Ethereal Wave

Ethereal Wave, also called ethereal darkwave in Europe and ethereal goth or simply ethereal in the US, is a term that describes a subgenre of Dark Wave music. Developed in 1983/1984 as an outgrowth of gothic rock, ethereal was mainly represented by bands such as Cocteau Twins and early Dead Can Dance.

The website "A Study of Gothic subculture" describes it as being "most characterized by soprano female vocals combined with bass, lead guitar, and drums which creates a surreal, angelic or otherworldly effect e.g. Love Spirals Downwards, Cocteau Twins. Sometimes, a male vocalist will also be in the group along with the female vocalist. Even more rarely will there be only a male vocalist, but it is still considered ethereal if the mood created is otherworldly and surreal."

There are overlaps between Ethereal Wave, shoegazing and dream pop, with many artists being heavily influenced by 4AD bands, Dead Can Dance, Cocteau Twins, and This Mortal Coil, as well as early All About Eve and Siouxsie and the Banshees. The American Ethereal group Siddal for example described their music as follows: "A product of influences such as the Cocteau Twins, Low, Slowdive, The Cure, and Dead Can Dance, use a blend of ambient music, shoegazer style guitars, synths and sequenced rhythms."

Ethereal is strongly associated with the Projekt label, which features some of the most well known names of the US scene. Ethereal music has been featured in the theme song for the television series Nip/Tuck. Other labels that feature some of the leading lights of the movement are Tess Records (This Ascension, Autumn), Yvy Records (Faith & Disease) and Middle Pillar (Aenima).