Browsing Tag

electronica producer

Reach Nirvana with DJ Roko’s Slice of EDM ‘Heaven’

Posted on 12 May 2024

DJ Roko dialled up the disco dance-pop euphoria in his latest burst of beat-driven euphoria, Heaven; 90s disco nostalgia permeates the exhilarated EDM production that embodies the UK producer’s influence of David Guetta, Tiesto and Calvin Harris while leaving plenty of room for his signature style to ensnare the airwaves. If rhythm is a dancer, as Snap! proclaimed in ’92 it would get down to this hit that will maximise your lust for life.

The West Midlands-born, Glasgow-based artist and DJ first exhibited his talent for fusing kinetic rhythms with melodies that melt into the mind through his official debut release, Velocity, earlier this year, and has already attracted over 10k monthly Spotify listeners with the infectious intensity within his sound that will undoubtedly flood dancefloors throughout 2024.

With his self-produced debut LP, in addition to several other projects, ready to drop later this year, DJ Roko isn’t a name EDM fans will want to ignore for much longer.

Heaven was officially released on April 27; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Policy Orchestrated the Ultimate Shadowed Symphony of Alt-Electronica with Lunella in ‘Lights Out’

Posted on 7 May 2024
Policy

With his latest single, Lights Out, the award-winning producer, multi-instrumentalist and recording engineer, Policy, exhibited how his three decades in the industry have culminated through his heart-wrenching cinematic soundscape which paralyses with power from the first ominously reverberant synth stroke.

The dark and stormy instrumentals feed delicious disquietness until the dawn of the single breaks with Euro House nostalgic euphoria. Through it all, Lunella’s vocals keep an even heart-breaking keel, channelling ephemeral grace in the same vein as Bjork. Her voice, steady yet heartrending, navigates the complexities of quasi-heartbreak with a finesse that mirrors the track’s richly layered instrumentals. The refrain, “You only love me with the lights out,” acts as a raw nerve, exposing the pain of love that lingers in the shadows, never fully revealed.

Policy’s synthesis of trip-hop, house, and dystopic avant-garde synth-pop will leave you ensnared in the beautifully crafted chaos of heartbreak. Every note and lyric is meticulously woven to explore themes of love, rejection, and the introspective shadows of the human experience. For fans and new listeners alike, Lights Out promises a sonic experience that captivates and haunts in equal measure.

Lights Out will be available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify, from May 7th.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

FCF’s U AND I is a dynamically exhilarant dancefloor catalyst

Posted on 21 April 2024

“U AND I” by FCF is a revolutionary dancefloor catalyst that ignited the sphere of alt-electronica and added intense anticipation around the producer’s upcoming LP.

The track launches with a tender progressive house pop prelude, where deep reverberating basslines and soulfully intoxicating vocal lines set the stage for the impending infectious aural oblivion to come. As the mix escalates, it transitions into a hypersonic entrancing hit that promises not just to bring listeners to the brink of euphoria but to climax with them through an exhilarating fusion of psytrance electronic layers and Spanish guitars. But don’t think the peak is reached here; before long, FCF introduces adrenalizing rap bars that evoke raw tribal energy, seamlessly interwoven with reprising female vocal harmonies. This blend is not just innovative; it’s evolutionary; while some artists are content with constructing floor fillers, FCF went one step further by dropping a track that could start a riot on even the most subdued dancefloor.

FCF, hailing from Lisbon and inspired by artists like Rosália and Travis Scott, has a proven track record of breaking boundaries in electronic music. His eclectic influence—ranging from techno and house to hip-hop and reggaeton—allows him to craft tracks that challenge the conventional frameworks of music production.

“U AND I” exemplifies FCF’s unparalleled ability to fuse fire, fervour, soul, and rhythmic magnetism into a coherent whole that resonates across diverse audiences.

U AND I was officially released on March 2nd; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

ToleX unveiled a fiery reckoning with their hell-hath-no-fury poetic epiphany of an EDM release, Cry Baby

Posted on 14 April 2024

ToleX’s EDM-Chill Step hybrid, Cry Baby, dropped on April Fool’s Day to prove they’re nobody’s fool in the searing indictment of post-breakup epiphanies. Even with the catharsis of the Chill-Step aesthetics, it hits with the force of a hurricane.

From the opening artillery of lyrics, ToleX sets the stage for a raw, unfiltered dive into the emotional abyss left in the wake of lost love. The poetic justice in the lines “It shouldn’t have to be until I leave to make you love me”, and “It shouldn’t have to be the memories that makes you miss me,” doesn’t just create a haunting reminder of love taken for granted; the introspection filters the enraging phenomenon through a brand-new lens.

But Cry Baby is more than a mere lament; it’s a battle cry wrapped in a rhythm. The female vocals, draped over ToleX’s fiery beats, serve as a siren song, luring listeners into a whirlpool of raw emotion and unapologetic truth-telling, resulting in a sonic uprising against the all-too-common narrative of love appreciated too late.

ToleX doesn’t just push boundaries; they incinerate them, offering a track that’s as much a balm for the scorned as it is a wake-up call for the complacent. Cry Baby is a musical inferno, burning away the clichés of heartbreak songs to reveal a core of fierce honesty and emotional depth. This isn’t just another break-up anthem; it’s a revolutionary redefinition of what it means to turn heartache into art.

Stream the single on all major platforms including Amazon Music and YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ari Khan warned of ‘The Art of Seduction’ in her experimentally meta electro-pop hit

Posted on 13 April 2024
Ari Khan

Inspired by the Robert Greene book, The Art of Seduction, the experimental pop artist and bedroom producer, Ari Khan, mused her latest single, which shares the same title and gives the mind’s perspective under the influence of passionate persuasion. The artfully disorientating drunk on love production efficaciously exposits how control is relinquished and our grip on material reality slips when we surrender to the lust-licked designs of another.

“I wrote this song when I was home (in Alaska) over the holidays because I had recently read the Robert Greene book and realized a certain ex of mine had followed it like an instruction manual. This same ex texted me on Christmas Eve trying to pull me back in. I wrote the first verse right after receiving his text, the lyrics are ‘Regrets, you have none. that’s just a card you play, to see if I am done.’ It was all so obvious to me from a distance. But I remembered how blinded I was when we first met. I was broke and trying to make it in LA, I was in a very vulnerable position. He promised me the world and built up all these fantasies.”

As the soundscape evolves and allows you to fall down the rabbit hole of Ari Khan’s hypnotic artistry, her lush vocals keep the dynamic pace, demurely arcane in one breath, dominantly ensnaring in the next. The vocal progressions are as mind-bending as the breakbeats, especially when the cybernetic distortions confluence the vocal melodies with the genre-fluid instrumental alchemy.

The Alaska-born artist with Iranian and Irish roots can attribute much of her distinctive sonic signature to her unconventional artistic journey, which took her from studying musical theatre in NYC to studying EDM production in LA. Yet, it is her determination to allow energy to take the lead and her complete disregard for genre constraints which sees her music resound with exhilaratingly infectious flair.

The Art of Seduction will be available to stream on all major platforms from April 12th via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Synthetix – Ominous Data: Meet the Master of Electronica Futurology

Posted on 12 April 2024

Synthetix looked far beyond the binary with the cybernetically harbingering title single from his latest bass-heavy electro LP, Ominous Data. The San Francisco-residing breakbeat producer and live artist Shea Steinbacher founded Synthetix and started cutting his teeth in the rave and nightclub scene in 1999, the same year The Matrix hit the big screen, which may or may not be coincidental, but one thing is for sure, Synthetix has become a moniker synonymous with the futurology of electronica.

As dark, heavy, and brooding as Ominous Data may be, nothing about the polished mix feels oppressive. The reverberating glitchy waves wash over you, allowing your rhythmic pulses to ebb and flow with the syncopated momentum that speaks volumes of the producer’s experience and expertise which has lent itself to 13 LPs and EPs on labels including Anti-Matter Records and Black Magic Records.

Currently operating under his own independent label, ZerosAndOnes Records, the innovative originator is ensuring that if we do have a future to look forward to where our autonomy doesn’t atrophy, he’s going to hold dominion over the breakbeat scene with his kinetic rhythms and synths that carve through the atmosphere with the reverberations of a full-scale invasion.

Ominous Data was inputted into the airwaves on April 5th; stream the track on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

One Tree – Beaming Up: A Cosmic Sojourn Through Time and Sound

Posted on 9 April 2024

One Tree’s latest single, “Beaming Up,” invites listeners on a cosmic journey that intertwines the mindfulness of the present moment with the futuristic exploration of the cosmos and a nod to the nostalgia of the happy hardcore era. Hailing from Lakewood, CO, One Tree delivered an interstellar production that transcends mere magnitude, forming a constellation of sound that captivates with each progressive sonic orbit.

In this hypersonic mix, One Tree deftly incorporates intuitively electrifying effects, creating a sonic landscape that resonates with both the exhilaration of the present and the boundless possibilities of the future. The track’s outro leaves listeners with a palpable sense of rejuvenation and a renewed zest for life, a testament to its ability to connect on a profound level.

In essence, “Beaming Up” is an invitation to embrace the now, to let go of the constraints of time and to immerse oneself in the pulsating rhythms of the present. With its fusion of cosmic themes and infectious energy, this single serves as a reminder that the only moment that truly matters is the one we’re living in.

Beaming Up was officially released on March 18; stream the single on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

M31 injected catharsis into loss with his soul and rhythm-driven ambient electronica debut Gone

Posted on 9 April 2024

M31, the new electronic project by Melbourne-based artist and producer Jake Debono, made a captivating entry into the leftfield chill electronica scene with the debut single ‘Gone’. The soul-driven staple for any vibe-out playlist pours aching emotion into a lo-fi production which grooves through the warm reverberations of major key chord progressions, creating an intimate soundscape which speaks volumes of M31’s songwriting stripes.

The track explores the impact of loss while agonising over hauntingly sweet memories and the anxiety of moving on. M31’s mastery in confessional lyricism is evident, offering a narrative that will resonate with anyone who has faced the struggle of starting a new chapter with someone they never wanted to leave behind. Despite its strong emotional themes, ‘Gone’ is a sonic lesson in catharsis. As passion reverberates through the single, it becomes a space for reflection and emotional release.

The production of ‘Gone’ is a testament to Jake Debono’s versatility. Transitioning from a rock-licked sonic edge, influenced by bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers and R.E.M, to a chilled-out electronic ambience, M31 showcases a profound adaptability.

Gone was officially released on March 29; stream the single on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Delve into the digital abyss with Intonation Effigy’s harbingering journey, Artificial Intelligence

Posted on 6 April 2024

Intonation Effigy’s latest single, ‘Artificial Intelligence‘, composed by Keegan LaBrot, is a dark and harbingering journey into the underbelly of electronica. This cinematically dystopian instrumental release is larger than life in its encapsulation of the ever-lingering threat of AI’s inevitable domination.

The track is a masterclass in creating a disquieting and artfully disconcerting atmosphere. Intonation Effigy’s use of complex and glitchy time signatures is a sonic visualisation of the tumultuous epoch we are entering. The equilibrium between dark, bass-drenched synthetics and light, almost ethereal aesthetics is a testament to Intonation Effigy’s ability to emotionally round out his immersive productions. The track is a journey, not just through sound, but through the emotional landscape of a world grappling with the rise of artificial intelligence.

As the third single from this artfully profound visionary, ‘Artificial Intelligence’ establishes Intonation Effigy as an essential name to follow in the electronica scene. This track is more than a musical composition; it’s a statement, a reflection of our times, and a glimpse into a possible future dominated by AI. For fans of electronica looking for depth, complexity, and emotional resonance, ‘Artificial Intelligence’ by Intonation Effigy is a must-listen.

Artificial Intelligence dropped on March 19th; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Yodashe is a spectral siren in her avant-garde electronica track, EASTER

Posted on 3 April 2024

Yodashe, an avant-garde firebrand will leave you eating out of the tones of her spectral vocal presence as she weaves a tapestry of sound that transcends the ordinary in her single EASTER.

She didn’t need any further testaments to her ingenuity at this stage in her rapidly ascending career, but in EASTER, she became an undeniable contender for the accolade of one of the most prodigal names in electronica. While others are content riding on the coattails of Trip-Hop pioneers, Yodashe uses glitchy elements as one facet in her richly layered sonic synthesis.

In EASTER, Yodashe’s production skills shine through the complex blend of massive beats, trance-esque phasers and indietronica trappings, creating a hauntingly panoramic soundscape. Her introspective vocals weave through the music, creating a sense of intimacy that contrasts with the grandeur of the electronic backdrop. This juxtaposition is the heart of the track, a dance between the colossal and the vulnerable.

As the less-than-archetypal rhythmic progressions storm through you, playing havoc with your rhythmic pulses, until you are left wantonly desperate for the next hook to ensnare you into the ebb and flow this production that is as disorientating as it is exhilarating.

For those seeking a track that defies convention and delivers a profound sonic experience, EASTER by the London-based artist, producer, and Redbull Music Academy alumni is an essential listen.

Stream the EASTER EP on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast