Browsing Tag

Retrofuturism

Gravity: Millar’s Love-Induced Descent into Dream Pop

With her latest single, Gravity, London-based singer-songwriter Millar has fortified her discography with yet another fearless vignette of introspection. Drenched in raw, unfeigned emotion, Gravity offers a glassy, neon-lit dream-pop soundscape where love becomes a force of nature, pulling you into a spiral of intoxicating vulnerability. Millar’s tender vocal lines swirl in hazy, retro-futuristic synths, creating an irresistible sense of fragility that leaves you feeling exposed to both the sweetness and the inevitable scars of love.

From a young age, Millar began crafting her melancholic sound, first writing songs at 16 before honing her skills at a Stratford music college. It was there, after years of artist development, that she discovered the core of her creative identity, one steeped in the bittersweet duality of love and nostalgia. Her voice carries the weight of these themes effortlessly, with each note steeped in a chilled-out melancholy.

Gravity is a sonic collision of worlds, imagining The Weeknd and First Aid Kit sharing a sonic continuum. The ethereal quality of Millar’s vocal delivery contrasts beautifully with the retro, synth-driven instrumentation; the fragility she conveys is palpable, yet it’s clear that Millar is in control of her artistry. The synaesthesia-inducing blend of lush synths and vulnerable lyrics in Gravity demonstrates that Millar is carving out her own space in dream pop, and if she continues down this path, her success seems as inevitable as gravity itself.

gravity became a new force in the pop scene to be reckoned with on October 4th; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Carey Clayton rebooted retrofuturism with the seraphic synths in his latest single, Future in a Past Life

Carey Clayton brought the sound, synths and soul of the 80s to their latest in a long line of seminal singles, Future in a Past Life, while etching into the nostalgic hallmarks with his indelibly scintillating sonic signature which scribes beyond contemporary trends.

The title alone is enough to spark a profound meditation on its poetic meaning; when you sink into the release, you’ll start to swim in the temperate, tonally seraphic spectres of reflection, artfully amalgamated by the LA songwriter, producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist, who has become revered for his stylistically expansive body of work.

Future in a Past Life, caged within his third LP, Headless, may be composed of different aural anatomy from his previous releases, but fans who came to adore Clayton for his past work will find their appreciation for the visionary renewed by the sense of spirituality which drifts between the instrumentals in the polished production.

Clearly still humble after his music being sought after by Netflix, NBC, ABC and the Tribeca Film Festival, Clayton synthesised straight from the soul with Future in a Past Life, which fuses the arcane emotive air of Cigarettes After Sex with the kicks and grooves of Django Django.

Future in a Past Life was officially released on July 19th; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast