Chemical Waves – Our Love In A Dying World (Digital/CD/Vinyl/Cassette Album – ElasticStage.com)
I will always link Italian artist Marco Cattani with Halo Effect, but he has also released a substantial body of work under his musical alter ego, Chemical Waves. He has collaborated with numerous labels, including Unknown Pleasures Records, ScentAir Records, Wave Records, among others. This new album was released at the end of last year and, as usual, features guest vocalists. This time, contributions come from the singers of General Trust, Mekong, Em_Len, The Spoiled, Perpetual Midnight, and Coloured Tears.
The album consists of eight tracks, two of which are instrumental. Chemical Waves remains true to the Dark-Wave aesthetic that has defined the project from the very beginning. The music, primarily driven by guitar, is generally melancholic and moody. Themes of vulnerability, sadness, and fragile hope—unfolding in a world on the brink of collapse—fit perfectly with the atmosphere that characterizes this record. Musically, influences reminiscent of The Cure occasionally surface.
Overall, this release contains several standout tracks and may well make “Our Love In A Dying World” the most accomplished production of Chemical Waves to date. (Rating:7½).
Listen to “The Door feat. The Spoiled”:
About Chemical Waves
Chemical Waves is the darkwave and post-punk solo project of Italian musician Marco Cattani, based in Rome. Cattani is also active in Halo Effect and The Mark, and has issued Chemical Waves material through labels including Wave Records, ScentAir Records and Unknown Pleasures Records.
The project is built around collaborations with guest vocalists: the 2021 album “Stories From The World Before” (Wave Records) featured singers such as Bedless Bones, Gerd Van Geel of The Arch and Death Loves Veronica. “Our Love In A Dying World”, released at the end of 2025, continues that approach across eight tracks, two of them instrumental, with guest vocals from members of General Trust, Mekong, Em_Len, The Spoiled, Perpetual Midnight and Coloured Tears.
I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
Since you’re here …
… we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading Side-Line Magazine than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations, we haven’t put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as open as we can - and we refuse to add annoying advertising. So you can see why we need to ask for your help.
Side-Line’s independent journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we want to push the artists we like and who are equally fighting to survive.
If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps fund it, our future would be much more secure. For as little as 5 US$, you can support Side-Line Magazine – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.
The donations are safely powered by Paypal.
