Shouldies - :)

Meet :) by Shouldies—the record that opened the crypt for NEVERNOTGOTH, the goth-leaning sublabel from Graveface Records. This debut release isn’t just a bold statement—it’s a synth-soaked, emotionally raw, politically charged dance record for the outcast in all of us. Pressed on vinyl for the first time, this underground Atlanta trio’s unique blend of darkwave, synth-punk, and intimate vulnerability now pulses from your turntable like a heartbeat at midnight.

Shouldies—Yancey Ballard, John Pierce, and Daniel Eberlein—craft an eerie, minimalist synthscape where honesty meets intensity. Ballard’s vocals are hauntingly direct, cutting through the reverb-heavy instrumentation like whispered secrets in a crowded room. The beats are icy, the basslines brooding, and the melodies carry just enough shine to keep your black mascara from smudging too hard.

With tracks that move from wounded softness to clenched-fist resolve, :) (yes, that's the title) channels that classic goth aesthetic through a 21st-century lens—think eyeliner meets protest sign. Songs like “Bed” and “Prognosis Negative” are dance-floor confessionals, spinning tales of gender, identity, anxiety, and resistance.

This is darkwave with a mission: fiercely personal, surprisingly danceable, and completely addictive. For goths who like their gloom with a groove and their messages as bold as their eyeliner, Shouldies' :) is an essential spin.