Dark Pop/Industrial Rock project Dilemma is the shadow-infused brainchild of producer Alex Elias. The haunting new single, “The Gift (that Keeps on Giving)”, features remixes by Pixelgrinder and The Anix, was just released on May 14th via Outer Darkness Records.
This brooding track is described as one that “plunges listeners into a beautifully tortured soundscape – a personal, and melancholic reflection of the visceral reality of living with chronic pain. Equal parts gothic dirge and industrial catharsis, the single draws from a deep well of emotional and physical struggle, with lyrics that cut through like the broken glass under a shattered moonlit skyroof. One particularly resonant line, “and those moments of reprieve, fleeting but pristine, I treasure them as true gift without irony” sits at the core of the track’s ironic title and encapsulates its bittersweet message. It’s a personal song about what it’s like dealing with an illness, ailment or chronic condition that never relents and the fleeting moments of joy when the pain temporarily subsides.” As someone who’s been dealing with a chronic illness for nearly 18 years (the dreaded autoimmune disease called rheumatoid arthritis), the lyrics really resonated with me. But more than that, was the beautiful mix of dark pop that was edgy, intense, yet totally danceable. It reminded me of Siouxsie on acid.
The single is further elevated by two dynamic remixes:
The first is by Pixelgrinder, a fellow Outer Darkness Records powerhouse, who infuses his signature cybernetic sequencing into a grinding and deliciously relentless reinterpretation. This remix, with its driving beats is totally something I would play on endless repeat or dance to in the darkness of a club.
The second is by The Anix, 20-year industry veteran and electronic rock visionary Brandon Smith contributes a masterclass of precision exsanguination, artfully extracting the melancholic waves of the original with a beautifully juxtaposed elegy of solemnity and hope. Of the two remixes, this one was my favorite, with its lush soundscape and futuristic sound. Again, this is one that I could play on an endless repeat or dance to in the darkness of a club.
As my first introduction to the music of Dilemma, this single and the two excellent remixes I was impressed, I was moved by the music, but most importantly, it left me wanting MORE.
- Ellen The Felon