Browsing Tag

Alt Electronica

Neoclassic Electronica Took a Dark Turn with Brikcs’ latest single ‘Water’

Posted on 27 December 2020

Icelandic genre-bender, Brikcs, may have earned their artistic stripes in Rock and Metal bands, but with his solo work, the imagery which his synth-driven music conjures is just as beguiling as the haunting strings which quiver over grand piano keys.

‘Water’ is a darkly mesmeric introduction to their Neoclassic evocative style, once you dive in, your consciousness is overridden for 3:33 resolving minutes as you lock into the production, quiescent enough for you to hear a pin drop, intense enough to leave you with chills.

The contrast between the abrasive lyricism and the classically-inspired instrumentals which border on the celestial leaves plenty of room for your mind to wander between dark and light. Brikcs found the perfect balance between artful Avant-Garde and accessibility, which will undoubtedly put him in good stead with his solo career in 2021 and beyond. Lord knows we need to replace Nick Cave before he gets any more right-wing.

Water is available to stream (pun definitely intended) via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sonarus – On My Way: Multiculturally Eclectic EDM

Posted on 26 December 2020

Dundee, Scotland-hailing artist, Sonarus brought her multicultural and multi-ethnic roots to her latest mesmerising single, ‘On My Way’. With elements of Afro Tech, Progressive Tech and Trance all breathing life into the galvanising mix, it’s as euphoric as it is intricately ingenious.

As trippy beats indulgently jar against arrestive synth-led melodies, Sonarus paints right across the tonal palette with cold chilling tones brushing up against transcendently light entrancing beats. Yet, the true hypnotic essence of On My Way lies within Sonarus’ smoothly evocative vocal timbre which is as close to an aural cuddle as you’re going to get.

If you could imagine what it would sound like if Shiny Toy Guns and Warpaint met in the middle, you’ll get an idea of what is in store when you hit play on this relentlessly enrapturing release.

You can check out On My Way for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Dark Electro Pop duo Anaté have debuted their emboldening single ‘Confusion’

Posted on 19 December 2020

‘Confusion’ is the darkly beguiling standout single from lockdown-born multi-national alt-electro-pop duo, Anaté’s forthcoming debut album, ‘Confessions’. It serves as the perfect introduction to the European artist’s empoweringly soulful style. Given the state of collective uncertainty which 2021 has instilled in psyches across the globe, it has ‘playlist staple’ written all over it.

Confusion opens up the conversation about duality and the conflict which courses between our intrinsic desire and the desires we sate because of societal expectation. There’s been plenty of talk in recent years about ‘living your best life’, Anaté put the emphasis on *your* with their exhilaratingly polished track which allows layers of overlapping vocals to trip over themselves, illustrating the essence of the track.

Confusion also lingers in the trippy downtempo production which mimics the disjointing nature of doubt and uncertainty. The glitchy beats are efficacious enough to resonate with your own experiences of confusion and offer consoling validation by the affirmation that the rest of the world feels exactly the same, despite pretences of togetherness.

With their ability to paint a picture of agitation while also allowing the listener to indulge a track which is powerful enough to remove the shackles of societal pressure, we’re all too eager to hear what the rest of the Trip-Hop-inspired album delivers.

Any fans of Hooverphonic, Morcheeba and Massive Attack will undoubtedly want this trailblazingly emboldening artist on their radar.

Anaté’s single, Confusion, is available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Escape reality and jet set through the 5th dimension with Praise & Warships’ synthy sweet single ‘Contact’

Posted on 19 December 2020

Global traversing may have been made difficult this year, but that’s not to say you can’t partake in jet setting through the 5th dimension with a little help from sonically entrancing tracks such as the latest release from Alt Electronica artist Praise & Warships.

In their latest futuristically danceable single, Contact, you’ll find catchy synth hooks, lashings of funk and overwhelmingly resonant lyrics. The repetition of ‘I just need contact’ brings a powerful relatable element to the otherwise playful and eccentric single. Hit play and you might almost forget that you’ve been starved of contact this year.

You can check out Contact for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

LearningToDive prescribes Alt Electro catharsis through their superlative sophomore single ‘Falling Leaves’

Posted on 15 December 2020

‘Falling Leaves’ is the entrancingly melodious sophomore single from New Zealand-based Alt Electronica artist LearningToDrive, if it doesn’t leave you transfixed, you may want to check if you’ve still got a pulse.

The artist, composer and producer used an intoxicatingly sublime blend of Alt Rock, 80’s Pop and Post Punk within their expressive sound to create an absorbing platform for their introspective-laden lyrics to fall into.

Their ability to connect the dots of the human experience while quashing malignant emotion under swathes of lush reverb and searingly reverberant bass is unparalleled.

With a debut EP in the pipeline for 2021, you’ll definitely want LearningToDrive on your radar.

You can check out Falling Leaves for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Wait has released their cinematic Industrial Alt Rock debut ‘Falling Away’

Posted on 15 December 2020
https://thewait88.bandcamp.com/releases

‘Falling Away’ is the cinematically plaintive debut single from the Scotland-hailing, London-based Alternative artist, The Wait, if any track has the rhythmic capacity to lead you down an aural rabbit and offer you kaleidoscopically psychotropic experience, it’s this one.

With artists such as Frightened Rabbit, Hans Zimmer and Trent Reznor all influencing The Wait’s transfixing electronically-crafted sound, alchemy was always going to spill from the soundscape. Many artists may have attempted to assimilate Hans Zimmer’s legendary works, but The Wait chose to take the composer’s sound and use it as the perfect precipice to jump off into a darkly creative masterpiece. I don’t use the term ‘masterpiece’ lightly.

Falling Away is available to stream and download on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Home studio goodness: Australia’s Eastrn Social transports us into a different world on the indie-electronica sizzler ‘Sound So Clear’

Posted on 27 November 2020

This is the splendid solo project of producer/songwriter Liam Gray called Eastrn Social and the earthy electronic waves drift in like a sneaky side-wash on ‘Sound So Clear‘. The bursting beat is such an intrigue and teases us to dip our toes into the seas of the unknown.

You close your eyes tightly to visualize the dreamy alt-pop transparent sounds that are a blessing to our eyes and his gasping voice floats inside your soul so beautifully. The relaxed electronica has you in a temporary gaze that is such a pleasurable experience in current times as the ambiance blesses the anxious speakers inside us.

The Newcastle, New South Wales native draws you in like a fine pencil with a music artwork that keeps your body moving in rhythm. This is a song all about meeting in the middle to get the full picture is portrayed here, as sometimes we can drift apart so quickly and get lost on the dark ocean of life. What was so easy before can sometimes become so hard and complicated. To truly work together in life or love, each relationship needs work and compassion for the flow to stream just right.

Australian home studio producer and singer-songwriter Eastrn Social has a fantastic formula that races in like a Daniel Ricciardo fastest lap. This is a musician that is different from the rest of the musicians out there and the intricately created authentic sounds transfix you into wanting more. ‘Sound So Clear’ is exactly what is on the label and this pure energy is like a crisp summer’s day in the ocean seas.

Stream this brand new release on Spotify and see more on Twitter and IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

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

Experimental artist 8udDha bl0od has released their celestial gem of track ‘Emerald’

Posted on 16 November 2020

Rising from nothing over a gorgeous fully ten-second intro, 8udDha bl0od’s ‘Emerald’ is a simple, two-minute instrumental piece, ethereal singing synth-strings atop an almost choral swell of background chords. It’s melancholic yet beautiful, tranquil, peaceful, and uplifting all at once, with an element of hope that transcends ‘instrumental’ or ‘ambient’ genre-typing.

It’s almost Gregorian chant-like in places, orchestral and practically hymnal, inspiring and graceful, with an elegance and appeal that enchants, captivates and enthrals.

If music could have a colour, this one would indeed, definitely, be emerald.

Hear 8udDha bl0od’s single ‘Emerald’ on Soundcloud.

Review by Alex Holmes

Aorta Project – Perfect Form: Enchantingly Psychotropic Ambient Electronica

Posted on 6 November 2020

AORTAPROJECT is the debut album from Aorta Project, the enchantingly psychotropic release takes electronically-crafted atmospheric ambience to another level in a way which will enamour fans of Deadmau5 and Jon Hopkins. Yet, discernibly, Aorta Project stamped down their transcendent signature sound with their debut – especially with their lead single, ‘’Perfect Form’, which was written and performed by Steven Sheffield & Allanah Maarten and mixed & mastered by Ashton Nagle.

Perfect Form allows you to indulge in over 7 minutes of evocatively progressive aural ingenuity which despite the polished production, still offers a direct intimacy which isn’t often heard in computer-generated music. It’s a track which will have you at the edge of your seat or rhythmically arrested on a dancefloor, wherever you are when it hits you, prepare to be overwhelmed by Aorta Project’s ability to command your rhythmic pulses. With the hauntingly sultry female vocals switching between whispers and mantra-like commands, expect the vocal notes to cut like glass.

You can check out Perfect Form for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast