simon Schadler, Van Goth squeaked out their debut LP Is It? back in February. It’s a collection that stands out from its surroundings, minimal in its delivery, yet foundational in the youthful malaise that comes for us all. The instrumentation is fidgety, almost unassuming in its effectiveness, as the duo play off of angular rhythms and tempting click tracks. Not to mention the humorous quips mixed with this unpredictability that resonates just as casual as it is damning to the restless confessionals at play — Dance, dance, boogie? Whenever I get the chance. Through it all, Is It? becomes a point of reflection for the duo as they drift towards maturity, yet the darkness is still illuminated by the tip of a lit cigarette in a pair of dark sunglasses.

About the playlist, the duo shared;

We chose a mix of songs that inspired us when starting Van Goth and some that are inspiring us now as we work on new music! Lots of off-kilter electronics, sparse beats, and a dry sense of humor. Songs like this remind us to pare back and enjoy the empty spaces. We often joke about how hard it is to describe what we do musically and we hope this playlist matches that ethos.

Listen to Van Goth’s playlist HERE!

Listen to Is It? out now. Snag it on a very limited run of tapes as well.