From down the end of Los Angeles, the barebones gravepunk duo Band Aparte strips down and combines elements of gothic rock, synthpunk, and beachy lo-fi as macabré appreciation simmers in the gut of the city.

Vocalist Brian Mendoza effortlessly channels Joy Division and Nick Cave, crooning into a death bouquet with his shirt unbuttoned. But he's not doing it to imitate Morrissey's aesthetic — Band Aparte's shows are fast and fierce, and the crowd works up a sweat at every venue they play. Josh Hensley's psychotic textures gnaw and bite at the ears, from sharp velcro fuzz to buoyant modulations that pair with relentless drum machine beats like deliriants to narcotics. It's a dangerous mixture that has crushed nights alongside Cruelty Code, Roses, Ghost Noise, and Terminal A.

Find Band Aparte this Saturday at Echo Park Rising — playing 4:30pm at Lot 1 Café. Listen to their eponymous track from their EP "Enter" below. - Ryan Mo

This Sunday, DIY collective Mountair hosts a benefit festival for Pehrspace dubbed The Dark Frontier — an all-day event featuring chilling '80s-inspired sounds. Performances will run the gamut of post-punk, synthpop, and electropunk with BCGs, Ghost Noise (who just released the single "Crucifix" for their upcoming double-album), Intimatchine, Terminal A, and more, with DJs Michael Fierstein (KXLU) and Carlos Rossi (Death Waltz Recording Company) playing between sets. 

The event is all ages and doors open at 3 PM. Proceeds will help maintain the art gallery/performance venue. - Ryan Mo

Burbank's punk trio Dustin and the Explosions play whatever they feel like. Sometimes it's abrasive, in-your-face hardcore punk, and other times it's pacific and briney surf rock. Sometimes Mike Trejo and Cindy Sukrattanawong switch instruments between songs. We haven't seen Evan Piehler step off the drums yet, but who knows? It could happen.

One thing is constant about Dustin and the Explosions: in their years of existence they've run non-stop DIY. The group has been actively setting up and playing shows with the locale, usually at The Smell: bands like Kid Cadaver, GRMLN, Post-Life, and WASI. It's no question that the band exists for their love of music, even the production and label aspect — the trio even release friends' records via their startup Bed Weather Records. And yeah, they tend to share a musical connection with Southern California's hardcore punk bands, like The Dead Kennedys, only their lyrics aren't sardonic and politically charged — they're pretty introspective and hit really close to home.

Dustin and the Explosions' newest 7" release Serpents was released last May, nearly two years since their debut album Off-White Noise, and they've just released a music video for their song "I Don't Know Any Kakarot, That's Not My Name" filmed by members of Ghost Noise. Catch them again next month for a live performance at (where else?) The Smell. Maybe you'll see Evan on guitar for a song? - Ryan Mo

The Portuguese have a word that translates to an emotional state of great nostalgia and melancholy: saudade. In Los Angeles, we have a band called Ghost Noise, and we think they work just as well.

The trio draws from wells of sorrowful sentiment to drive their sound, reminiscent of goth-rock, post-punk, and darkwave bands in the 80’s. But beneath the pastiche of lipstick pickups and Korg patches, there’s a greater force at work. The DIY ethic that propels the group has helped them to travel and thrive from Santa Monica to San Luis Obispo. The members are heavily involved in the local music scenes, managing the music/arts collective Mountair and contributing to other homespun organizations on their spare time.

Ghost Noise’s live sets are intimate and decorative: set designs incorporate flowers, lighting, and film backdrops to immerse the audience. They perform throughout California, venturing as far north as Fresno and as far south as Murrieta to house parties and burlesque shows alongside acts like Cruelty Code, Kirilov, and Post Life. Their debut album, THIS IS THE NEXT PART OF YOUR DREAM, was recorded and produced by Josh Solomon (Young Lovers/REVERB LITE) and released on Ritual Tapes in August 2013. Ghost Noise will take up residency at the DIY venue Pehrspace through May, and play across California regions in June. Their follow-up album will be produced by Jessica Nicole Collins (BERU). Listen to their debut single “Amethyst” below. - Ryan Mo