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Maxell’s Psychedelic Indietronica Debut ‘Hide and Seek’ Taps Into the Ether

Posted on 27 November 2024
https://www.youtube.com/@wearemaxell

Maxell, a London-based trio, might be a fledgling force, but with a synth-driven sound more psychedelically potent than anything you can buy in a back alley in Camden and the wealth of experience they bring from other bands, they’re proving to be unreckonable.

Following an intro which hits with the pulse of She Wants Revenge, their memento-musing debut single, ‘Hide and Seek’ soon twists into a stylistically embellished installation of Avant-Garde indietronica.

The synths distort into kaleidoscopic oscillations as they synergise around the shimmering organ tones and delay-saturated guitars, creating an entrancing backdrop for the ethereally crystalline vocal lines, which paradoxically carry immense weight as they embed the lyrics deep into the listener’s psyche.

If you have a lot of love for Legendary Pink Dots, you may as well hand your heart over to Maxell and their signature ‘hauntology’ sound now.

Stream the official music video for Hide and Seek on YouTube or head over to Bandcamp where you can purchase the single; all proceeds from this single will be donated to the homeless charity, Crisis UK.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Circuit Symphony: The Electrified Emotions of Bruce Cohen’s ‘Dance of the Siren’

Posted on 22 November 2024

With ‘Dance of the Siren,’ the virtuosic composer Bruce Cohen unveiled a composition that is as intricate as it is profound, drawn from his latest album, ‘8 BC.’ By blending the ornate richness of neo-classical elements with the pulsating depths of sci-fi intrigue, each note seems to decide whether to comfort or challenge the listener.

Cohen’s mastery in synthesising disparate musical traditions is evident, as ‘Dance of the Siren’ embarks on a voyage through lush, theatrical gravitas and bursts into scintillating sci-fi phases. This duality in tone and texture transforms the listening experience into an exploration of emotions, leaving one oscillating between catharsis and disturbance—a true testament to his unique position in the electronic music sphere.

Cohen’s journey in music has been a kaleidoscope of genre-defying ventures. From scoring plays like ‘Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde‘ at Philadelphia’s Walnut Theatre to forming the heavy, psychedelic jazz trio Big Fun 3, his creative bandwidth stretches far and wide.

His solo projects resonate with a penchant for German electronic minimalism and ambient soundscapes reminiscent of luminaries like Brian Eno and Klaus Schulze. With each album from ‘1 BC’ to ‘8 BC,’ Cohen has progressively dipped deeper into his own experimental ethos, melding ambient, funk, and trance elements to forge a distinct sonic signature.

Dance of the Siren was officially released on November 11th; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Avant-Garde Alt-Pop Sensation Mitchell Zia Struck Again with His Jekyll and Hyde Hit, ‘accelerating’

Posted on 21 November 2024

With almost 80k monthly listeners behind him on Spotify and 157.4k followers on TikTok, the Avant-Garde Dark Electronic Pop sensation Mitchell Zia’s trajectory through the industry since his official debut in 2019 is the definition of a modern success story.

His standout single, accelerating, uses a baroque cabaret pop prelude as an opening salvo before introducing his vocals, which send tremors of deep, dark reverberations throughout the entire mix, easily overpowering the thrum of the basslines and the trappy beat. Weaving light back into the mix, the swanky piano keys ephemerally reintroduce themselves as Zia’s vocal lines chameleonically transform into an infectious pop timbre.

The way the single continues to switch in tone is enough to whip up a schizophrenic frenzy in the single which never allows you to feel complacent within the helter-skelter production. It’s enough to leave you with no room to wonder why Mitchell Zia is dominating the contemporary pop scene.

Accelerating is available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Dr. Void and the Skinjob’s latest darkwave horror punk anthem, Rave to the Grave, transmits the ethereal echoes of midnight ecstasy

Posted on 16 November 2024

Step away from sonic mundanity and into the pulse of ‘Rave to the Grave’ by Dr. Void & the Skinjob’s, a track that redefines darkwave electronica with its fusion of horror punk and darkwave industrial synthpop.

The Glasgow-based Synth, Bass & Drum trio have amassed reverence through their seductively sinister discography, now home to their new EP, ‘Sexy, Scary, Doomed & Dangerous‘. With synths that drip arcane textures and beats that pulse with a life of their own, the standout single, ‘Rave to the Grave’ is a Lovecraftian incantation wrapped within a floor-filler of an earworm.

The hedonic anthem vibrates with kinetic energy and phasers capable of transfixing you to the track, allowing you to imagine Sisters of Mercy stripped of their pretence under the influence of Misfits. After just one hit, John Carpenter’s scores will never sound the same.

The manifesto from the maestros of the macabre is an invitation to lose yourself in the depths of electronic ecstasy. If you dare to descend, be prepared: this is a full-on collision with the spectral heartbeat of dark synthwave.

Rave to the Grave dropped on Halloween; experience the euphoria for yourselves via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jonathan Jaynes – Angels & Devils: An Ethereal EDM Dance of Duality

Posted on 7 November 2024

Jonathan Jaynes’ new single, ‘Angels & Devils (Club Version)‘, hits with big beats and a honed-to-the-nines production, enveloping listeners in a vulnerably immersive slice of etherealism. The melancholy embedded within the track is its strongest magnetic pull, drawing you into the 8-bit dreamy textures, while the rhythmic punctuations turn the earworm into an installation of danceable kinetic momentum.

‘Angels & Devils’ is a devilishly arcane invitation to lose yourself within a cinematic sonic sphere, reminding you that you are never alone in the moves you make even when it feels like the ache of disconnection is all-consuming. Even if you don’t subscribe to any particular faith, it is impossible not to find comfort in the lyrical mantras that light up the track, which is one of the most affecting exhibitions of Jaynes’ ‘happysad’ signature sound that lays catchy melodies over melancholic confessions.

This club version of ‘Angels & Devils’, originally a sad self-destructive ballad about leaving a relationship to save oneself from getting hurt, marks a new direction in his career, pursuing an EDM legacy that won’t easily be lost to history.

Stream the Club Version of Angels & Devils on SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Effy Wang: Bridging Dreamscapes and Beats in ‘Da Di Da La’

Posted on 5 November 2024

In her debut single, Da Di Da La, the up-and-coming alt-pop siren Effy Wang juxtaposed the etherealism of dream pop with the rhythmic momentum of EDM by doctoring a pulse-pounding backbeat into the arcane atmosphere of the soul-driven production.

The rush of emotions that each progression manifests couldn’t be more visceral; the way the diaphanous elements intersect with the rhythmic intensity will undoubtedly leave plenty desperate to hear more from the icon in the making who is no stranger to beguiling audiences with her live performances. Now, she’s set to take over the airwaves with her effortlessly distinctive sonic signature, which is scarp enough to etch her name into the legacy of alt-electro pop.

Da Di Da La was officially released on October 21; stream the single on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Marlon Bianco went left of leftfield in his experimental electronic trip, Mad Man

Posted on 1 November 2024

Marlon Bianco’s latest single, ‘Mad Man,’ plays like an auditory hallucination; like peering through a drunken kaleidoscope, sounds and colours blend into a vivid sonic trip. Beginning with scratchy, trip-hop-adjacent beats, the track seamlessly evolves as Bianco’s dreamy, nostalgically textured vocals marry with the underlying rhythms.

It’s a sonic sculpture that etches itself into the mind, pulling you into the affirmation that insanity is infectious as elements of funk and jazz are weaved into a sublime lo-fi collage of sound.

Hazy summer nights may be behind us, but this psyched-to-the-nth-degree synth-driven odyssey from the Brighton-based aural polymath is here to stay. There’s no escaping the dreamy Avant Garde clutches of this release which forces you to live within its layers.

Mad Man will hit the airwaves on November 1st; stream the single on Spotify and follow Marlon Bianco on Instagram and Facebook.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lulled by the Digital Tides: Mercy Vibe Strikes an Ambient Polyphonic Chord in ‘So Dreamy’

Posted on 30 October 2024

‘So Dreamy’ by Mercy Vibe is a serene drift along uncharted digital waves. The reggae-infused track marries the unexpected charm of 8-bit-esque polyphonic electronica with the familiar comfort of syncopated rhythms. The real brilliance lies not just in the fusion but in the execution. With oceanic effects gently rustling through the production, listeners are invited to surrender to the track’s cathartic ambience, where nature meets meandering chiptune progressions in harmony.

Mercy Vibe, a Midwest-hailing artist and producer, allowed this seminal single to act as a canvas to exhibit her genre boundary-pushing and future-forward production style. As a thinker and creator, she has mastered the art of imbuing her rhythms with resonance. The philosophy of the instrumental piece is written between the lines: live free and easy, a message delivered purely through the musical motifs that pulse at the heart of the track which allows reggae beats to meet the pixelated pulses of retro gaming machines—a sublime retreat from the mundane, urging listeners to embrace a sonic experience that’s as dreamy as it is revolutionary.

Be a part of the reverie by streaming So Dreamy on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Nothing But Silence turned up the post-punk heat with ‘Too Useful’

Posted on 29 October 2024

In their latest single, ‘Too Useful’, Chicago’s Nothing But Silence threads jangly new wave guitars around stark, monochromatic motifs of post-punk, all set within a dream-pop-esque production that feels like a psychedelic trip through a rhythmic mirage.

The bold tonal experimentation manifests a sonic experience that distorts and oscillates with trippy, tropical vibrations, creating an immersive soundscape that pulls you into its obscure kaleidoscope. Prepare to enter a semi-lucid dream state with Too Useful, which uses abstract lyricism to amplify the delirium of the record which stands as a bold declaration of the band’s unique identity in the alternative scene.

Imagine if Joy Division’s ‘Transmission’ was transmitted from a warmer, more vibrant parallel universe—that’s the innovative essence captured in ‘Too Useful’. The track is a stellar slice of rhythmic ingenuity that invites listeners to step into a different, more colourful side of post-punk, laced with a dreamy, wavy quality that keeps the genre alive and pulsating.

Too Useful hit the airwaves on October 18; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Seductive Synths and Industrial Grit: Silverlake Digs Deep with ‘X (I Should Be Digging)’

Posted on 27 October 2024
Silverlake

Synthesising the demure magnetism of Garbage, the arcane aura of Bjork, and a visceral indietronica pulse, Silverlake electrifies the senses with strobing synths lighting up the polished production in their latest seminal single, X (I Should Be Digging), taken from their third LP, Exotic Metals Ltd.

There’s a seductive power in every second, with sharper-than-razorwire hooks, luxe guitar licks, and siren-esque vocal lines courtesy of Sally-Ann Parker, whose performance is nothing less than hypnotic.

The track’s descent into pure leftfield chaos, guided by oscillating synths and pummelling bass, leaves a lasting impression, securing Silverlake’s place as one of the most scintillating indie-pop outfits on the UK underground circuit.

Drawing on their West Midlands roots, ‘X’ reflects their unique ability to fuse industrial influences with ethereal sublimity. Industrial electronica doesn’t frequently veer into the remit of otherworldly tonality, but as X proves, when it does, the result is nothing short of alchemic and starkly cinematic.

X (I Should Be Digging) was officially released on September 20; stream the single on SoundCloud and Bandcamp now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast