Browsing Tag

EBM

Simulated Youth bridges the gap between retro style and futuristic vision with ‘N.B.T.’ featuring Camoragi

Posted on 18 March 2021

Daft Punk may be no more, but entrancing EDM tracks are still hitting the airwaves as a curtsey of producers such as Phoenix, AZ-residing artist Simulated Youth.

With Camoragi’s seductive vocals sitting over a bed of complexly layered instrumentals which bridge the gap between retro styles and futuristic vision, their latest single N.B.T. (nice bass track), arrests you emotionally just as much as it takes control of your rhythmic pulses.

If the sonic experience itself isn’t enough to get you excited about Simulated Youth’s harsh bass-riding approach to electronica which hits just as hard as any industrial track with far more duality between the chaos and the breaks and the euphoria in the drops, the concept definitely will. In Simulated Youth’s own words, “The lyrics are about the song itself being in love with the artist, yet to the artist, the song is just his nice bass track.”

You can check it out for yourselves also via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

LearningToDive shows how ‘TAINTED’ we are with his latest synth-pop single

Posted on 15 March 2021

Norwegian pop artist LearningToDive released their latest entrancing single ‘TAINTED’ to guide global anger in the right direction by attacking the glorification of the military-industrial complex.

With a similar synthpop style to the likes of Covenant, And One and VNV Nation paired with awakening lyrics which were penned to shake the listener from complacency around one of the biggest threats faced by the environment and humanity, the 80s post-punk-inspired single dropped at the perfect time.

Based on TAINTED, LearningToDive could easily be considered as the Adam Curtis of synthpop.

TAINTED is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Paul Edward Yu – T Montana: Cinematically Harsh Alt Electronica

Posted on 17 January 2021
https://soundcloud.com/pauledwardyu/t-montana-1?in=pauledwardyu/sets/the-shape-of-sound

With their latest release, songwriter, session guitarist and electronic producer, Paul Edward Yu, proved himself to be in the tragically small minority of artists with the ability to squeeze emotion from electronic sequencing alone.

Their 2020 album, ‘the shape of sound’, is home to a plethora of electrifyingly evocative instrumental tracks, but the perfect introduction to the Boston MA-based artist’s psychedelic stance on electronica is the single, ‘T Montana’.

It’s a progressive minefield of aural curveballs, the cold ambience the prelude serves is soon stripped-back and replaced with harsh cinematically caustic industrial elements contrasted by strikingly bright tonal textures. But discernibly, Paul Edward Yu saved the best for last. After the dub-laden tremulous breakdowns, the guitars tear through to the front of the mix in a way not easily forgotten.

T Montana is available to stream and download via Bandcamp or you can check it out via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Pete Jackson proves we’re all in this together with their entrancing Alt Darkwave hit “MASS HOUSE ARREST”

Posted on 16 October 2020
https://soundcloud.com/pete-jackson/mass-house-arrest?ref=clipboard

Delectably dark, yet euphorically rousing, MASS HOUSE ARREST by Sheffield-based artist and producer Pete Jackson is the feel-good Dance drop we never knew we needed.

Listening to high-energy tracks may be a bitter-sweet experience now, given that nightclubs are inaccessible, but you can class MASS HOUSE ARREST as a refreshing exception.

Starting out with a steady minimalistic beat, the track gently eases you into the momentum, only after ensuring you’ve had a suitable hit of catharsis. Then, the track amasses scuzzy distortion as it gains traction and the sound of Pete Jackson’s crunching guitar tones start to coalesce. Mid-way through the extended mix, the Dark Pop vocals work their way in, any fans of And One, Apoptygma Berzerk and Covenant will definitely approve.

I genuinely don’t know where my sanity would be if it wasn’t for artists such as Pete Jackson who are solidifying the culture bubble which protects the real fans of art, music and culture.

You can check out MASS HOUSE ARREST for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Unite in Solitude with Icecolddiamond’s Emotionally Blistering Cold Wave Track “Shattered”

Posted on 2 October 2020

Barcelona-based Electronica artist and producer Icecolddiamond released their intensely emotive latest single “Shattered” on September 18th. We’re not crying, you are.

The darkly atmospheric release offers lush reverb for you to swim in during the intro, but once the momentum starts to build in the darkly mesmeric mix, it’s compelling enough to make you throw away any inhibitions you had when you hit play. Even if it doesn’t catch you on the dancefloor. Therein lies the true beauty of Shattered, the track was written at the start of lockdown in complete isolation while Icecolddiamon was detached from reality. Their emotion fell into the soundscape undilutedly to make Shattered the ultimate club mix when there are no clubs, just solitude. Okay, we are crying.

You can check out Icecolddiamond’s track Shattered for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

HARBOUR – All You Can Be: Cinematically Captivating Electronica

Posted on 14 July 2020

Las Vegas artist and producer HARBOUR has proven with their former releases that they know how to cook up a cinematically evocative electronic storm. With their new album “Mend”, they offered the ultimate testament to their talents when it comes to creating powerfully atmospheric music.

Each single was poignantly orchestrated to hit hard and tackle a different facet of what it means to be human. The perfect introduction to HARBOUR’s captivating sound is “All You Can Be”.

For anyone that’s feeling a little lost right now, All You Can Be offers as much guidance as it does resonance. The sentimental soul of the single is amplified by the colossal yet succinct and deftly crafted build-ups. It’s so much more than a soundscape which simply speaks to you. It mirrors the fluctuation of emotions which course through you as you battle against your own mental storms which tempt you to put aside ambition, hope and optimism.

You can check out All You Can Be for yourselves by heading over to Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Joel Christian – Rise from the Grave: Entrancingly Super-Charged Darkwave EBM

Posted on 18 April 2020

Fans of EBM and Darkwave will undoubtedly want to check out the aural insanity contained in up and coming artist and producer Joel Christian’s latest release “Rise from the Grave”.

While it may be dark enough to appease Dance music fans whose playlists consist of the likes of Suicide Commando, Front 242, and VNV Nation, Rise from the Grave also carries a palpable amount of mainstream potential.

Alongside the super-charged euphorically danceable beats, you’ll find overdriven guitar riffs toward the outro giving Rise from the Grave extra added convictive bite.

If any contemporary produced mix could take the shine off iconic hits such as Kernkraft 400’s Zombie Nation, it’s this one.

Rise from the Grave is available to stream via Spotify or you can check out the official music video which premiered on March 22nd via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Pop Meets Darkwave in Skull Smith’s Latest Single “The Ghost of Mr. Hyde”

Posted on 12 March 2020

There were many saccharine love songs released on Valentine’s day. Up and coming artist Skull Smith’s Gothically romantic release “The Ghost of Mr. Hyde” certainly was never in danger of falling into that category.

With lyrics revolving around the ghost of someone’s shadow-side, naturally, the single was a darkly tantalising tale.

The Ghost of Mr. Hyde doesn’t fall into the usual realms of Industrial or Synthwave. Instead, through Skull Smith’s Pop-style vocals mixed with the progressive instrumentals, you’re treated to a soundscape which is far more theatrical.

From ethereal organs to sonic blasts of almost psychedelic synths which would be fitting in a Rock Opera you’ll find a smorgasbord of influence in The Ghost of Mr. Hyde. Evidently, Skull Smith isn’t an artist who concerns themselves with genre constraints.

The instrumentals may be consistently progressive. Yet, one thing which remains as a constant is the captivating nuanced draw of Skull Smith’s effortless vocal harmonies. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but those with darker aural inclinations will undoubtedly appreciate what Skull Smith has to offer.

You can check out Skull Smith’s latest single for yourselves via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sage Morei – Spin: Futuristic Darkwave EDM Alt Rock

Posted on 15 February 2020

Up and coming Alt Rock artist Sage Morei made their darkly mesmeric debut on February 2nd with their single “Spin”. Someone may want to tell Peter Murphy that there’s a new contender for goth supreme.

With futuristic darkwave beats along with a seductively ominous vocal prowess, it’s all too easy to get pulled into the murky depths of Spin which has given the evolution of Rock a brand-new trajectory.

Spin fuses Traditional Rock components with the modernity of hard-hitting atmospheric electronica which any fans of Nine Inch Nails and Celldweller will definitely appreciate. There may be reminiscences to other artists, but the distinction will hit you harder than any similarity.

There’ll be plenty more to come from Sage Morei in 2020, they’re well worth placing on your radar.

You can check out the official music video to Sage Morei’s track Spin via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast