The sound of a place both wonderful and strange is that of a heady paganistic fever dream that keeps the waking world slightly at bay, a warm and heavy hand across your eyes. It is the sound of sleep paralysis, a darkness shaking and ravaging your psyche with unease, mystery and wonder. However, it’s not just about what you can hear. Often, if you’re hearing it, it’s too late.

a place both wonderful and strange exists in a world hyper-influenced by the occult, David Lynch and Janet Jackson, damaged by witch house and pop culture in equal measures.  

Birthed of night and fire,  Brooklyn-based Russ Marshalek's brain child of smeary electronics and sharpened emotions takes on its newest form, as an electronic trio of power (NOT "power electronics"). Augmenting the line-up in a Voltron-esque way are Shanda Woods, formerly of We Are The Wilderness and now solo under the guise of OKTI as a member of the Hathor Collective, and Laura Hajek, who also performs as indie-pop terrorist Edith Pop. 

In 2016 a place both wonderful and strange released their second album, The Laura Palmer Deviations. "The Laura Palmer Deviations" is the soundtrack to their critically-acclaimed Lynch Foundation performance "Keys Open Doors: The Hidden Life of Laura Palmer", which recently played in Atlanta to mass praise.  Their 3rd album, "What I Speak I Create", is out in 2017 on Sony Music/The Orchard.

Combining to create a magick concoction of sounds, videos, DJ mixes and live performances that have bewitched the imagination in unique weird ways, a friend has described their style as “making music with teeth”. They have played extensively in New York City at music venues and art establishments up and down the east coast, notably capturing the interest of the David Lynch Foundation.  Currently they are working on several film soundtrack collaborations and New Jack Witch, a surreal full-length concept album and short film (the title track from which was debuted on Mishka in November of 2014).

As a place both wonderful and strange’s musical identiy whispers to a mystery befitting the name. The whispers grow louder until they are a scream meant to wake one from their fevered dream. Watch and listen, but don’t wake up.

  Photography by Vanessa Irena