Album Review: Curses - Another Heaven (Italians Do It Better)
ALBUM REVIEW
ADD TO READING LIST
WRITTEN BY STEVE RICKINSON
The third full-length album,Another Heaven, from Luca Venezia—better known asCurses—draws from the gothic romanticism of his debutRomantic Fiction (Dischi Autunno, 2018) and the gritty EBM ofNext Wave Acid Punk (Dischi Autunno, 2021), threading familiar elements of post-punk, darkwave, and early EBM into something richer, cohesive, and emotionally profound. Curses himself has described the album as “a love song dedicated to the lost ones, a ballad for the lost ones to belong.” That sense of belonging is palpable throughout. Join us on December 13 as Curses heads ctrl NIGHTS at Control Club with a DJ set.
From the opener, Caviar, a ghostly guitar riff shivers while Venezia’s voice hovers. This reverence is carried through to the title track, Another Heaven, a high point on the album that pairs Venezia’s solemn baritone with tolling bells and a liturgical melody. Lines like “Why do we worship the sun? Why do we hide from the rain?” are existential without being obtuse, resonating on a personal and universal level.
This balance between grandeur and intimacy is where Another Heaven excels. On Heart & Cane, the album shifts into driving post-punk that evokes the urgency of ACTORS or early Killing Joke. Venezia’s lyrics delve into the delicate tightrope between devotion and despair. “When you’re running from yourself, the heart must lead the way,” he sings through taut production. Like Porcelain then provides a quiet counterpoint. “We break, but we shine,” he intones, capturing the bittersweet beauty of human imperfection.
But Curses is no stranger to the dancefloor. After all, he has released on the likes of Permanent Vacation and Bordello A Parigi. Tracks like Echoes and H2SG ensure that the album never veers too far from it. Echoes is a perfectly constructed darkwave anthem. The refrain, “Let the echoes fade away,” is both anthemic and personal. In contrast, H2SG marries eerie atmospherics with a relentless pulse, channeling the spirit of early Front 242.
With Elegant Death, Venezia brings the album full circle. The track is stark and stripped down as Venezia reflects on mortality with a less mournful tone than accepting. He delivers, “Don’t try to tell me I haven’t seen death before”, that it feels like the weight of an entire life.
Rounding things out on Another Heaven is a showcase of Venezia's willingness to collaborate with two final tracks. Vanish, featuring Skelesys, pairs bubbling sequencers with solemn guitar riffs. Helium, featuring Marie Davidson, shifts into dreamier territory. Davidson’s vocals intertwine with Venezia’s, creating something that floats just out of reach—its beauty is in its fleeting nature.
Another Heaven is darker, deeper, and more self-assured than anything Curses has done. Whether it's the lush atmospherics, the dancefloor-friendly rhythms, or the emotional weight, you’ll leave with the sense of having been transported somewhere between the gothic and grief.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Subscribe for early birds, show announcements, news and more.