I was at a record store, go figure, and this gem of a record called to me. It CALLED to me. It was, like, “Hey! You! Come here. Yeah, you. No, not that guy — YOU. Come here. Look at this awesome Goth record. I’m new! I’m exciting! Buy me!” I bought it.
And now I’m here to tell you about it. Bring you the Word, so to speak.
So, Cathi Unsworth, a reputed writer and music journalist wrote this book called Season Of The Witch: The Book of Goth a couple of years ago, and now she’s put together a follow-up compilation album that sets forth a Ph.D.-level thesis that Billie Holiday and Nina Simone were, among the many other women on this album, actually goth divas in their own right.
I’m not sure that even I would have ever connected Holiday and Simone with the likes of Siouxsie and the Banshees or Cocteau Twins, but I think Unsworth is on to something.
Equally important about this release is that her liner notes are fantastic. She proves why vinyl is so much more than an experience for your ears. You get this great piece of vinyl wrapped in a cardboard sleeve, and when it’s done well, it’s packaged with photography and notes that are often just as entertaining and compelling as the music. Overall, a record can create an experience that brings you closer to the music than simply clicking play.
My only complaint is that the liner notes are so good that I wish there was more photography and they were formatted more like a coffee table book!
Anyway, her premise is perfect, and the playlist –er, album — she has compiled is amazing.
Release Date: June 26, 2026
> DEATZ BEATS 
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