VOWWS

About VOWWS

VOWWS is the dark electronic project of Australian-born, Los Angeles-based duo Rizz and Matt. They started making music together in the early 2010s, pulling from industrial, post-punk, and synth-heavy soundscapes that feel equally influenced by Depeche Mode's bleaker moments and the grittier edges of Nine Inch Nails. The result lands somewhere between dancefloor-ready and deeply unsettling, which seems to be exactly what they're going for.

The band's early work caught attention in the underground electronic scene through relentless touring and a steady stream of singles that showcased their approach: heavy synth bass, sharp drum programming, and Rizz's vocals that shift between ethereal and confrontational. They built their following the old-fashioned way, playing dark clubs and industrial nights where their aesthetic—equal parts leather, religious iconography, and stark minimalism—fit right in.

Their 2016 debut album "The Great Sun" established their sound more fully. Tracks like "Losing Myself in You" and "Essential Tremors" demonstrated their ability to write actual hooks within their industrial framework, not just create atmosphere. The production was polished enough for headphones but still felt raw in the right places. They followed it up with "Under the World" in 2018, which leaned harder into the mechanical rhythms while adding more texture and space to the arrangements.

What sets VOWWS apart from other acts mining similar territory is their refusal to stay in one lane. They've released everything from abrasive experimental tracks to songs that wouldn't feel entirely out of place on alternative radio, if alternative radio still existed as a meaningful concept. Their 2020 album "Holoscene" pushed into more melodic territory without losing the edge, incorporating elements of darkwave and even shoegaze into their industrial foundation.

The pandemic years saw them continuing to release music and lean into visual components of their work. Rizz in particular has become known for directing and editing much of their video output, which matches the music's intensity—lots of stark black and white, religious imagery deployed in ways that feel more questioning than devotional, and a general sense of beautiful decay.

More recently, they've continued releasing singles and working on new material while maintaining their DIY ethos despite growing recognition. They've toured with acts like 3TEETH and The Soft Moon, and their music has found its way into film and television placements, though they haven't particularly chased mainstream crossover.

VOWWS remains a project that exists slightly outside the typical music industry apparatus. They're too pop for the noise scene, too industrial for the synthwave crowd, too dark for mainstream electronic music. That in-between space seems to work for them. They keep making music on their own terms, building their audience slowly, and refining a sound that feels both current and outside of time.

Little documented about their live presence, but likely minimal and focused. The kind of show where people actually listen instead of just standing there. Probably involves some electronic setup and restraint.

Known for Hollow, Neon Lights, Static, Drift, Echoes

See VOWWS Live