Darkswoon

Darkswoon is a Portland-based trio that has carved out a unique blend of styles. Recently described as one of the strongest darkwave artists in Portland (Robert Ham, Willamette Week), their music isn’t boxed into one genre, drawing from elemental post-punk roots, atmospheric guitars that croon along with ethereal vocals bordering on dream pop and shoegaze. Layers of beats, vintage synth sounds, and melodically driven bass add to the original style, while paying homage to old-school goth and electronic basics. Darkswoon was founded by Jana Cushman (vocals, guitar) in 2014 as a solo project, and later completed with the addition of Rachel Ellis (beats, synths) and Norah Lynn (bass) in 2017. Their sophomore release, ‘Bloom Decay’ (2022, Icy Cold Records), represents an evolution of Darkswoon’s sound, emerging after the challenges of a global pandemic with a body of work that has been praised by some as one of the best albums of 2022.