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Molly Nilsson, 'Pompeii'

A glorious piece of goth hit streaming services over the weekend: Molly Nilsson, a reigning queen of DIY synth-pop, capped her excellent new album, Extreme, with this soaring slice of skeletal melancholia, addressing the endgame of everlasting love. The Pompeii couple immortalized in ash, killed while in each others' arms after the AD 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius, serve as inspiration here, and Nilsson doesn't shy away from the macabre implications. "I'd say I love you but I catch my breath," she chants, "Cause whatever I love I always love to death." All the while, an assortment of synthesizers and drum machines churn away, steadfastly growing louder and brighter until all that's left is bittersweet beams of light.

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