I discovered Weirdpunk Books last year while writing for Horror DNA. Something about their aesthetics and themes resonates with me. Sometimes it reminds me of the high/low friction in early David Cronenberg films (for example, ontology meets body horror). I feel like they are fulfilling some of the promises of the Dell/Abyss line that started pushing horror beyond the traditional paperback stories. That line died when the whole horror market crashed in the ’90s (so happy to see the re-appearance of Kathe Koja’s work). Feral Architecture features stories influenced by JG Ballard. If you like a mix of literary horror and body horror tinged with splatterpunk, it will be a fun read. I already plan to reread it soon. You can read my previous Weirdpunk reviews here and here.
Kind of like Wong Kar-wai’s version of Death Bed: The Bed That Eats. A set of vignettes that follow the life cycle of a being living in a mattress. I think. Felt like 80s sci-fi sometimes and like The Yellow Wallpaper in others. A cross-sample of fans might like both Under the Skin and Mad God.
I’m a big fan of Sade and I love this song, especially the live versions. At the end of this video is a moment where she introduces the band members—many of whom started the group in the ’80s. A beautiful song followed by grace, friendship, and love.
Stephen McClurg 