Enough of this blue sky, hippy dippy, fun in the warm summer sun bullshit.

I want to go somewhere I can dress in black and listen to the haunting swell of synths, the cold throb of programmed drums, and singers that sing about isolation and the default position of the human condition. Thank goth for the Distorted Memory CD release show featuring Kindest Cuts and Ghost Twin, coming up on Friday, July 26 at Ozzy’s.

The headliners, Distorted Memory, are a local industrial/hard techno act that wraps pulsing beats and gritty vocals in atmospheric haze and flourishes of theatrical bravado. Their new album, the Eternal Return, is free to stream on their SoundCloud page (soundcloud.com/distorted-memory). If you are a fan of Skinny Puppy and KMFDM get your butt over there and plug in.

Kindest Cuts is the newest project from Patrick Short, Winnipeg’s favourite moody guitar god. You might know him from his trailblazing work in Under Pressure, or the turbulent but incendiary Electric Candles, and of course his main gig as one-third of This Hisses. Short has done a lot to shape this town’s sonic landscape and this is what makes Kindest Cuts so interesting: you get to hear what happens when Short puts down his guitar and digs deep into some minimalist synth grooves.

Ghost Twin is the brainchild of husband and wife duo Jaimz and Karen Asmundson, two names that will probably be familiar to local film and music fans. Karen is from Querkus, the art rock/electro-acoustic group known for keeping audiences on their toes with inventive arrangements and a disparate cornucopia of themes and topics. Jaimz is best known for his work as a filmmaker, with films like Goths! On the Bus! and his dramatic documentary epic, The Magus. The two combining forces make for an experience that will tantalize your senses of sight and sound.

So if you’re ready to pack up your tent and put away the tie-dye, I’ll see you at Ozzy’s on Friday, July 26.