Review: Haunted Hearts – Initiation

Haunted Hearts consists of Brandon Welchez from the noise-pop band Crocodiles, and his wife Dee Dee, front woman of the Dum Dum Girls. A valid, but basic description of HH comes from the mouth of Brandon in an interview via Coup De Main, “It sounds like a 50/50 split between our bands to be honest.” If you’re not familiar with either of their bands, just imagine goth shoegaze from a husband and wife duo, who fancy the darker side of love. There’s a lot of noise among simple, yet well-constructed melodies. Neither Brandon nor Dee Dee’s voice particularly stands out, but the vocals move well in harmonies. “Love Incognito” begins with slow, pulsing synths, calling to mind the vibes of an After Dark compilation, before breaking into feedback, and Dee Dee’s heartbroken lyrics. It’s a solid debut for the duo, and a treat for fans of C86 inspired tunes. –Justin Gallegos