Artist
the Danse Society
The Danse Society, a gothic rock band from Barnsley, UK, captivates with haunting vocals and atmospheric synth melodies since the 1980s.
About
Emerging from the spectral mists of Barnsley, the Danse Society carved their niche in the early 1980s gothic rock scene. Steve Rawlings' haunting vocals, layered over synth-driven melodies by Lyndon Scarfe, created a sound both austere and atmospheric. Their debut LPs, "Seduction" (1982, Sonet) and "Heaven Is Waiting" (1984, Arista), exuded a nocturnal elegance, aligning them with contemporaries like Xmal Deutschland and Skeletal Family. The band's alignment with labels such as Pax Recordings and Society Records underscored their commitment to an analog warmth that resonated deeply with the era's melancholic themes. Line-up shifts saw David Whitaker replace Scarfe, yet the skeletal precision of their sound remained intact. Releases like "There Is No Shame In Death" (1983, Pax Recordings) maintained their spectral allure. The Danse Society's influence lingered, leading to a reformation in 2010, where echoes of their early work continued to reverberate through the gothic soundscapes of the present.
Discography
7 total
Members
- Lyndon Scarfe — keyboard founder
- Paul Gilmartin — drums (drum set)
- Paul Nash — guitar
- Steve Rawlings — lead vocals
- Tim Wright — electric bass guitar
- David Whitaker — keyboard