Browsing Tag

Psychedelic Electronica

Marlon Bianco went left of leftfield in his experimental electronic trip, Mad Man

Posted on 1 November 2024

Marlon Bianco’s latest single, ‘Mad Man,’ plays like an auditory hallucination; like peering through a drunken kaleidoscope, sounds and colours blend into a vivid sonic trip. Beginning with scratchy, trip-hop-adjacent beats, the track seamlessly evolves as Bianco’s dreamy, nostalgically textured vocals marry with the underlying rhythms.

It’s a sonic sculpture that etches itself into the mind, pulling you into the affirmation that insanity is infectious as elements of funk and jazz are weaved into a sublime lo-fi collage of sound.

Hazy summer nights may be behind us, but this psyched-to-the-nth-degree synth-driven odyssey from the Brighton-based aural polymath is here to stay. There’s no escaping the dreamy Avant Garde clutches of this release which forces you to live within its layers.

Mad Man will hit the airwaves on November 1st; stream the single on Spotify and follow Marlon Bianco on Instagram and Facebook.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mild Horses unleashed avant-garde chaos in his genre-defying electronica release, Eye of the Behemoth

Posted on 25 April 2024
Eye Of The Behemoth by Mild Horses

Mild Horses, the experimental brainchild of Matthew Leuw, previously known for his roles in various underground bands, including Norwich’s Crest and Brighton’s Coin-op, has returned with ‘Eye of the Behemoth’.

The single seizes the listener with its lo-fi synth melodies grounded on a solid backbeat, before erupting into a drum n bass rhythmic firestorm. Not merely content to rest here, it pushes the boundaries further with sharp horn stabs, marking a bold foray into avant-garde territory. As the track progresses, the intense energy momentarily retreats into more subdued, jazzy grooves that infuse the piece with psychedelic tranquillity, setting the stage for a climactic resurgence. The finale of this instrumental odyssey is a masterclass in musical composition—returning full circle with a powerful beat that perfectly encapsulates the track’s dynamic range.

‘Eye of the Behemoth’ is not just another experimental track; it is a statement of artistic integrity from Mild Horses. This single does exactly what it promises—immersing its audience in an artfully crafted storm of sound that resonates long after the last note fades. It’s an assertive piece that boldly declares Mild Horses’ niche in the eclectic landscape of contemporary music. For fans of genre-defying soundscapes, this release is an essential experience, offering both challenge and reward in its complex layers.

Stream and purchase Eye of the Behemoth ahead of its official release date of May 10th on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Paper White and the Lake synthesised Avant Garde electronica in their latest release, Need Everything

Posted on 30 October 2022

For their latest release, ‘Need Everything’, the leftfield electronica producer, Paper White and the Lake collaborated with Chris Peters to create a jazzy feat of synthesised electronica that utilises textures of 80s synthpop in the spacey soundscape that brims with uninhibited authenticity.

The tamed melodic discord that comes complete with stabbing horns may be a little too Avant-Garde for the mainstream, but for any fans of experimental art with the capacity to disturb the comfortable, Need Everything is everything you need on your playlists.

Take the psychedelic trip with Need Everything for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Embark on a spiritual journey with Makichi’s indie-electro psych album ‘The Rain Stopped’.

Posted on 5 March 2021

‘The Rain Stopped’ is the latest album released by Strasbourg-residing Iranian duo, Makichi. Their mystically experimental 10-track take on indietronica incorporates the work of Iranian poets, pulls the soul out of Persian rhythm and manifests through darkly psychotropic melodies.

The album kicks off with a semi-spoken-word piece that sets the evocative tone and prepares you for what’s to come from the border and a boundary-obliterating release that explores the duo’s experience living in and moving from Iran. But The Rain Stopped is just so much more than an account of experience. The concept album acts as a guide toward enlightenment and redemption; follow the ambient grooves, you’ll find it.

‘Wrong Humans’ follows the prelude with bass-riding indietronica beats which melodically shatter the monocultural mould beneath the overlapping dual vocals. Despite the diversity between the singles on the release, Instrumentalist and producer Ash made it practically impossible to pick out reference to other artists. Their artistic vision looks far beyond the usual fusing, reviving and recycling of former and current artists work. The album is an invitation to find piety, despite religion, despite nationality. Whatever corner of the globe you currently find yourself on, whatever the state of your faith, The Rain Stopped has something to offer everyone.

The Rain Stopped officially released on March 4th, 2021. It is now available to stream via Spotify.

Connect with Makichi via Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

painted people – Hope You Understand Me: A Sonically Electrifying Meeting of Shoegaze and Industrial

Posted on 3 August 2020
https://thepaintedpeople.bandcamp.com/track/hope-you-understand-me

LA Alt-Rock artist painted people released their genre-defying latest single “Hope You Understand Me” on July 18th. We’re already utterly infatuated with their arrestingly high-octane sound.

New offerings of Shoegaze and Industrial tend to be fairly archetypal. Yet, under painted people’s deftly experimental prowess, the two seemingly contrasting genres fit hand in sonically electrifying glove. It’s safe to say that you won’t ever come across such a galvanizing track which features elements of Shoegaze and Dreampop.

If you’re anything like me and you’re always looking for fresh ingenuity from up and coming artists, you’re sure to appreciate the pioneering appeal in the indulgently kaleidoscopic single. It’s euphoric, it’s chaotic, but it still oozes all of the dreamy absorbing accordance of Shoegaze. What more could you possibly ask for?

You can check out painted people’s single Hope You Understand Me via Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Altared Sounds – Grow the Bones: Eerily Transcendent Downtempo Experimental Electronica.

Posted on 8 May 2020
Altared Sounds

US-based artist and producer Altared Sounds made an unforgettable debut with their downtempo psychedelia-laced experimental electronica album “Red Wing”.

In a time when our physical freedom is limited, tracks such as “Grow the Bones” are more essential than ever. The consciousness-consuming absolving nature of the single offers all the adventurous mental stimulation you could possibly ask for.

With slightly eerie tones creeping into the mix, Grow the Bones takes you on a very different aural trip to most electronica. The sheer ingenuity thrown into the mix compels you to immerse yourself deeper with each progression. Under Altared Sounds’ deft orchestration, the energy, tone and momentum of the entrancing mix to transpose seamlessly throughout the epic 7-minute duration.

If David Lynch was asked to create a Resident Evil soundtrack, I have the feeling that it would sound fairly similar to the unpredictably mesmeric soundscape which is Grow the Bones.

You can check out Altared Sounds’ single Grow the Bones along with the rest of their album from 8th of May 2020 via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Slacksons – PLASTIC BAGS FOR SHOES: Archetype-Smashing Indie Electronica

Posted on 20 March 2020
https://soundcloud.com/the-slacksons/sets/plastic-bags-for-shoes

The Slacksons have moved away from the usual aural archetypes with their latest EP “PLASTIC BAGS FOR SHOES”. If you think that the EP title is a little eccentric, just wait to hear what each of the attention piquing, mind-altering soundscapes have to offer.

Even though distinctive and truly innovative music is a hard sell in 2020, I have no doubt that The Slacksons will go far with their sublime mix of Trip Hop, Disco, Funk, Indie, and Psych.

With each track offering a discernibly different vibe and sound, the EP stands as a testament to the diversity of this exceptionally exciting up and coming UK-based artist. As difficult as it was to pick a standout favourite track, there’s just something engrossingly appealing about the ominously slicing organ wails and crunching Hard Rock riffs being instilled into the feel-good track “WAKE UP“.

You can check out the EP for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sun Lite – Dog and Pony Show: Transiently Cathartic, Psychedelically Captivating Ambient Electronica

Posted on 2 December 2019

If it has been a while since an electronica artist has left you pleasantly captivated, hit play on the indulgently soulful yet spacey mix “Dog & Pony Show” from artist and producer Sun Lite.

The single possesses an unparalleled amount of transiently cathartic groove inspired by the same blissful mellifluous tones of King Crimson, while accidentally being of appeal to any fans of Pink Floyd.

Immersing yourself into Dog & Pony Show is the aural equivalent to throwing yourself into a rabbit hole of kaleidoscopic colour. There’s an ethereal air to the single, but in its essence, it’s a soundscape rooted in abstract serenity.

The instrumentals may be light and restorative, but Sun Lite took the opportunity to use the ambient track to highlight the prolific issue of populism. All things considered, Sun Lite feels like the artist we never knew we needed right now.

You can check out Sun Lite’s latest mix Dog & Pony Show for yourselves by heading over to YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast