Browsing Tag

Electro Pop

Nissu – Connection: A Strident Exhibition of the Resilience of the Human Spirit

Posted on 21 June 2024
Nissu

The latest single from the Brazil-born, Dublin-based pop sensation, Nissu, is an explosion of positivity; ‘Connection’ goes nuclear through the sonic combustion of passion and unflinching optimism. As soon as the beat kicks in, you’ll catch the fever of gratitude and be compelled to move.

The hit is a kaleidoscope of nu-disco cuts, modern pop panache, grooving basslines, and snappy snares that help to deliver a dynamic, driving beat and cradle the exuberance in the vocals that project an uplifting ode to love, compassion and human connection. Written during lockdown, Connection urges the listener to look for the strength in themselves and celebrate the beauty in connectivity.

We may be years beyond the dystopia of lockdown, but the lessons we learned from the grounding experience, which forced us to reflect on what truly matters and affirmed the importance of connection, still exist as a silver lining to the chapter of our lives that will always be bitter-sweet to look back on.

The official music video is just as much of a triumph, featuring cameos from Charity Case and Hey Baby of Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK and the trans/neurodivergent advocate Cleo C. As a precursor to Nissu’s debut EP, Memories, Connection, created plenty of anticipation over what Nissu has lingering in the pop pipeline.

Connection will be available to stream on all major platforms from June 21st; the official music video will premiere on the same day on Nissu’s YouTube channel.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spyndycyt entered the industry as a zany indie pop enigma with ‘MysteryBoy’.

Posted on 20 June 2024

Spyndycyt’s seminal single, ‘MysteryBoy‘, kicks off with a short sermonic acapella narration of abstract lyrical poetry before the beat and scintillatingly strobing synths consume the track in true electro-pop style.

Yet, ‘MysteryBoy’ is far from your average pop fare. It fuses Jack White-esque aesthetics with Suicide-reminiscent indietronica and an eccentricity scarcely heard in the contemporary music industry. If Lou Reed lost all sense of restraint and approached his sound with unadulterated expression, you’d undoubtedly be treated to an exhilarant zany hit in the same vein as ‘MysteryBoy’.

Even after this soul-baring release, Spyndycyt remains somewhat of an enigma behind his avant-garde production that’s rampant with infectious zeal. His approach to music is intriguingly unconventional, but don’t get it twisted, though he may blaze through his productions driven by fantasies that far exceed his abilities, the result is a mould-breaking riot of rhythmically-charged euphoria.

His raw, almost naive touch, brings a unique authenticity to his work that seekers of fresh and boundary-pushing hits will want to devour. Break away from the mundane and predictable and hit play.

MysteryBoy was officially released on June 12th; stream the single on SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Radiant alchemised sociopathic kryptonite in their alt-rock anthem, Formulaic

Posted on 16 June 2024

Alt-rock rhythms rendezvoused with moody electroclash-esque pop aesthetics in the latest single, Formulaic, from the Canadian harbingers of sonic revolution, The Radiant.

The accolade-decorated outfit used the single from their forthcoming LP, Take 3, to hold a mirror to the contrived ilk of sociopaths who always know what to say to manipulate a situation while wrapping themselves up in the narcissistic fantasy of a belief that they’re untouchable. The visceral impact of Mikhaila Anderson’s soaring with scathed soul vocals will undoubtedly make them think twice and embolden others to join The Radiant at the vanguard of silken-tongued resistance.

In their most accomplished single to date, The Radiant let their endlessly expanding audience know exactly who they are; a powerhouse with rock n roll reverence in their bones and innovation in their blood.

After receiving nominations for Rock Artist of the Year from BreakOutWest WCMA in 2020 and Alternative Artist of the Year in 2022 from North Sask Music Zine following the release of their eponymous debut EP in 2019, with the release of their debut album in the pipeline, more award nominations will naturally follow.

Formulaic will be available to stream on all major platforms from June 16th. Find your preferred way to listen via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Embers’ Breakbeats are as Hard-Hitting as Her Bite in ‘Teeth’

Posted on 2 June 2024

By anchoring the transcendent house elements with the forcefully resonant undertones of the bass that reverberate through the entrancing breakbeat production against techno beats and vocal pop hooks, Embers’ started a fire that will never go out with her latest single, Teeth.

Sensually sonorous in one breath and rhythmically liberating in the next, every progression is a revelation in stylistic motion in Teeth, which attests to the London-based singer-songwriter and producer’s triple-threat talent that is making waves in the UK electronica scene and tearing attention away from the likes of Sylvan Esso, Lapsley, and Maggie Rogers.

While the instrumentals deliver an expansive brand of alchemy, Embers brings the intimacy with her ever-ascending vocal lines, making Teeth fitting for late-night sessions of reflection, your after-party playlists, and whenever you need reminding of the transformative power of sound orchestrated by a visionary who knows exactly to stir the soul with melody.

Teeth was officially released on May 24; stream the single on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lose your head and your heartbreak on the dancefloor with Sam Macdonald’s nu-disco hit, I Wanted More

Posted on 2 June 2024

80s synth pop vicariously lives and breathes through Sam Macdonald’s latest nu-disco hit, I Wanted More, which is a testament to the artist and producer’s cultivated talent, honed while studying music production at Leeds Conservatoire.

Hit play and be force-fed ear candy through the synthesis of the rhythmically compulsive disco grooves and the 80s Madonna-esque vocals that don’t stop at soaring above the production; the passion within them wraps around the track like an incandescent aura you will want to bask in time and time again.

The euphoria within the fiery neon-lit tour de force, which finds a vindicating way to address the dejection of not being able to meet unrealistic romantic expectations ensures that anyone who has been burnt by that particular old flame before will be able to lose their head and heartbreak on the dancefloor with this flawless hit.

I Wanted More was officially released on May 10th and is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Pearl Poet – At the End of the World: Apocaloptimist Electro Pop

Posted on 1 June 2024
At the End Of the World by Pearl Poet

If the end of the world is nigh, we may as well follow the human proclivity to romanticise tragedy; there’s no better track to look at the apocalypse through an affectionate lens than the latest single, At the End of the World, by the Floridian producer duo, Pearl Poet. The pangs of euphoria as soon as you immerse yourself in the nu-disco landscape of melody, sincerity and harmony could turn up the heat in the bitterest soul.

As the lyrics and effect-imbued vocals euphonise on a thin line between existentialism and exuberance, the thematic duality of At the End of the World will take the reigns of your rhythmic and emotional impulses; relinquish control and you’ll find yourself in the safe hands of a gifted duo of apocaloptimist electro-pop producers.

The 80s pop aesthetic may continuously be revisited in 2024, but few artists are better placed to modernise the lush neon-lit synthetics as Pearl Poet. Wherever their creative journey takes them next, we want to be there for it.

At the End of the World will be available to stream on all major platforms from May 31. Stream and purchase the single now on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Grief transmuted into ground-breaking dance-pop in Tori BLK’s anthem of fortitude A-Okay

Posted on 31 May 2024
Tori BLK

Ignited by fiery pop-punk energy, Tori BLK’s latest dance-pop track, A-Okay, is an act of intense sonic fortitude. Written in the months following losing her mother to liver cirrhosis in February 2024, the single delivers mantras and sonics of solace as it sarcastically scathes at the internal and external expectations to be okay in the wake of a tragedy so colossal you lose your sense of gravity in an alien orbit of reality.

With so many layers to the single, consuming it completely requires digging deep into the emotional and thematic mantles of the single in addition to acknowledging how the instrumentation and stylistic touches amplify the heart-wrenching yet juxtaposing soul-enriching essence of the single.

As the hard-hitting beats thrash against the grief, the upbeat synth-carved melodies deliver the consolation in synergy with Tori BLK’s ascendingly ethereal vocal lines until the chorus hits and she fervently delivers the refrain “tell me that I’m okay, tell me that I’m a-okay”. The heterogeneous hit is inexplicably affecting; it transcends music to exhibit an unfiltered manifestation of a grief-torn soul. As someone who has also experienced the loss of their mother, I can attest first-hand to how raw and real the resonance is.

If this is your first introduction to Tori BLK (AKA Victoria Islas) and her ability to alchemise, transmute and transform broken hearts, it will be an unforgettable acquainting with the singer-songwriter, music producer, poet and spiritual intuitive.

A-Okay will be available to stream on all major platforms from May 31; find your preferred way to listen and connect with Tori BLK through her official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

NASRUS has unleashed their fearlessly unfiltered funked-up debut, Neurotic Goddess

Posted on 27 May 2024

The pop/R&B duo NASRUS, comprised of Grammy-nominated artist Shawn Rivera and acclaimed singer-songwriter Norm Adams, exhibited a testament to their fearlessly unfiltered lyrical approach by unleashing their genre-fluid debut single, Neurotic Goddess,

Eschewing the typical ilk of funked-up, synth-laden hits, Neurotic Goddess dives deep into the psyche of the kind of narcissistic nightmare that you’d hope to only encounter in your subconscious and not the streets.

The audaciously infectious anthem leaves over-explored female archetypes behind, opting instead to explore the chaotic magnetism of neurotic femme fatales. The playful, devil-may-care narrative spills swathes of catharsis for anyone who has ever tangled with such a personality, providing a vindicating outlet for their pain.

The funk guitar chops against the rhythmically compelling beats, 90s aesthetics and synth-pop melodies paired with the augmented dualling vocals positioned NASRUS as one of the hottest duos since Daft Punk brought the funk.

Stream Neurotic Goddess on Spotify now and let NASRUS take you on a wild ride through the depths of neurotic euphoria.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Nadine Finsterbusch Reclaimed Her Story & Embraced the Defiance of Youth in Her Alt Electro-Pop Debut LP, ‘My Space’

Posted on 21 May 2024

Nadine Finsterbusch’s debut LP, “My Space,” marks a fearless foray into alt-electro-pop territory, reflecting her determination to carve out her own niche. This album defies societal expectations for women her age, presenting an impetuous embrace of youth and raw emotion. At 44, the Berlin-based artist confronts the challenges that have defined her adulthood—early menopause, breaches of trust, and failed friendships—with a fresh, optimistic outlook reminiscent of youthful defiance.

The album’s 11 tracks are a rich synthesis of indietronica, pop, and rock, juxtaposing bitter realities with lush, harmonious tones. Finsterbusch’s voice, with its innocent yet vehement timbre, evokes the early influence of Björk This influence is unmistakable in the way her vocals weave through the album, combining playful innocence with a resolute sense of self.

“My Space” is a deeply personal narrative; Finsterbusch’s collaboration with producer Ramin Bijan provides the perfect backdrop for her introspective lyrics. The album was mastered by Dave Cooley, whose credentials include working with Tame Impala and Animal Collective, ensuring a polished yet authentic sound.

The lead single, “Why So Serious”, encapsulates the album’s ethos, inviting listeners to embrace their emotions without irony, much like teenagers do. Finsterbusch’s journey to this realisation—spurred by listening to Agust D’s “People”—adds ample to her work, underpinning her desire to enjoy the creative process and share that joy with her audience.

In “My Space,” Finsterbusch successfully balances sweetness without naivety and agony without ennui, creating a lyrically nuanced and emotionally resonant album. This work stands as a testament to her untainted dignity and her ability to transform personal adversity into compellingly relatable art. “My Space” is a triumph of self-expression, inviting listeners to reclaim their own spaces of joy and reflection.

Stream the album on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast