Has Projekt traded dying elegance for deadly glamor? It is undeniable that Projekt has done a lot to preserve the winsome poetic mystery of the goth scene; releases from bands such as Black Tape for a Blue Girl, Lycia, and Mors Syphilitica managed to be brooding and beautiful without succumbing to cliches about black cats and creepy-crawlies. Even though Projekt arguably has the strongest roster of ethereal acts around, a diet of nothing but swirling shrouds and soaring vocals leaves one musically malnourished. Enter a new breath of life into the label’s canon: cabaret. A Dark Cabaret is gothic morbidity meets Wiemar decadence. The songs on this compilation are mostly based around seductive piano and evocative vocals, yet each band brings something unique to the mix. The Dresden Dolls lean heavily toward art-school post-modernism, Jill Tracy brings macabre heat, and Katzenjammer Kabarett add a distinct post-punk ethos to their brand of music hall dissolution. Top marks go to Nicki Jaine’s solo track and her vocal work with Revue Noir; there is just something about her voice that completely encapsulates the feel of a culture that laughed in the face of fin du monde fascism. There isn’t a reason not to playing this album at your next sordid soiree.

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