You can call it goth, dark wave or dark cabaret -- Projekt Records itself coined two of those three labels. They had a trilogy of Christmas albums back in the 1990s that are still available from the label, featuring the darker side of winter celebrations through their rock specialties. Now they're back two decades later, 2012 to be exact, with this double-disc set of music, nominally divided into "Traditionals" and "Non-Traditionals," but all taking a morose view of the season. The first disc is essentially covers, starting with Paulina Cassidy's ethereal take on "Frosty the Snowman" and Jill Tracy's "Coventry Carol" from her own new Projekt collection. Abney Park does "Steampunk Jingle Bells," which is a minor-key, fiddle-led version of the popular carol that sounds very much like the arrangement done as a comic novelty by The Three Weissmen. Ashkelon Sain with the Dorian Fields take on "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts)" in an extended version that keeps the slow tempo but embellishes it with rock flourishes. Forrest Fang takes two bites of the apple with "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," an organ and strings take that is followed by the "Ambient" version, which plays up the repeating patterns and stretches out to double length. Ericah Hagle does a traditional take of the Hebrew song "Hanerot Halalu," which is about Hanukkah (Alert!), and Nicki Jaine does an almost traditional-sounding "Little Drummer Boy." The Non-Traditionals disc kicks off with Black Tape For a Blue Girl's doleful version of "Forbidden Colors," the David Sylvian-Riuichi Sakamoto song from "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence," which seems to have more to do with the Crucifixion than the Nativity. Unto Ashes offers "King of Frost," which has an antique folk feel to it, and Unextraordinary Gentlemen perform "Carriage Driven Horses," a more contemporary sounding piece that alternates brief raps and singing with a violin figure. Lovespiral's "Happy Holidays" is a dolorous ballad that uses its title ironically, while KatzKab may have the best tune on here with "My Sad Wishlist," a synth-poppy outing that almost turns this album's frown upside down. Erki Wollo has two takes of "Crystal Bells" at the end of this second disc, both ambient instrumentals featuring church bell-like melodies over a synthesized backing. Paulina Cassidy adds two more songs to this collection, her own "Snow Queen" and "Angels We Have Heard On High," with more of the echo-y drone treatment she gave to "Frosty the Snowman," and here we should note that this comprises three of the five songs she recorded for her own 2012 Projekt EP "Ice Iris." You can check out samples here. As for Ornamental, two discs at once may be a bit much dark wave/cabaret for the holiday season, but there are some good moments on this collection.
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