Sixth June

Sixth June is a Berlin-based duo made up of Lidija Andonov and Laslo Antal, both originating from Belgrade, Serbia. They craft beautiful icy synth pop that combines the darker fringes of new wave with goth-pop melancholia with Lidija’s voice roaming somewhere between Nico’s dramatism and the expression of Malaria!. Sixth June merge nostalgic catchy melodies with thick atmospheric layers to give an overall ghostly vibe that’s so reminiscent of oldschool goth/post-punk tunes, yet clearly modern. The duet has already released an excellent LP “Everytime” on No Emb Blanc records followed by a couple of equally stunning EPs on Mannequin Records. Their new album is currently in the works.

In the records

STM 173 is an hour-long celebration of the charms of synth pop/new wave/goth music, and includes a wide variety of classics together with some Eastern European and Balkan wave gems, as well as an unreleased Cult Club (Laslo Antal’s and Sally Dige’s project) track. The mix, which was compiled by Laslo Antal, maintains an uptempo mood while its smart tracklist constantly shifts between well-known timeless hits and obscure tunes made behind the iron curtain. Harold Faltermeyer’s retro-futuristic 80’s banger “Axel F” stands together with Morrissey’s “Alsatian Cousin”, while the powerful live rendition of The The’s arena anthem “Giant” precedes the dancy moodiness of Bonanza Banzai, a legendary Hungarian synth pop band. Goth undertones are also here with The Sisters of Mercy’s “Poison Door” or Sixth June themselves with their sulky and emotional “Back for a Day”. The smooth and funky jazz grooves of Croatian new wave outfit Haustor is also a nice addition, not to mention the stunning extended version of A-ha’s “The Sun Always Shines on TV”. The mix concludes with the dark contemporary balladry of Paul Young, and a slow-paced romantic tune by Mick Karn. All the songs contained in this selection were important for Laslo and Lidija for different reasons over the years.

The whole mood of the mix resembles one of Antonio Palolo’s untitled paintings. Its subtle interplay of light and dark color tones, the balance between movement and static position, nocturnal elegance and dreamy lushness nicely reflect some of the emotional aspects of this selection.