In July 2024, Federale released ‘Reverb & Seduction’, an album of songs that took the listener on a journey via a world of dark narratives, but also presented some rich and varied musical arrangements. The most complex Federale album yet, the styles covered ranged from goth pop to cosmic country, from occasional indie jangles to a very retro singer songwriter approach with traces of Chris Isaak. It was the kind of album that, no matter where you chose to drop in. would offer the listener something interesting.

One of the standout tracks, ‘Dark Waters’ presents Federale in a very accessible retro rock/light goth mode. hitting the listener with something that sounds like an overspill from The Cult’s ‘Love’ sessions. It’s great to hear the musicians attacking such a simple riff, and in many ways, that becomes this rocky number’s strongest hook. There are a few points of interest beyond the huge jangle, however: firstly, there’s Collin Hegna’s big voice, which although presented in a much cleaner way than on some Federale tracks, still sounds as if he’s bleeding in from a different room, and there’s also a very impressive instrumental break where pointed bass notes pierce through the melody and strange whirring effects take the place of the expected – and far more traditional – guitar solo.

There’s a huge wave of nostalgia attached to this melodic workout, and it’s now set to reach a bigger audience with the help of a rather dark and cinematic video clip. Check out the new visuals for ‘Dark Waters’ below.