It wasn’t too long ago that the universe anointed Salem with the greatest gift: cred. Buzz. WORD OF BLOG. A steady output of limited, (and pricey) 7″ singles and some mixtapes later, and this is an actual bona-fide underground sensation. I’m saying that a little tongue in cheek, of course. Unless you are a BUTT Magazine reader or totally goth, most people haven’t heard of them and looking further down the road, pop fans won’t have this. The music Salem makes isn’t close to easy listening. Half the time they are off key, the rap songs sound like you are playing the record at the wrong speed and they are SO ELUSIVE with the booking and contacting. What keeps me interested in the band is what it means for the future. I mean, I LIKE Salem’s songs…who else can say they invented “goth juke?” Their sound can be the lighter side of My Bloody Valentine or the twisted side of Lil Wayne, all with a homegrown Kraftwerkian feel. What I’m most geeked about is how many bands Salem will influence. The late 00′s are frought with a glossy nostalgia that while rewarding, is not necessarily reflective of the dark times we are enduring. The musical effects of the current unrest will be engaged in a few years, and I’m on the record as saying that Salem will have their filthy, black-as-ink tendons in future pop stars’ ears. Mark my words: while pop fans won’t be into this, the people making the pop music will list them in their liner notes. Check out the excellent mixtape Salem made for We Make It Good, and try and nab their forthcoming split 7″ with Tanlines over at the Fader. All their shit will be worth $$ in the future, TRUST.
