Emerging from the misty outskirts of northern Italy, The Peripheries are not just another darkwave band. They’re a six-piece collective crafting cinematic soundscapes rooted in the stark beauty of post-punk, the brooding depth of alternative rock, and the haunting pulse of European darkwave. With their debut EP A New Oblivion, the band introduces themselves not only with sonic ambition but with a deep belief in music as an act of shared meaning and emotional truth.
A Fever Dream Called “Murmansk”
The debut single, Murmansk, isn’t just a track—it’s an atmosphere. It began, quite literally, in a haze. “True story: Murmansk is a mid-winter fever dream,” says John, the band’s songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. “I had a 40°C fever, a post-Soviet darkwave track on the stereo, and visions of icy wastelands haunted by convoys of apocalypse-bound trucks.” From that delirium emerged a hypnotic bassline and a disarmingly uplifting chorus—one that captures the strange poetry of desolation and hope.
Since its release, Murmansk has been called “a haunting darkwave masterpiece” and “a powerful and well-crafted debut” by tastemakers across Europe and beyond. The Buzzy Band praised its “intense energy and atmospheric qualities,” while Radiotrails lauded its captivating vocal performance.
Born on the Margins, Focused on Connection
The band’s name, The Peripheries, isn’t a branding gimmick. It’s a mission statement.
“Growing up with music becoming more and more digitalized, we discovered that playing together—in real time, in real rooms—is more powerful than anything,” they explain. “We’re often in environments where music is ‘prepackaged.’ We want to create something ephemeral, unrepeatable. That’s the beauty of live music. Every show is a conversation.”
Each band member brings a unique lens to that conversation. From John’s DIY indie roots in Bristol to Carlo’s journey from immigrant outsider to creative director to late-blooming vocalist, to Flaminia’s childhood surrounded by folk and prog and her experience as a conservatory-trained pianist and music therapist—the band’s strength lies in their diversity. Udo, the grunge-fueled bassist; Sabina, the painter-drummer who found percussion at 40; and the quiet glue of the ensemble, each member carries a story that feeds the band’s layered sound.
Beyond Genre, Beyond Borders
While A New Oblivion wears its influences on its sleeve—Joy Division, Cocteau Twins, early Cure, Sonic Youth—it also points to a future beyond easy classification. The Peripheries are already working on new material, unbound by genre, with aspirations to collaborate across disciplines and continents.
Their goals are grounded but visionary: to build a loyal audience, to play festivals and headline shows across Europe, and to create art that invites participation—not just consumption. “We want to reach people of all ages who feel something in our music, who want to connect through it.”
Music as Fabric, Breath, and Movement
Sabina calls music “the air’s clothing.” That poetic thread runs through everything The Peripheries do. Whether you’re listening to their eerie synths, feeling the pulse of their rhythm section, or reading the politically tinged lyrics that hint at isolation, climate dread, and longing for community—this band isn’t just creating sound. They’re weaving experience.
You can stream A New Oblivion now on Spotify, Bandcamp, or YouTube. But more than anything, the band invites you to see them live. “What you hear from The Peripheries is unrepeatable,” they say. “And that’s exactly the point.”