Modern Witch

A feeling of terror dominates Modern Witch's latest release, Unknown Domain, in a way that sonically captures what it must be like to watch the avant-art duo of Mario Zoots and Kristy Foom at work as collage artists. Their shared eyes and ears fashion tracks like "Hollywood Babylon" and "Julia...

By Bree Davies

April 19, 2011

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A feeling of terror dominates Modern Witch's latest release, Unknown Domain, in a way that sonically captures what it must be like to watch the avant-art duo of Mario Zoots and Kristy Foom at work as collage artists. Their shared eyes and ears fashion tracks like "Hollywood Babylon" and "Julia Roberts" as Foom's ghostly minor-key wails are layered with slow-motion interview clips bubbled up from YouTube archival oblivion. Zoots pastes together synthetic sounds, creating the right muted, skeletal backdrop for Foom's verses about teenagers and drab pop culture to tiptoe around. Sure, there's a plain likeness to the Knife, Broadcast and Glass Candy, but the group's ability to pull from the '90s television drains of Donahue and A Current Affair and re-create the same kind of creepy celebrity and subculture clash is what makes Modern Witch better than any witch house afterthought.

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Bree Davies is a multimedia journalist, artist advocate and community organizer born and raised in Denver. Rooted in the world of Do-It-Yourself arts and music, Davies co-founded Titwrench experimental music festival, is host of the local music and comedy show Sounds on 29th on CPT12 Colorado Public Television and is creator and host of the civic and social issue-focused podcast, Hello? Denver? Are You Still There? Her work is centered on a passionate advocacy for all ages, accessible, inclusive, non-commercial and autonomous DIY art spaces and music venues in Denver.

Contact: Bree Davies

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Twitter: @cocodavies