Browsing Tag

experimental

djamesk13 touches on the existentialism of the temporal experience with ‘No Time’

Posted on 2 December 2023

“No Time” is a sonic meditation on temporal experience, a nudge to wake up to the present and to prioritise what truly matters. djamesk13’s unique blend of grungy guitars, atmospheric psychedelia, and introspective lyricism creates a powerful commentary on the human tendency to let life’s precious moments pass us by.

By encapsulating the elusive and fleeting nature of time and serving as a poignant reminder of the moments that slip away unnoticed as we get entangled in the minutiae of everyday life, the theme of No Time is universally affecting as it reflects on the complicated tapestry of the human condition.

The instrumentals weave together the dark tonal shades of grunge with the introspective swirls of psychedelic rock. There’s a weight to the sound that mirrors the gravity of the song’s message, creating a soundscape that’s both haunting and intimate. As the music unfolds, it lays down a dark and reflective atmosphere that perfectly captures the essence of the lyrics, encouraging a deep, inward look at the listener’s own personal timeline.

djamesk13, with this track, asserts why there’s always space for his artistry on our radar. His lo-fi expressionism has a rawness and authenticity that strikes a chord with his audience, tapping into emotions that are often left unexplored. His music doesn’t just pass through the ears but lingers in the mind, igniting thoughts and feelings that resonate on a deeply personal level. The gritty authenticity of the production enhances the song’s message, allowing the listener to feel the immediacy and the urgency of the present moment.

No Time was officially released on November 19; stream it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

valetical synthesised hyper trap pop with post-hardcore in the vulnerable rancour of her latest release, attached

Posted on 26 November 2023

valetical has stormed into the alt-rock sphere with the innovatively cultivated debut EP, solitary, which melds post-hardcore rancour with elements of trap and hyper pop, to delicious, disquiet, distinctive effect.

With vulnerable vocal lines bleeding into the tumultuously infectious production, you can’t help but lean into the volatility that courses through the standout single, attached. For quieter reflections with the release, the EP also features a stripped-down version of the single, which reveals the evocative ingenuity within the lyrical lines, which won’t fail to strike all the right evocative notes.

After starting her career in 2018 as a satirical meme rapper who never shied away from cringey territory, the 14-year-old transgender artist and self-taught producer is making serious waves with her honed and already matured signature Expop (experimental-pop) sound. Solitary is the perfect exhibition of her ability to explore darker themes; it holds no prisoners while narrating the raw emotions a break-up can leave you to contend with as you traverse a surreal aftermath of affection.

Stream attached on Spotify and follow valetical’s ascent from the underground via Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Buddy J Francis – Paralysed by Fear: Avant-Warped-Garde Psych Rock

Posted on 22 November 2023

Adelaide’s most endearingly audacious artist, Buddy J Francis suited himself in pink and his sound in psychonautic scuzz for his latest installation of Avant-Warped-Garde psych rock, Paralysed by Fear.

Each of the kaleidoscopically fuzzed instrumentals you hear on the release was individually tracked, giving the progressions plenty of mind-melting volition to captivate listeners within the lo-fi production, which laments the stagnancy that being afraid to take life-altering leaps breeds.

Even with so many experimental layers to his work between his instrumental experimentation, tongue-in-cheek guises and lyrical conceptuality, it is all too easy to get on the same level as the artist, who has transcended parody to deliver deliciously delirious subversion.

If Paralysed by Fear racks up 10k streams on Spotify in the first week, Buddy J Francis has vowed to get his nipple pierced, allowing his staunch fanbase to get their sonic and sadistic kicks in one swing.

Thankfully, there are fewer conditions attached to the imminence of his forthcoming LP, which Paralysed by Fear snuck out of prematurely; it is set to arrive in early 2024. Keep Francis on your radar for it, and undoubtedly other outlandish antics via Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Xther opened Pandora’s Box with the bloodlust in his experimental debut EP, A Disaster at Last

Posted on 8 November 2023

Pandora’s Box opened when Xther unveiled his seductively macabre standout single, Delicacy, taken from his debut release, which came in the form of his inaugural EP, A Disaster at the Least.

With bloodlust in place of the banality of lust, Xther, envisioned by the inventive Davin Casey, created the ultimate protest to the cultural quietude of Southwest Missouri; Davin’s musical metamorphosis stands as a vivid declaration of artistic tenacity and fervour.

After the stabbing piano keys tease a pop ballad, the throbbing synth lines send ravines of reverberance through the synthesis of dark electronic pop progressions and alt-rock manifestations of visceralism. If Deftones make you horny, I don’t even want to know what delicacy will do to you. The sultrily dark magnetism of She Wants Revenge creating friction against the future-ready production which highlights the dust on IAMX hits is a potent aural cocktail which will intoxicate you to Xther’s sonic reawakening which follows the dissolution of Davin Casey’s former hard-rock project, Story of a Ghost.

Stream Delicacy with the A Disaster at the Least EP via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Bellwether exhibited a tonal melancholic masterpiece with their alt-rock single, Gates of Gold

Posted on 28 October 2023

After an opening sequence of shoegaze-y angular guitar work, the standout single, Gates of Gold, by the US duo Bellwether transitions into a doomy synthesis of melodic prog rock and superlatively matured pop-punk with just enough room for a little bit of Modest Mouse reminiscent twang.

Juxtaposingly, Gates of Gold unfurls like a record you’ve been addicted to since the 00s while very progression is a lesson of scintillation thanks to the pioneering song crafting in the hauntingly spectral single which starts to pull the heavyweight punches towards the mid-way mark. A single which traverses themes of child loss was always going to hit hard, but my God, the melancholy mixed with the atmospherics of the tonal masterpiece is as affectingly raw as you could possibly ask for.

I have no idea how Bellwether evaded my radar up to now, but if I’m certain of anything, it is that I will follow them to the grave after being consumed by their debut EP, gods. Since forming in Atlanta, Georgia in 2021, the duo hasn’t failed to amass momentum with their releases and live performances, which has seen them share stages with the likes of The Mysterines and Manchester Orchestra. We can’t wait to see where their talent takes the duo next.

Gates of Gold was officially released on September 22nd with the rest of the debut EP, gods; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Gain a lesson in virtue with Cagri Raydemir’s Absence of Patience

Posted on 25 October 2023

Taken from the four-track EP, Absence, which extolls the virtues of patience, candour, courtesy and tolerance, the opening single, Absence of Patience, featuring Julian Hesse on trumpet, is some of the Munich-based singer-songwriter and producer, Cagri Raydemir’s finest work to date.

After teasing a post-punk atmosphere in the intro, exotic folk nuances begin to weave their way into the progressively avant-garde production before Cagri Raydemir’s vocals become a magnetic centrepiece in the sonic pool of beguile. Imagine Serj Tankian turning his talents to folkish prog rock, and you will get an idea of the organic alchemy caged within this exemplary feat of artistry.

12 LPs and 7 EPs down, it is safe to say the qualified recording engineer and artist has honed his sound and his ability to bring lyrical concepts which explore the human condition to life within his soundscapes. We can’t wait to hear what he conjures next.

The Absence EP was officially released on October 16th; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Unpredictability underpins the latest installation of lo-fi avant-garde alt-indie from Jespfur, nil.

Posted on 24 October 2023
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The Helmond-born, Amsterdam-based artist Jespfur transfused lashings of uninhibited experimentalism into his latest release, nil. With time signatures as distorted as the instrumental tones that are drenched in reverb and saturation, this latest feat of Avant Garde lo-fi from the multidisciplinary artist carries the expressionism of jazz in the undercurrent of the alt-indie soundscape, which takes the styles popularised by Peace and Jaws before burning the song crafting rulebook and scattering the ashes within this eclectic synthesis of style.

From post-grunge to ambient indie rock to ethereal pop, there’s a smorgasbord of genre styles synthesised into this scintillating score, which resounds with evocative intimacy and stands as a testament to Jespfur’s determination to keep his sound DIY, honest, unpredictable, and elusive.

nil will officially release on October 23; stream it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mother Pangea followed the muse into unchartered territory with ‘tHE mISERABLE fOSSIL’

Posted on 17 August 2023

Mother Pangea captured the mystery of his Middle Eastern roots in his latest melodically enticing single, tHE mISERABLE fOSSIL.

The neo-classic electronic hip-hop score may reach the pinnacle of experimentalism, but the artist’s inclination to follow his muse into unchartered new territory didn’t diminish the accessibility of the release; to date, tHE mISERABLE fOSSIL has clocked up almost 40k streams, and counting.

After being fascinated by the way instrumentation drives our emotions, especially by the hand of Yanni, Hans Zimmer, and Tyler Bates, Mother Pangea was keen to awaken evocative impulses with his own compositions; never one to discriminate on genre, he often turns his talents to emanating elements of pop, RnB, Indie, House, and EDM in his hybridic compositions which break every mould known to man, and a few more that are beyond our consciousness.

tHE mISERABLE fOSSIL was officially released on July 28th; stream it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Surfing The Stratosphere: Queens, NY-based Elevated Focusion breathtakingly boosts our mindsets forever on brilliant interview

Posted on 23 July 2023

Watching from below and moving on from Jonny Rythmns and keeping it rather experimental all the way, Elevated Focusion flows into our lives and illuminates a ray of hope for us all. We find out more in an exclusive interview that can’t be ignored with streetwear added in to make things extra intriguing.

Llewelyn: We appreciate you joining us Elevated Focusion. Firstly, we love your artist name. Where did it come from and what is the story behind it?

Elevated Focusion: Elevated Focusion is the moment where an idea and the execution come together. Counter culture. not being complacent. trying to break the mold. going against the grain

Llewelyn: Please tell us more about your debut album and release of the clothing line?

Elevated Focusion: The self-titled debut album is a genre-bending album in June 2023 that will combine his love for New York culture and all genres of music. It’s a mixed bag from of all my musical and cultural influences as well as life experiences.

Growing up in New York in the 90s, I was a huge fan of the creativity in the graffiti characters in NYC street fashion. The body art in 80s/90s horror always captivated me as well. In addition, I grew up watching trippy cartoons like The Ren & Stimpy Show and Duckman. I love science fiction, and tatoo art always fascinated me. With the Elevated Focusion clothing line, I really wanted to take all of my childhood influences and combine them with the creativity of NYC graffiti and streetwear fashion.

Llewelyn: Jonny Rythmns. That was your artist name before. Please detail the change and what made you rebrand?

Elevated Focusion: I used the name Jonny Rythmns when I made instrumental music on my synthesizer keyboard. All of this music was created during 2001-2004. It is 100% instrumental music made up of hip-hop beats, music for video games, trippy music, concept albums, new age music, experimental music, sci-fi soundtrack, and space music.

In 2022, during quarantine, I decided to release all my old music under the name Jonny Rythmns. The first Jonny Rythmns’ release was my most experimental album called Elevated Focusion.

I chose Elevated Focusion to be my name going forward as it represents who I want to be as an artist, whether in experimental electronic music or as a streetwear clothing brand. My goal with the Elevated Focusion brand is to unite my love for all different genres and art styles through eclectic music and alternative fashion in collaboration with various artists.

Llewelyn: Is there a particular series you’d like to be in or perhaps a movie franchise?

Elevated Focusion: I would love to make music for any kind of movie or TV. But I personally love Horror, Drama, and Sci Fi.

Llewelyn: Experimental electronic music is your game. Why do you love it so much and how did you get into it? Was it through a live show or just exploring different genres?

Elevated Focusion: I really do love every genre of music and I like to make people dance. I’m also a bit of a weirdo. Experimental electronic music just called to me I guess.

Llewelyn: How would you describe your music to someone who’d just arrived from another galaxy?

Elevated Focusion: The Elevated Focusion album is a soundtrack to my life. It is everything I have felt emotionally and experienced physically. It is my life. It is my mind. And it is New York as seen through my eyes.

Llewelyn: Queens, NY. What’s it like there? Some really famous artists are from your home town. Is the music culture alive and kicking like you want it to be?

Elevated Focusion: Queens is the most culturally diverse place in the world. From people to sounds to food and beyond. There is also a mix of darkness, danger, and depression which has heavily influenced my lyrics on the album.

Llewelyn: Lastly, who do you make music for and who inspires you every day?

Elevated Focusion: This is a passion project for me so I make music in whatever way I feel inspired. A lot of love goes into every song. I created this project to reach open-minded people who are looking for something different.

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Feel the vibe on Spotify.

Follow the energy on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Drink Proverbial Cool Aid’s Latest Alternative Single, Sick & Pool Hall

Posted on 4 June 2023

While we expected some degree of ingenuity from an outfit with the moniker Proverbial Cool Aid, we immersed ourselves in more innovation than what we bargained for with their latest single, Sick & Pool Hall, featuring Vince B and J Q Music.

Waiting until the four-minute mark in the track that spans just over six minutes to bring in the vocals was a bold move, especially when the build to them consisted of little more than crunchily distorted vintage tones spilling from the guitars and staccato rhythms, but the progressive track stood as a testament to the good things come to those who wait adage.

After some Kyuss-esque interludes and a  funky bassline laid down by Jack Law, the rock meets rap vocals start slathering the single with a fire that will leave smoke pouring through your speakers long after the fadeout. Sick & Pool Hall may just be the most original entry into the nu-metal genre after the turn of the century. The Houston-based sludge up luminaries are clearly ones to watch.

Stream the latest single from Proverbial Cool Aid by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast