Browsing Tag

electronica

The Manchester-based producer Tao Mitsu liberated his listeners with his transcendent mix, Just Let Go.

Posted on 20 August 2023

With textures and melodic progressions that go beyond immersive to offer aural escapism, when you’re enmeshed with the pulsating rhythms in the latest instrumental mix, Just Let Go, from the Manchester-based producer Tao Mitsu, space and time may as well cease to exist.

By starting with emotional impulses and constructing musical landscapes around them, each creation of Tao Mitsu is an evocative trip tinged with the full spectrum of human emotion rather than just riding euphoric waves. The fragments of melancholy within the groove and bass-driven ambient techno beats in Just Let Go capture the bittersweetness of loneliness, encompassing the primal pain of heartbreak and the first teasings of hope that appear on the periphery.

Just Let Go may not carry the definitive Manchester sound, but with the cover art depicting one of the cosy corners of the iconic Night & Day Café, Tao Mitsu succeeded in paying homage to the vibrant and eclectic music scene via his nostalgia-driven, transcendently liberating leftfield electronica anthem.

Just Let Go reached the airwaves on August 13th; stream it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spotlight Feature: AMRIX has launched his EDM track that will follow you into the dark, ‘Don’t Be Afraid’

Posted on 14 August 2023

The Perth-hailing EDM artist & producer AMRIX gave a Grammy-worthy performance in his debut single, Don’t Be Afraid, which carries all the intimately compassionate soul of I Will Follow You Into The Dark by Death Cab for Cutie on the smoothed-out-with-reverb synth lines which build into one of the most heartfelt crescendos you’re likely to ever to hear.

The tenderly mid-tempo hit amasses evocative visceralism around the builds and breaks in a similar vein to Avicii’s emotion-driven singles; AMRIX has what it takes to leave as much of a mark on the industry with his songwriting stripes that can drive you to the brink of tears while constructing a sanctuary to slip into when dark clouds permeate your perspective.

Collaborating with lyricist Matt Miller, a guest vocalist, and Ruben Castro, who mixed and mastered the self-produced release, the genre fusionist achieved his goal of creating timelessly impactful music that resonates with listeners on a deep emotional level.

While other EDM artists are busying themselves releasing trite high-vibe summer hits that do little more than contribute to unrealistic expectations of a utopic season, AMRIX is cutting right to the core of sincerity with his elevated discography; I know which kind of artist I will be putting on my radar for future installations of resonant euphonic compassion.

In his own words, here’s what AMRIX had to say on his first installation of electro RnB-Pop:

“Don’t Be Afraid is inspired by personal experiences and the universal struggle of developing trust in relationships. It explores the vulnerability and strength required to open up to another person fully.”

Don’t Be Afraid hit the airwaves on July 28; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

PonyArt has unveiled his Avant-Garde IDM installation of sonic maleficence, Novum Stutter Sd

Posted on 14 August 2023

The artwork for PonyArt’s debut LP, Redundancy, which landed on August 3rd, is creepier than any scene in The Last of Us; when you open the sonic door to it by delving into the first single, Novum Stutter Sd, you’ll instantly note the sound designer and composer’s ability to sonically visualise the macabre into maleficent melodic soundscapes.

While I never thought I would use Otto Von Schirach and Glenn Branca references in the same review, PonyArt necessitated it with his Avant-Garde installation of IDM, which came into fruition when the composer, who day walks by the name of Joe Sheldrick, decided to orchestrate an expression of pure creative freedom and escapism from genres or expectations.

While there are visceral moments of phantasmally cacophonous etherealism, the LP, which was put out through Dachshund Records, is underpinned by melodic accessibility.

Stream the Redundancy LP on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Softmax connects through disjointed isolation in her Lynchian installation of electronica, Swishers

Posted on 9 August 2023
Softmax

Silence fell after the 2022 debut EP, But What If There Isn’t?, from the Chicago-native Softmax; in her time away from the airwaves, she honed her craft and primed herself for her latest single, Swishers.

Co-produced by Joel Ford, of How to Dress Well fame, and Berlin’s premier electronica producer, Gabriel Gifford, Swishers sets a dramatically Lynchian tone to create a dystopian synthpop backdrop for the portrayal of inwardly imploding isolation while everyone falsifies their lives online.

The sentiment is just as resonant as the score orchestrated to depict the agonisingly disjointing feelings. Clearly, Softmax has a talent for reflecting the rawest facets of the human experience back at us. The syncopated beats and oscillating synths paint a portrait of how it feels when black holes of alienation form as a fixture in the arrangement of your bedroom furniture.

In her own words: “It’s about wanting to connect with the world and understand people while feeling further and further from it,”

Swishers will hit the airwaves on August 9th as a courtesy of the London-based indie record label, Psychotic Reaction Music. Stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Feel the temperature drop to Absolute Magnitude’s artfully monochrome Drum and Bass single, Cold in November

Posted on 7 August 2023

Sonically signifying that even though the globe is hotting up our modern era of dystopia is growing ever colder in terms of connection, Absolute Magnitude’s latest cinematically monochrome Drum and bass hit, Cold in November, is an arresting sign of the ostracised times.

The magnetic resonance of the release is only matched by the disjointed glitchwavey artfulness of the release that traverses themes of all-encompassing loss that create wormhole-esque voids in our lives. With heartbreak underpinning the futuristic release, Cold in November reaches the pinnacle of visceral vulnerability.

Cold in November is just one of the tracks found on the forthcoming LP, Main Sequence, which is due for release on September 29; it efficaciously sets the tone for the emotionally and intellectually elevated singles that are set to follow in the footsteps of Bjork’s Army of Me Remix.

As you eagerly await the drop of the LP, stream the official music video for Cold in November on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sensitive Golgoth’s ambient deep house cut, Aie confiance !, went right down to the bone

Posted on 3 August 2023

Life science researcher by day and electronic producer by night, Sensitive Golgoth poured just as much intellect into their latest single, Aie confiance ! as they injects into their research on how digital worlds may help humans empathise with other lifeforms.

The ambient deep house soundscape is an extension of their empirical work, which can be quantifiably noted through the blurred boundaries between the material and synthesised worlds. The groove-driven beats mellifluously cruise through the cathartically elemental atmosphere of the release that uses naturalism as a soundboard.

The transcendentally resonant bliss is a bubble that you never want to burst once the melodies get into intrinsically organic motion. Short of stepping out into nature and forest bathing, there’s no better way to connect with the universe than delving into Aie confiance !

Stream Aie confiance ! by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Strange World Music held dominion over the future of electronic pop rock with their latest single, I’m on Fire

Posted on 2 August 2023

Strange World Music blew techno-pop-rock smoke onto the airwaves with their latest endlessly progressive single, I’m on Fire. The Sussex, England-based songwriter made a mockery of the comparatively stagnant evolution of post-rock with the anthemically eclectic future-ready hit, which starts with a histrionically cinematic prelude before slamming you right into a techno-pop verse.

Along the way, around the lyricism that compels you to stoke the fires of self-empowerment and subsequently socio-political justice, the literally and metaphorically red-hot hit picks up riotous rock licks that turn up the temperature and the momentum in the liberating EDM anthem that leaves the contemporary curve safely in the rearview mirror.

I’m on Fire dropped on July 17th; stream it on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Grab a Seat: Elevated Focusion embraced the future of fusionism with his alt-electro hit, Tabla Tea Party

Posted on 22 July 2023
https://on.soundcloud.com/KERbZ3gaPJ9vjupF8

The Queens, NY electronica pioneer Elevated Focusion, AKA Johnny Rhythms, caused a solid eight on the Richter scale by dropping his ground-breaking fusionist LP, featuring the standout single, Tabla Tea Party.

The rocksteady release became the ultimate celebration of the vibrant culture in NY by stitching a tapestry of contrasting facets of counterculture against each other to create a galvanic forcefield of friction your rhythmic pulses won’t want to resist.

With East Coast hip-hop and afrobeat bringing the danceable rhythm and the vocal lines breaking the monocultural mould while lavishing the soundscape with rock n roll attitude and soul, every new progression in Tabla Tea Party is a sonic revelation.

By putting mixing and mastering in the hands of Chris Conway, who worked on every LP that inspired the Elevated Focusion project, the East Coast flavour packs a mouth-watering punch; grab your seat at the Tabla Tea Party while the hype is hot.

Stream Tabla Tea Party with the rest of Elevated Focusion’s eponymous LP on SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Break the day the right way with SnoZ’s tranquillity transcending electronica score, Morning

Posted on 10 July 2023

Finding the perfect balance between tranquillity and enlivening energy, SnoZ scored the ultimate playlist staple to spin when you want to break the day the right way; your morning commutes will never be the same again.

The transcendent tones and ambient textures elevate the vibrantly strident tempo in ‘Morning’, which features on the three-track single, Day, allowing the instrumental soundscape to unravel as the ultimate soundtrack to your transition from exploring your subconscious to embracing waking reality.

The innovation in the chiptune/house crossover in the mix is the ultimate testament to SnoZ’s originality. It’s only a matter of time before his tracks are at the front and centre of editorial electronica playlists.

Morning is available to stream on Spotify. For more ways to listen, visit the artist’s official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

“Grime Meets the Dancefloor: Chiron Loxton’s Electrifying ‘Ibiza’ Journey”

Posted on 6 July 2023

“Ibiza” by Chiron Loxton is a track that defies expectations in the best way possible. From the moment the song kicks off with thumping “booty-bass” reminiscent of late 90s dance club electronica, you might think you know what to expect. However, Mr. Loxton takes you on a surprising journey as he starts rapping in a talented and gritty grime style.

The fusion of rapid-fire rapping and catchy dance club music creates a captivating and unique combination. Initially, it may seem like an unlikely pairing, but as the song progresses, you can’t help but be drawn in. Chiron Loxton’s skilled delivery and confident flow blend seamlessly with the energetic beats, resulting in a musical experience that demands attention.

“Ibiza” stands out as a testament to Chiron Loxton’s versatility as an artist. It showcases his ability to take unexpected risks and make them work flawlessly. The song is a refreshing departure from the ordinary, injecting a sense of excitement and freshness into the dance music scene.

This track’s ability to surprise and captivate is its strongest asset. It grabs your attention, making you pause and think, “Huh, that’s different, and it’s wonderful.” Chiron Loxton  demonstrates a strong command of his craft, effortlessly navigating the rapid rhythms and infusing the song with his unique style.

“Ibiza” is a bold and innovative offering that pushes the boundaries of genre conventions. It’s a reminder that music has the power to break down barriers and create unexpected connections. Chiron Loxton has crafted a track that is both catchy and thought-provoking, leaving a lasting impression on anyone who listens.