South African darkwave collective BLVD HVNNY, fronted by Cito of WONDERboom, has returned with a spellbinding new single: a brooding, cinematic reimagining of Yazoo’s 1982 classic “Winter Kills.”
Featuring the ghostly elegance of Bronwyn Leigh Fink on vocals and guided by the production mastery of Craigie Dodds, the track channels gothic grandeur and synth-laden sorrow into something both timeless and chillingly new. It also sets the tone for BLVD HVNNY’s anticipated new album, ‘IX’, arriving 8 August via Mongrel Records.
“Winter Kills” is more than a cover — it’s a transformation. The song’s delicate melancholy is reborn in a storm of layered synths, orchestral swells, and emotional depth, capturing the very essence of BLVD HVNNY’s aesthetic: shadowed, cinematic, and richly textured.
The track offers a first glimpse into the upcoming album ‘IX’, described as a “sonic descent” — a fractured mirror of mood, memory, and myth.
Alongside “Winter Kills,” the album promises a lush tapestry of sounds and voices, including contributions from long-time co-writer Erin Alden (Lilac Sky, Joaquín, Scarface) and gothic icon Ashton Nyte (The Awakening), who lends his haunting presence to “She’s One of Us Now.”
The album’s soundscape is sculpted by acclaimed producers Matthew Fink and Barry Berk, each lending an immersive touch that brings a rare emotional clarity to the darkness.
Check out the lyric video for “Winter Kills” below:
You can buy / stream the track HERE.
BLVD HVNNY made waves with their previous single, a brooding reinterpretation of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds’ “The Weeping Song” featuring Ross Learmonth of Prime Circle
The track soared to #1 on Mix 93.8 FM’s SA Top 40, where it remained for five consecutive weeks, ultimately being named Song of the Year.
Their visual storytelling is equally potent. The Joaquín music video, directed by Bradley Devine, has earned Best Music Video accolades at five international film festivals, while their follow-up, Nocturnes, added another three awards to their growing list of global recognition.
With BLVD HVNNY, Cito invites listeners into an artfully constructed darkness — where every note is a whisper from the past, and every lyric lingers like smoke. It’s a space where goth, trip hop, and electronica entwine into something ritualistic and magnetic.
“This isn’t just music — it’s mythmaking,” Cito reflects. “We’re excavating memory, bending genre, and creating a world that listeners can lose themselves in.”
With ‘IX’ on the horizon, BLVD HVNNY is poised to redefine South African darkwave — weaving sonic poetry for those drawn to beauty in the shadows.
Watch this space for updates in the Music Videos category on Running Wolf’s Rant.
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