Chris Isaak's 'Wicked Game' Given A Makeover By Death Valley Dreams

09-05-2026

Death Valley Dreams have shared their take on Chris Isaak's classic hit "Wicked Game' which is the first release under their just announced deal with BETTER NOISE MUSIC.

Atom Splitter shared these details: The cover is an inspired choice for Death Valley Dreams, whose own music thrives in the same space between darkness, desire, melancholy, and tension. Shimmering guitars, pulsing textures, and an intoxicating sense of suspense amplify the song's underlying ache, turning a familiar classic into something seductive, modern, and unmistakably their own.

There's an undeniable nocturnal quality to Death Valley Dreams' rendition: Unsettling yet beautiful, like stumbling into a tantalizing late-night scene from a Quentin Tarantino film where you know something dangerous is about to happen. The song feels drenched in neon, shadows, desire, and mystery, capturing the magnetic pull of the original while heightening its cinematic allure. Rather than simply recreating "Wicked Game," Death Valley Dreams tap into what made the song so enduring and reimagines it through their own dark-alternative lens.

"It's one of those songs that's just hauntingly beautiful and dark," offers the band's singer and keyboardist. "I've always gravitated toward that kind of mood, and 'Wicked Game' has always been one of those songs that stuck with me. It fits the world we've built as a band so naturally that it just made sense to take our own approach to it."

The band serves up a cocktail of brooding rock, atmospheric vibes, neo-new wave synths, and gloomy guitars. Indeed, Death Valley Dreams are a master class in gloriously melancholic music - they provide the soundtrack for nyctophiles.

Siphoning influence from '80s pioneers The Cure, Depeche Mode, Bauhaus, and Echo & The Bunnymen, as well as early '00s torchbearers The Killers, and Interpol while appealing to fans of newer acts like Nation of Language and Boy Harsher, Death Valley Dreams are magnets for those who prefer the darker side of life.

Lexie Viklund, Director of A&R, says, "Death Valley Dreams brings an exciting new dimension to the Better Noise roster. With a group of seasoned professionals coming together to pursue their shared passion for music, the possibilities are truly endless. We couldn't be more excited to welcome them to the Better Noise family."

Fans of rock new and old can catch on the road this fall with The Rasmus and Saint Agnes. These September dates offer the perfect chance to experience DEATH VALLEY DREAMS in their element - after dark, surrounded by a room full of people discovering a band that feels destined for much bigger stages. All dates are below.

DEATH VALLEY DREAMS ON TOUR:
WITH THE RASMUS + SAINT AGNES:
9/6 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge
9/8 - Toronto, ON - The Opera House
9/9 - Montreal, QC - Le Studio TD
9/10 - Allston, MA - Brighton Music Hall
9/11 - Quebec City, QC - Salle Montaigne
9/13 - New York, NY - Racket
9/14 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
9/16 - Flint, MI - The Machine Shop
9/17 - Louisville, KY - Louder Than Life Festival
9/19 - Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater
9/20 - St. Louis, MO - Delmar Hall
9/22 - Hidalgo, TX - Payne Arena
9/23 - Dallas, TX - The Studio at The Bomb Factory
9/24 - Houston, TX - Bad Astronaut
9/25 - Austin, TX - Come and Take It Live
9/27 - Englewood, CO - Gothic Theatre
9/28 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Grand at The Complex
9/29 - Grand Junction, CO - Mesa Theater
10/1 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre
10/2 - Boise, ID - The Shrine Social Club
10/3 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
10/4 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theatre
10/6 - Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades
10/7 - Reno, NV - Cargo Concert Hall
10/8 - San Francisco, CA - August Hall
10/11 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues
10/12 - Los Angeles, CA - The Regent Theater