When you spend a lot of time listening to music across a wide range of styles, every once in a while you hear something new and it immediately stands out: this could be the next big thing in this space.

That’s what Dark Chisme sounded like to me.

Dark Chisme

I first came across them about a year ago, and they immediately reminded me of some of my favorite darker, industrial bands like Rufus du Sol, Nine Inch Nails, Cold Cave, and Skinny Puppy. But it didn’t feel like a rehash of that sound. It felt fresh, current, and like a natural evolution of it.

This KEXP session is a perfect example of why they’ve stayed on my radar.

A sound with real lineage

What Dark Chisme taps into is a lineage that runs through industrial, goth, and electronic music — the kind of sound built on tension, atmosphere, and rhythm.

You can hear elements of Nine Inch Nails and Skinny Puppy in the weight and texture, while bands like Cold Cave bring in that darker melodic edge. At the same time, there’s a modern sense of space and movement that lines up more with artists like Rufus du Sol.

That combination creates something that I really love. It’s aggressive and dark, but it never feels like it’s just trying to beat you over the head with it. Instead, it’s tight, controlled, and polished.

How I found them

I first heard Dark Chisme on KEXP, almost certainly on Troy Nelson‘s show. KEXP is where I do most of my casual music listening and one of the most reliable places I’ve found for discovering great music, new or old. It’s one of the few platforms places left where actual humans who really love music are allowed to play anything they want and bring you along for the ride.

Hearing this set again sent me back into that sound. I’ve got a playlist where I keep a running collection of favorites in this style — one I find myself coming back to pretty often. Give it a listen below!