Curses Announces New Album Another Heaven on Italians Do It Better Featuring Collaborations with Johnny Jewel, Marie Davidson, and Skelesys

Luca Venezia, the visionary artist and producer behind the darkwave and cinematic electronic moniker Curses, is set to return with his highly anticipated third studio album, Another Heaven. Scheduled for release on October 25, the upcoming full-length record finds a fitting home on Italians Do It Better, the influential synth-driven independent record label renowned for its cinematic aesthetic and dedication to nocturnal, atmospheric electronic music. Known for blending the melancholy of traditional 1980s post-punk and new wave with contemporary club-ready production techniques, Venezia continues to refine his distinct sonic palette, which trades heavily in ghostly guitar textures, cavernous reverb, and brooding, romantic vocal deliveries.

The announcement of Another Heaven arrives two years after the release of his critically acclaimed sophomore LP, Incarnadine, which dropped via Dischi Autunno in 2022. That album cemented Venezia’s reputation as a modern master of romantic darkness, establishing a blueprint that combined dancefloor momentum with gothic introspection. With Another Heaven, Curses appears to be expanding his collaborative horizons, enlisting a formidable lineup of guest artists and co-producers to elevate his signature sound into new territories.

Main Facts and Album Production Details

At the core of Another Heaven is a high-profile creative partnership with Johnny Jewel, the mastermind behind Glass Candy, Chromatics, and the driving force behind Italians Do It Better. Jewel’s involvement as a co-producer brings a distinct cinematic polish to the project, aligning Curses’ organic instrumentation with the immaculate, neon-drenched synth aesthetics that have long defined the Italians Do It Better catalog. Jewel’s production sensibilities—characterized by deep analog warmth, dramatic tension, and a cinematic reverence for classic horror and noir scores—provide a natural complement to Venezia’s gothic sensibilities.

In addition to Jewel’s production touch, Another Heaven features notable guest appearances from prominent figures in the underground electronic and post-punk scenes. Canadian electronic music icon Marie Davidson lends her distinctive, spoken-word poetic delivery and commanding presence to the track "Helium," while darkwave and EBM producer Skelesys brings his signature grit to the song "Vanish." These collaborations point toward an album that is both deeply personal and outwardly expansive, drawing on the strengths of peers who share Venezia’s affinity for the shadows of the club underground.

The complete tracklisting for Another Heaven spans nine meticulously crafted songs designed to take listeners on a nocturnal journey:

1. Caviar
2. Another Heaven
3. Heart & Cane
4. Like Porcelain
5. Echoes
6. Elegant Death
7. HS2G
8. Vanish (feat. Skelesys)
9. Helium (feat. Marie Davidson)

Ahead of the full album release on October 25, Curses has rolled out promotional singles and teaser tracks, including the high-energy, suspenseful opener "HS2G," which is currently available to stream in full via digital platforms. Fans and vinyl collectors can pre-order the album directly through the official Italians Do It Better and Curses Bandcamp pages, with physical editions expected to feature bespoke artwork that mirrors the romantic and haunting atmosphere of the music.

Chronology and Background Context of the Curses Project

To understand the trajectory of Another Heaven, it is necessary to examine the evolution of Luca Venezia’s musical identity under the moniker Curses. Before fully immersing himself in the shadowy realms of new wave and post-punk, Venezia cut his teeth as a multifaceted electronic music producer, navigating various subgenres of house, disco, and club music. Operating primarily out of New York and later relocating to Berlin—a city renowned for its industrial concrete landscapes and vibrant underground nightlife—Venezia found the ideal environment to nurture his darker artistic impulses.

The transition from club-focused dance music to romantic, cinematic new wave was not abrupt, but rather a gradual distillation of influences ranging from late-70s British post-punk to Italian horror soundtracks and EBM. As Curses, Venezia began releasing material that emphasized live instrumentation, particularly electric guitars, layered over synthesized drum machines and brooding basslines.

In 2018, Curses released his debut full-length album, Gemma, which established the foundational elements of his sound: a seamless blend of romantic lyricism, gothic guitar hooks, and driving electronic rhythms. The album was met with a warm reception across the European underground circuit, leading to extensive touring and live performances that frequently utilized a full band setup to translate his studio recordings into visceral, high-energy concert experiences.

Following the momentum of his debut, Venezia solidified his relationship with the Milan-based label Dischi Autunno, releasing his second full-length album, Incarnadine, in 2022. Incarnadine explored even deeper emotional and sonic territory, featuring lush arrangements that leaned heavily into cinematic atmospheres and introspective themes of love, loss, and decay. The critical success of Incarnadine positioned Curses as a vital torchbearer for modern darkwave, bridging the gap between historical genre tropes and forward-thinking electronic production.

The signing to Italians Do It Better for Another Heaven marks a significant milestone in this chronological progression. The label, founded by Johnny Jewel and Mike Simonetti, has spent decades defining the sound of nocturnal synth-pop, disco-noir, and cinematic electronica. For Curses, a producer whose work inherently evokes smoky basement clubs and rain-slicked midnight streets, Italians Do It Better represents an ideological and aesthetic home.

Supporting Data and Musical Influences

The sonic architecture of Another Heaven draws from a rich lineage of musical history, synthesizing disparate genres into a cohesive modern framework. Musicologists and critics frequently categorize Curses under the umbrella of contemporary darkwave, post-punk revival, and cinematic synth-wave, yet Venezia’s work consistently resists rigid categorization by incorporating elements of EBM, coldwave, and romantic club music.

Data regarding the consumption and resurgence of vinyl and physical media in the independent electronic music sector further contextualizes the release strategy for Another Heaven. Over the past decade, labels like Italians Do It Better have capitalized on a growing global demand for tangible, collectible physical releases, particularly colored vinyl pressings, cassette tapes, and cinematic art packaging. By partnering with a label that places immense emphasis on visual presentation and physical artifacts, Curses is well-positioned to engage a dedicated demographic of music consumers who prioritize curated physical ownership alongside digital streaming accessibility.

Furthermore, the inclusion of high-caliber collaborators like Marie Davidson and Skelesys reflects broader industry trends toward cross-pollination within the North American and European underground electronic scenes. Collaborations between artists operating at the intersection of body music, spoken word, and dark pop have proven increasingly vital for driving cultural engagement and expanding audience demographics across international borders.

Official Responses and Industry Implications

While formal press statements from individual collaborators regarding the making of Another Heaven remain limited, industry analysts and electronic music tastemakers have already begun evaluating the broader implications of the album’s release. The partnership between Curses and Johnny Jewel is widely viewed as a natural alignment of creative vision, given their shared dedication to high-concept, atmospheric electronic compositions.

In the wake of the single "HS2G" release, early critical reception has praised the track’s driving momentum and intricate production layering. Reviewers have noted that Jewel’s production influence manifests in the pristine clarity of the mix, allowing Curses’ signature ghostly guitar riffs and baritone vocals to cut through dense layers of analog synthesis without sacrificing the raw, underground edge that defines the project.

The collaboration with Marie Davidson on the track "Helium" is expected to be a standout moment on the record. Davidson, who has built an acclaimed career exploring themes of workaholism, club culture, and existential dread through spoken-word electronics, brings a unique lyrical and vocal dimension that complements Venezia’s romantic melancholy. Similarly, Skelesys’ contribution to "Vanish" underscores the album’s grounding in the global post-punk and EBM revival, ensuring that while Another Heaven reaches for cinematic grandeur, it retains the physical urgency required for underground dancefloors.

Broader Impact and Market Outlook for Another Heaven

The release of Another Heaven on October 25 arrives at a time of robust commercial and critical interest in nostalgic yet forward-thinking electronic subgenres. Audiences globally continue to embrace sounds rooted in the 1980s aesthetic, propelled by high-profile sync placements in television and film, as well as a thriving post-pandemic underground club scene hungry for immersive, theatrical live experiences.

For Curses, Another Heaven represents a pivotal moment of artistic maturation. By stepping onto the roster of Italians Do It Better and collaborating with some of the most respected minds in dark electronic music, Luca Venezia has positioned his project for expanded international visibility. The album not only reinforces his standing as a premier architect of cinematic new wave but also demonstrates a willingness to push his creative boundaries through collaborative synergy.

As the release date approaches, fans of darkwave, synth-pop, and atmospheric electronic music will undoubtedly be monitoring the rollout of additional singles, music videos, and potential tour announcements. With a meticulously curated tracklisting, an impressive roster of guest contributors, and the backing of one of the genre’s most influential labels, Another Heaven is poised to be one of the defining independent electronic releases of the autumn season.