Browsing Tag

IDM

Rumination refracts through the emotive visceralism of Ricky’s alt-electro release, Dreaming

Posted on 18 December 2024

In his latest release, Dreaming, the artist and producer Ricky reached far beyond the reverberations of the moody electronic trend, entrenching his release in piercingly plaintive soul. As one of the most melancholic leftfield electronica tracks to permeate the airwaves in recent years, Dreaming transcends self-indulgence to deliver a raw visceral experience.

As the frenetically syncopated backbeat sonically visualises the tumult of the external world, the dual vocals from Ricky and an arcane-timbered female guest vocalist reflect rumination in the cultivated track, which reaches the epitome of affecting, Every note in Dreaming is a tender extension of vulnerability which entrances you into the emotion as light radiates from the progressions, refracting a sense of salvation that the lyrics yearn for.

Ricky’s roots trace back to Nottingham, where he cut his teeth with the electro-punk indie rave duo Battlecat! between 2007 and 2010, touring extensively and sharing stages with the likes of Hadouken!, Does It Offend You, Yeah?, Two Door Cinema Club, Future Islands, and many more. He hit prestigious stages before pausing his output due to family commitments.

Eventually returning to music, he released ‘Pushing Buttons’ in 2021, drawing inspiration from Burial, Bicep, Boards of Canada, and The xx. Early singles caught the attention of BBC Introducing’s Dean Jackson, earning airplay and solid feedback. After grappling with depression and a ten-month hiatus, Ricky has re-emerged with a new EP in the works and plans to bring his live sound to the UK and Europe in early 2025. I know I will be the first in line for a ticket for the live rendition of Dreaming.

Dreaming was officially released on December 1st; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

litesleeper unveiled a pulsating prism of euphonic euphoria in their organic electronica release, Hertz

Posted on 26 July 2024

Hertz by litesleeper surpassed sound to become a sophisticated statement that carries the evolution of electronica on its pulsating back. The Northampton-based collective’s objective to arrest rhythmic pulses while simultaneously stirring the soul was efficaciously achieved through their amalgamation of organic instrumentation and powerful basslines.

Vocalist Shannon Kait honed the release with a razor-sharp indietronica edge; her soulfully ethereal and emotionally charged harmonies floating above intricately layered production ensured that Hertz had all the potential to become the definitive sound of the summer.

With a production that’s as lush as it is meticulously arranged, the transcendent quality of the seminal single strikes a perfect balance between bass-fuelled momentum and hypnotic serenity. The seraphically utopic hues are enough to liberate you from the mundanity of material reality.

Keen to orchestrate tracks that resonate with seasoned clubbers and casual electronica fans alike, the only thing that is more monumental than the cross-over appeal of the single is the synaesthesia which will ensnare you from the first tonally rich progression.

Hertz will be available to stream and download on all major platforms from July 26th; stream the single on SoundCloud first.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Meet the Einstein of IDM in Bitvert’s latest soundscape, wasted states

Posted on 1 April 2024
Wasted states by bitvert

Bitvert’s latest offering, ‘wasted states‘, is a testament to his profound understanding and innovative approach to electronica. Trained as a painter and skilled in music production, projection, 2D artwork, and visuals, Bitvert brings a unique perspective to his musical creations, evident in this captivating track.

‘wasted states’ draws listeners into a monochromatic techno landscape that is as dark and harbingering as it is transcendently liberating. Bitvert’s mastery in creating a soundscape that is both oppressive and enchanting is unparalleled. The backbeat, demanding and unyielding, forms the backbone of this auditory experience, compelling submission with its rhythmic magnetism.

As the instrumental progresses, haunting violin strings weave in, adding an exotic beguile that juxtaposes the track’s oppressive nature. This element of contrast is a reflection of Bitvert’s ability to allow his audience to profoundly feel what he visualises sonically.

Bitvert’s background in various artistic disciplines enriches his music, allowing him to create multi-dimensional experiences. His work with The Light Surgeons and performances at The Big Chill and Glastonbury Festival’s Gas Tower stage, as well as a groundbreaking VR set at The Lost Horizon Festival, showcase his versatility and commitment to pushing the boundaries of electronic music.

Wasted states was officially released on March 15; stream the single on Bandcamp.

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

Classical strings meet IDM in Momento’s transcendental orchestration, Sindalah

Posted on 14 May 2023

After their intense classical upbringing, the award-winning Canadian musicians, Jonathan Chan and Jan Bislin, combined their virtuosic forces to forge the genre-fluid outfit, Momento, to unleash a brand-new wave of IDM onto the airwaves.

The electric violins against the entrancingly rhythmic loops and synthesisers in their latest single, Sindalah, will indoctrinate you into a brand-new world of aural pleasure which you will want to visit time and time again for the fantasia created between the upbeat percussive flair and the Eastern strings which carve their way through the transcendent atmosphere.

In addition to touring the globe as a violin duo supporting the likes of John Legend, James Blunt, and Tim Minchin, Momento has also shone in the ever-prevalent digital arena; so far in this phase of their career, they have amassed almost one million streams on YouTube, and counting.

Sindalah is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Berlin electro-acoustic originators klanglomerat created a cathartically seductive Jazz IDM amalgam with ‘Fünf’

Posted on 7 April 2023

The Berlin electro-acoustic outfit, klanglomerat, created a beguiling symbiotic relationship between Jazz and IDM in their fifth evocatively ambient single, Fünf. How they succeeded in soaking the instrumentals in so much pensive emotion is just a fraction of the alchemy that will cathartically seduce you; the gentle yet purposeful melodicism knows just what direction to pull your senses in so that you drift with the sweeping bass lines and are cradled within the ardently accordant drum fills.

Artfulness is often associated with inaccessibility but slipping into Fünf is easier than breathing; the progressive single gently rises with the tides from the quiescent intro into the vortex of swirling piano motifs, which ring with a touch of neo-classical flair, while the nuanced electronica synthetics douse the soundscape with a sense of modernism that will aid klanglomerat well as they define the future of ambience in the Berlin scene and beyond.

Immerse yourself in Fünf from April 7 by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Lux Kiddo has released his harsh electronic hit, Robot Curmudgeon 

Posted on 10 August 2021

With percussive inspiration from the likes of Aphex Twin and Squarepusher, Lux Kiddo’s latest harsh electronica mix, Robot Curmudgeon, flows with an ensnaring tempo and an even more magnetic pull through the progressive influence of Infected Mushroom.

The Brooklyn-born, Phoenix-based experimental artist has worked as a sound tech and musician since the relocation from his home town; in 2020, he dropped his debut album Cityscapes. Now that dancefloors are back open, we’re sure they will be eager to hear more of his uniquely explorative style that uses familiar industrial/EBM elements with refreshing melodic flair.

Robot Curmudgeon was released on August 5th; you can check it out for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

George Sarpola has released their short, sweet and subversively psychotropic release ‘Kids Are Calling It…’

Posted on 17 February 2021
Beat Laboratory Experiments by George Sarpola

New York-residing drummer and composer, George Sarpola’s latest release, ‘Kids Are Calling It…’ will allow you to imagine what it would sound like if Frank Zappa still walked amongst us and found a penchant for avant-garde ambient electronica.

The short, sweet and subversively psychotropic release utilises vintage drum machines and newsreel samples which tease the dread of realism while George Sarpola stays well and truly in surrealist realms. His production style will undoubtedly be a hit with fans of artists as unapologetically eccentric as Otto von Schirach.

Kids Are Calling It… was released on January 17th, it is now available via Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast