Cold Cave

It’s been nearly five decades since Robert Moog figured how to make music on an electronic keyboard that “synthesized” sound. Over the subsequent half-century, many artists have become obsessed with channeling their creative energies down a similar path. A perfect case in point is Wesley Eishold, the sparkplug behind Cold Cave.

The Manhattan resident, who also founded and runs the independent publishing company Heartworm Press, has lived a nomadic existence since childhood, a rootless lifestyle that has translated to his restless creative nature. Eishold did stints in the mid-’90s as vocalist for a variety of Hardcore/Noise Rock/Math Rock/Punk bands including American Nightmare/Give Up the Ghost, Some Girls, XO Skeletons and Ye Olde Maids. But six years ago, Eishold became intrigued by the sound of Electronic/Industrial music and began exploring the possibilities of making his own, launching Cold Cave as basically a solo project.

In that time, several collaborators have joined Eishold as live contributors (Prurient’s Dominick Fernow and Mika Miko’s Jennifer Clavin being the latest) while he has crafted a number of fascinating studio projects, including 2009’s Electronic Dreams and Love Comes Close, 2010’s New Morale Leadership and his just released and well-received Cherish the Light Years, his first new album for Matador Records.

Cold Cave’s early Industrial crunch has slowly given way to a more refined Synth Pop direction and the more concise and reflective songwriting style is evident on Cherish the Light Years. Driven by influences as widely diverse as The Cure, New Order, Depeche Mode, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Scott Walker, Blur and Suede, Eishold continues to navigate a fascinating and compelling soundscape with Cold Cave, among the best of the new breed of synth-loving Electronic music.