Browsing Tag

8-bit

frekld cloud sang a lyrical lullaby in ‘Peter Pan’ ft Jxsie Beats

Posted on 22 January 2024

frekld cloud’s latest single, Peter Pan, featuring Jxsie Beats, is a mesmerising journey through a dreamscape where the boundaries of consciousness blur. This single, a harmonious blend of ambient, videogame-inspired instrumentals and delicate pop vocals, invites listeners into a world where music and the inner trappings of a melancholy mind meld seamlessly.

At 19, frekld cloud has already shown a profound depth in his music by intertwining sound with heartfelt emotion. The lyrical lullaby is a vivid illustration of his journey, evolving from a young artist sharing his creations on YouTube and SoundCloud to an emerging voice on the global stage. His commitment to exploring mental health through music, born from a childhood where expression was a challenge, shines through in Peter Pan’s ambient, videogame-like instrumentals, which cradle the narrative of a reflective mind.

Frekld Cloud’s vocals, both soft and resonant, glide over the dreamscape, painting a picture of emotion and introspection. The lyrics, forthright and poignant, draw listeners into the artist’s psyche, exploring themes of freedom, self-awareness, and the complexities of mental health. We can’t wait to join flekld cloud on his next ethereal journey.

Peter Pan is available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lose yourself in the videogame-esque aesthetic in Mew Kardo’s latest trap single, VODOLADY

Posted on 12 January 2024

On Christmas Day, the trap trailblazer, Mew Kardo, put his debut LP, GAMK VOL2:ALLNIGHTLONG, under everyone’s tree and allowed the genre to transcend its archetypes. The pop-hooked 8-bit adjacent standout single, VODOLADY, portrays Mew Kardo as an antihero you can’t help but warm to as the melodies meander beneath his distinctively infectious bars that flow with a killer cadence.

His work, a vibrant blend of trap’s raw energy and a digital, almost videogame-like aesthetic, marks an immersive evolution in the genre. Kardo, drawing inspiration from titans like Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar, infuses his music with a sense of boundless creativity, yet remains grounded in the gritty realism that trap music embodies.

Kardo’s skill in storytelling shines through as he navigates this complex landscape with a deft lyrical prowess reminiscent of Lil Wayne’s intricate wordplay and André 3000’s vivid narratives. The track is a journey through a world where the beats are as pulsating as the pixels on a screen, creating an immersive experience that is both familiar and refreshingly novel.

VODOLADY speaks of a future where genres are fluid, and artists like him are the architects of this new musical landscape. His ability to filter reality through a digital lens while staying true to the roots of trap is nothing short of remarkable. This release is a testament to his potential, hinting at a career that will be as impactful as it is innovative.

Stream VODOLADY on Spotify now.

Follow Mew Kardo on Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Skinny G Radio reached the pinnacle of existential humour with his alt-electro hit, Unplug Me!

Posted on 17 January 2023

Unplug Me! is just one of the eccentrically disarming alt-electronica singles found on Skinny G Radio’s funky 8-Bit album, The Heightening. The tongue-in-cheek exposition on the perils of social media in the age when fear and hate are relentlessly pushed to keep us transfixed to platforms is an all too efficacious reminder that we should consume media not the other way around.

Instead of letting the doom and gloom from the lyrical messaging control the track, the LA artist and producer utilises his on-brand sense of existential humour to give back some of the serotonin stripped by doom-scrolling. The playful polyphonic synth sequences make delving back in for repeat listens all too tempting. Can someone protect Skinny G Radio at all costs, please? He’s ingeniously precious.

Unplug Me! is now available to stream on Spotify.

Connect with Skinny G Radio on Twitter & Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

2burbo created a hyper pop-trap hit of hope for the masses with “just might save the world”

Posted on 9 January 2023

Aural originator 2burbo poured a potent shot of optimism into his standout single, just might save the world, which rips through every genre known to man to create a hyper hit of hope for the masses.

The 8-bit videogame synthetics around the trap and pop elements allowed the futuristically-inspired experimentalist to pair suitable sonics around his declaration of “hey, I just might save the world”. With the euphoria spilling from the short and colourfully sweet single, if anyone has what it takes to put our disillusioned world back on track, it is the Wisconsin-based artist who started operating under the moniker 2burbo in 2001.

Under the influence of everyone from Crystal Castles to Bowie to Prince to Steel Panther, it is no surprise that 2burbo was able to infuse so much distinction in his vibrant sonic signature.

just might save the world is available to stream on Spotify. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Chiptune meets classical in Mr. Tyler Larson’s Flight of the Bumble Bee (Arcade Version)

Posted on 16 July 2021

Rimsky-Korsakov’s original score, Flight of the Bumble Bee, was imagined for a full symphonic orchestra; Mr. Tyler Larson inventively reimagined it through arcade sounds and vintage synths.

In this unexpected collision of chiptune and classical, the flurrying notes swathe you in 80s nostalgia while the dizzying pace of the intermittent bleeps leaves you utterly arrested. I have heard Flight of the Bumble Bee covered many times before, but this theatrically digital rendition is easily one of the most inventive.

Flight of the Bumble Bee (Arcade Version) released on July 1st. You can check it out for yourselves via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Tremantis – Better Think 2wice: Angsty Electronic Alt-Rock

Posted on 24 April 2021

Any fans of Fidlar’s angstily playful garage indie rock style will want to get acquainted with Tremantis’ electronic alt-rock track, ‘Better Think 2wice’.

With elements of Beastie Boys-style hip-hop-infused into the mix along with Mindless Self Indulgence-Esque synth-driven breakdowns and 8-bit chiptune influences, Better Think 2wice is for anyone who wants to hear nothing but unadulterated expression in their alt-rock tracks.

The LA-based powerhouse formed in 2017; since then, they’ve racked up 400k streams on their most popular bluesy indie track, ‘Hey Me’, and there’s plenty more in the pipeline. Tremantis will be releasing a new track every month throughout 2021 and something tells me that you’ll want them on your radar for their live dates.

Better Think 2wice is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Fake-Bit Rebel gave chiptune the melodic touch in their latest indie single, ‘Stolen Summer’.

Posted on 15 April 2021

Chiptune may not be your first choice of genre to delve into when looking for melodic and evocative tracks, but Fake-Bit Rebel with their latest single, ‘Stolen Summer’, may be set to change that.

Behind the choppy full-bodied lo-fi guitar, you’ll hear the indistinguishable beeps and boops which could only have transpired from 8-bit. When the two seemingly contrasting textures merge under the indie power-pop vocals, Stolen Summer becomes a track worth holding a lighter in the air for. Remember when that was a thing?

Given the track title, you can guess what Stolen Summer lyrically tackles, but what it doesn’t do is warn you how hard it hits emotionally. To give you an idea, it parallels what you’ll feel if you hit play on Third Eye Blind or Taking Back Sunday.

Stolen Summer is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ernesto Carlos has released their eccentric feat of cosmic pop, ‘Ontem eu matei trinta pessoas’

Posted on 3 April 2021

After releasing their 2020 single, ‘Silencio’, Brazilian artist Ernesto Carlos has continued to enamour listeners with their eccentric sound that proves expression doesn’t have to be serious to add nuance on the airwaves.

The standout track, ‘Ontem eu matei trinta pessoas’ from his debut album ‘Jorge’ exhibits the best of Ernesto Carlos’ high vibes and disregard for creative constraints. With all of the aural insanity of the Talking Heads, the easy rhythms of ska reggae and a futuristic infusion of 8-bit, it’s safe to say that you’ve never heard anything like the smorgasbord of euphoria on offer here. There’s even the echo of the 60s psych-pop within Ontem eu matei trinta pessoas to ensure that it unfolded as vibrantly as possible.

Unilingual English minds unable to decipher the lyrics will still be able to take plenty away from this energetic feat of cosmic pop.

Ontem eu matei trinta pessoas is available to stream with the rest of Ernesto Carlos’ debut album via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Evoke Altered Nostalgia with Swimsuit Season’s Debut Self-Titled Vaporwave EP

Posted on 1 April 2021
https://open.spotify.com/track/69CSnWrsDcmOFf9UM9FmMS?si=fe692f7612644a26

Enjoy altered nostalgia with artist and producer Swimsuit Season’s debut self-titled EP. With their retro-futuristic approach to lo-fi vaporwave, the melodies lock into recontextualised sun-bleached memories as the instrumental mixes flow through their hazy, glitchy in part, progressions. Perceptibly, Swimsuit Season has no trouble keeping listeners entranced and simultaneously lost in daydream ambience.

The title track is the perfect introduction to Swimsuit Season’s almost ethereal sound that pulls in nuances of 8-bit and 16-bit for a touch of contemporary within the chillwave mix which could easily go viral.

Swimsuit Season’s debut EP is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

JJ Mickey delivers adrenalizing Techno ingenuity with “Razor Elegant”

Posted on 17 November 2020

Canadian artist and producer JJ Mickey has dropped their most mesmerising release to date, Razor Elegant. From carnivalesque kaleidoscopic whirlwinds to build-ups which will leave you tense with anticipation, you can expect all of that and more.

The excitement I usually reserve for bands such as Nekrogoblikon started to manifest as soon as Razor Elegant hit it’s momentously entrancing peak. With the artist’s proclivity to play around with 8-bit and 16-bit Chiptune along with their affinity for Trance, Industrial and Classical, JJ Mickey delivered an insanely (quite literally) immersive drop with Razor Elegant.

If you have a penchant for experimental producers, you’ll definitely want JJ Mickey on your radar.

You can check out the adrenalizing mix for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast