Browsing Tag

dark pop

Lajze – Glue: Meet the Lydia Lunch of this Generation

Posted on 8 July 2021

London-based British/Polish singer-songwriter and composer Lajze has released her latest indulgently obscure, avant-garde trip-hop EP, Red Sea. Any fans of Lydia Lunch, David Lynch’s phantasmal aural works and Marc Hurtado will want to experience the mesmerizingly dark soundscapes for themselves.

The best introduction to the electronically-crafted no-wave release is the lead single, Glue; that is exactly how it will stick to your synapses as you drink in the haunting atmosphere and feel the chill of the ominous droning bass around the glitchy beats. The sensual vocals add even more ethereal ambience to the single as they work around striking meta poetry which serves as lyricism.

Glue is now available to stream via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mak London has released her ensnaringly witchy sophomore single, ‘Cut Ya Clean’.

Posted on 6 July 2021

Dark, witchy, and edgy are just a few of the adjectives that first come to mind when listening to Mak London’s sophomore single, Cut Ya Clean. But it is so much more than your average brooding-pop-princess track, which we’ve heard so many times since Eilish declared herself as ‘the bad guy’.

Cut Ya Clean is an artfully decadent track; full of lavish authenticity that will undoubtedly see the Calgary-based singer-songwriter go far on her path to alt-pop royalty. The starkest reminiscences in the soundscape are the ones that bring Lewis Carroll’s The Queen of Hearts to mind.

Cut Ya Clean officially released on July 2nd; you can check it out for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

For more info, head over to her website. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

AMOSA has released her ethereally dark electronic pop debut, ‘WALKAWAY’.

Posted on 19 June 2021

Oxford, UK-based singer-songwriter AMOSA has released her debut indie-pop single, WALKAWAY, which runs in the same moody vein as Billie Eilish and King Princess.

The stylishly arranged single flows through downtempo, reflective synth-led grooves in the captivating soundscape that delivers an ethereal atmosphere, direct lyricism, and swathes of emotion that captures the vulnerability in the admission that you want someone to stay who has already started to walk away.

It’s a stunning extension of compassion to anyone who has ever experienced holding onto toxic people, knowing that they’re bad, but feeling the physical addiction all the same.

At the age of 21, AMOSA is already proving that she’s got the contemporary sound and the matured talent to climb the indie-pop charts. We’re stoked to watch her ascent.

WALKAWAY is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Coming For Ya: Emerging NYC artist Inés gets away from this wild year with the exhilarating new single ‘Run’

Posted on 11 June 2021

With a wildly intoxicating technique that is so delightfully proficient and ear-warmly enlightening, Inés sparks bright like an excited fuse that dazzles the mind on her new single ‘Run‘.

Inés is a classy solo project who was formed by the young and talented NYC native Patricia Zulueta who is a EDM music producer, indie-dark-pop singer-songwriter and guitarist. Influenced heavily by her hero’s Björk and SOPHIE, she makes that different vibe that is full of her almost wizard-like creativity.

”This song speaks to the crazy, unpredictable nature of the past year. I hope that the ever-changing textures and beats evoke
the rapid twists and turns of 2020/21.” – Inés

Her approach is supremely graceful and filled with such innovation that quite frankly, boggles the mind. As you turn the volume up so you can clearly hear her quick-fire vocals, you admire her DIY artistic approach that is quite a sumptuous effort.

‘Run‘ from New York City-based EDM music producer and dark-pop singer Inés who made this terrific track from her cozy bedroom, shows us her fascinating experimental project in full force with an outstanding display of skill. She is definitely a rising name who brings forth her eclectic music style, that certainly rivets the mind, body and soul, into life again after being dormant for too long.

Stream this electric new single via her Spotify and see more via IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Stormin’⚡️Norman gives us a shot of ‘Novacane’ in his latest single

Posted on 9 June 2021

RnB pop takes a dark turn in Boston, New York-born rap artist Stormin’⚡️Norman’s single, Novacane, taken from his debut EP Before I Go. The single poignantly shines a light on the despair that the loss of love can bring broiling to the surface as the cold chilling tones mimic the emptiness of a noted absence.

Starting with a delicate yet cavernous intro, Novacane hooks you in from the atmospheric prelude; when Stormin’⚡️Norman starts to lay down his authentic RnB pop vocals around the hip hop beats, you’ll already be hooked, allowing everything that follows to hit with bruising impact.

Since making his debut in 2020, he has garnered over 11k monthly listeners on Spotify alone. His ability to connect with his fans through candid lyrics and evocative mixes is sure to see him go even further in 2021 and beyond.

Novacane is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Téa Texier traverses uncertainty in her striking indie debut single, ‘Garden Smiles’

Posted on 7 June 2021

With the same mesmerising appeal of Tom Odell, Grace Isaac, Warpaint and London Grammar combined with an even more intimate indie appeal and poetically meta lyrics, Téa Texier’s debut single Garden Smiles is absorbing from start to finish.

The indie track mixes art-rock with shoegaze to create a soundscape laden with dreamy and reverby textures, but with plenty of striking elements weaved into this melancholically compelling single that explores uncertainty, the fiery resonance doesn’t fail to take hold.

In the short time since the 16-year-old London-based singer-songwriter made her debut, she’s racked up over 6,000 streams on Spotify alone. Her ability to, quite literally, key into the contemporary mood to bring forth a mournfully relatable song for collective catharsis will see her go far in 2021 and beyond.

Garden Smiles is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The First Chapter: Kiss Kanoo impresses on electric new journey to start fresh with ‘Outta Time’

Posted on 4 June 2021

Whilst sending us a pulsating synthwave beat that streams blood from her eye, Kiss Kanoo moves away from those who have sucked away her kind energies for their own selfish gains on ‘Outta Time‘.

Kiss Kanoo is a striking London, England-based, Italian-born, USA and Australia-raised indie dark-pop artist. She has a focused mysterious edge to her and is always looking to evolve the music style, to exciting new levels of intrigue.

“Outta Time is about giving chances to the wrong people who end up taking advantage of you, mercilessly. We all encounter these type of people in our lives, but in this case they are running out of time, ‘Outta Time’ because it’s time to cut them off. I wanted to conceptualize this message with rolling waves of synth leads, moody atmospherics and crisply delivered vocals.” – Kiss Kanoo

This is a terrific music video that shows her intent, her voice is meaningful and full of frustration with this situation she wants to close the door on, as he are let into a wave of soundscapes that has your heart beating faster and nodding your head to the breathtaking beat.

‘Outta Time‘ from the absorbing Fashionista and London-based dark-pop artist Kiss Kanoo, has us looking upwards to find peace from our decisions. Some people just don’t deserve our time and need to be left in the dark, as we move to the welcoming light and switch them off for good. The soul needs good humans to elevate, otherwise you will only go into a downward spiral forever.

See this quality video on YouTube and find out more via IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Drink Some Cherry Wine: Leeds singer Pixia keeps it real on dark-pop gem ‘If I’m On Your Mind’

Posted on 4 June 2021

With a compellingly intriguing style that is fused together so sweetly with her dreamy voice that has you starstruck, Pixia smartly wants to keep things real simple in this overly complicated world with ‘If I’m On Your Mind‘.

Anna-Rose aka Pixia, is a mysteriously creative Leeds/Manchester-based dark-pop singer-songwriter from the underrated North England. She has our minds in a much better place with her undiva-like qualities that shines through and gives you hope again.

”Pixia’s dark and dreamy style is composed of ethereal vocals against bell, synth, and string instrumentals. Morphia marks the first project in Pixia’s dream of creating dream pop music with a dark, distinguished undertone.” – Pixia

This is the true story about making sure that you are both on the same wavelength, as you don’t want things to get messy with annoying drama, that belongs on reality tv. With an entrancing beat and luscious vocals that are inter-webbed by self-aware lyrics, this is a glorious song to put on repeat.

‘If I’m On Your Mind‘ from the inspiring Leeds/Manchester-based dark-pop indie singer-songwriter Pixia, shows us happily into the romantic spark that is flaming the room, as she just wants to talk about real things and keep it all so chilled. With a bottle of tasty cherry wine ready to be heartily consumed with the right company, this is exactly the right mindset to have in this rather strange world.

Stream this new single on Spotify and check out the IG for more.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Aspen Sawyer has released her apocalyptic love song, ‘When the World is Ending’

Posted on 3 June 2021
Aspen Sawyer

Tucson, AZ-hailing pop artist Aspen Sawyer has been pulling the light out of her dark experiences since she made her debut in 2019 with her single, Self-Love. After experiencing serial abuse and homelessness as a teenager and young adult, Sawyer seeks to inspire her listeners by proving past trauma doesn’t need to hold you back or define you.

Her latest single, When the World is Ending, is an intoxicating feat of darkwave electropop that asks the very relatable question, will you still love me when the world is ending? With apocalyptic thought never far from our synapses these days, When the World is Ending is a powerful release that reflects the paradigm shift that love has taken during the pandemic.

When the World is Ending is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Siobamm has made her dark-pop debut with her alt-indie-electronica EP, ‘Gloom Patrol’.

Posted on 1 June 2021
Siobamm

Toronto, Canada-hailing roller derby skater Siobamm used her time during lockdown to write and self-produce her dark pop debut EP, Gloom Patrol. It is easily one of the most promising alt-electronica debuts so far in 2021.

The standout single, Bones, is a feat of darkwave synth-pop that pulls in gothy discordant textures along with the steady downtempo pace of the pulsating basslines, giving Bones a mesmerizingly mellifluous, almost cinematic, feel. If Gloom Patrol was her 10th EP, we’d be impressed. For Siobamm to make a debut with a sound that is polished as it is authentic is something else entirely. Discernibly, the key to Siobamm’s success was ensuring that connectable emotion ran at the surface of her unique sound.

Any fans of Warpaint, Hooverphonic, Portishead and Bjork won’t want to miss out on this stylistically moody synth-pop release.

Check out Siobamm via her website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast