Browsing Tag

trip-hop

Close to Monday – Guns (Biicla Remix): Indulgently Dark Trip Hop

Posted on 30 October 2021

The rising trend in dark trip-hop seems to be a damning sign of the times, but the breaking electronica artist, Close to Monday, made our bleak human experience worth it with her ethereally powerful single, Guns.

The Biicla Remix of the single will undoubtedly appeal to fans of Portishead, Beach House and Hooverphonic, but there’s plenty of authenticity pulsating with the beats in this indulgently morose track. The vocals are under just enough reverb to ensure the synergy with the driving downtempo beats, but not enough to stifle the evocative power of her dark yet soulful vocal timbre.

The Biicla Remix of Guns is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

PARTYNXISE has released his pitch-black Avant Garde trap track, iREMEMBERu.

Posted on 26 October 2021

After making his 2021 debut, alt independent artist, PARTYNXISE, has continued to douse the airwaves with ethereal experimentalism; his latest single, iREMEMBERu, is a psychedelically dark feat of avant-garde trap pop that uses its extended prelude to set a chillingly sombre tone.

After the phantasmal whispers and droning ambient electronica, iREMEMBERu breaks into a glitchy feat of polyphonic trip-hop filled with modern trap textures and visceral emotion as PARTYNXISE runs through pained memories. Breakups can take us to pretty dark places, but the pitch-black atmosphere in iREMEBERu is matchless.

iREMEMBERu is available to stream on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Gangster of the Galaxy feat Ariana Rodriguez beguile with their stormer of an electronic alt-rock track, Take Me.

Posted on 26 October 2021

Ariana Rodriguez is on a mission to bring emotion back to music; in her collaboration with Gangster of the Galaxy, the Floridian singer discernibly succeeded; the dark undertones in Take Me create the perfect contrast against the innocence in her light, evocative vocal timbre.

While Ariana Rodriguez’ vocals rest between Portishead and Evanescence, Gangster of the Galaxy brings urban alchemy into the mix over the progressive dark beats which start with bass-dripping discord before twisting into a feat of alt-rock, not all too far from Linkin Park’s sonic palette.

For any dark trip-hop fans, Take Me will feel like home from the first hit.

The radio edit of Take Me is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Trip hop got trippier with the release of Bi&nka’s reverb-drenched seminal single, Loves a Wall

Posted on 14 October 2021

Any fans of Banks & Steelz will find the same amount of infatuation for the trippy ground-breaking tones in Bi&nka’s latest alt electronica single, Loves a Wall. The shoegazey reverb paired with the urban grit in the electronic mix opens up a mellow spacey soundscape for the spoken word rap vocals and the listener to fall into.

On the basis f Loves a Wall alone, it comes as little surprise that the independent Luton, UK-based artist and producer has received airplay from BBC Introducing and has amassed a loyal fan following with her indulgent, experimentally-layered mixes.

With her debut EP in the making, there has been no better time to place Bi&nka on your radar.

Loves a Wall is now available to stream on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Groove with the slow-burning melodies in Blac Samurai’s chillwave hip hop single, Match (All Black) ’21

Posted on 3 October 2021

With his poetic mind and the smooth, trippy flow to his tracks, it has become impossible to ignore Blac Samurai on his ascent from the underground. Soul Glitch is the second album to drop from the Southside Chicago-hailing urban alchemist; the standout single, Match (All Black) ’21, is a serenely sweet introduction to his dreamy sonic palette.

The trippy feat of chillwave delves into the future while keeping grounded and soulful through the intrinsically humanistic rap bars and slow-burning melodies. Unlike many artists taking influences from the OG rappers, Blac Samurai manages to pull something completely fresh. We can’t wait to hear what he muses next.

Match (All Black) ’21 is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Alt Hip Hop Luminary XENO Waxes Lyrical in His Evocative Feat of Soul-Infused Trip Hop METHUSELAH

Posted on 25 September 2021

Finding hip hop that hits as hard as much as it inspires doesn’t happen every day, and that is just one of the reasons to delve into the sophomore album from the alt-rap revolutionary XENO.

His latest album, TRANSCENDENCE, fuses elements of soul, trip-hop and alt-electronica to feed the soul a cuisine that it won’t be accustomed to but will quickly learn to crave.

The lead single, METHUSELAH starts with minor piano keys and phantasmal vocals swathed in atmospheric effect; when the beat kicks in, it’s impossible not to get caught up within the trippy multi-layered high vibe hit. Every ounce of attitude in the mix reflects XENO’s intent as an artist; to promote positivity and passion and give power to those in pursuit of their dreams.

Nothing quite compares to an exceptionally talented artist urging their audience to feed their hunger.

XENO’s album, TRANSCENDENCE, is now available to stream and purchase on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Transcend limitation with Henry Franck’s debut single, Focus, featuring Da Skorpion

Posted on 24 September 2021

Haitian American U.S. Army vet, Henry Franck, has dropped his debut single, Focus, featuring Da Sckorpion. The market for trippy inspirational hip hop may be niche, but Franck has what it takes to dominate it with his colourful indie hip hop melodies and introspectively deep lyrics.

The Floridian artist has been producing music around his role as a financial analyst since 200; his debut release tells you how well invested his time was in his production talent.
With the complex instrumental layers that echo with plenty of old school tapedeck delay in the high-quality production, Franck easily stayed clear of assimilation and allowed his authenticity to blossom in the transcendently sweet soundscape.

Focus is exactly the kind of track that you would turn to in search of aural compassion and a sign that you are on the right path, no matter how stagnant things feel in the moment.

Focus is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Alice Payne – Visions: The Ultimate Chillwave Playlist Staple

Posted on 18 September 2021
https://soundcloud.com/alicepaynee/visions-radio-edit

‘Visions’ is the latest dreamily psychotropic dance-pop release from the independent Australian artist and producer Alice Payne. After releasing her debut synth-pop track, Drive, earlier this year, the hype is steadily garnering around her emotionally charged, sonically cathartic style.

The reverb-swathed soundscape starts with an ethereal indie trip-hop prelude before the downtempo four-to-the-floor beat starts to kick in to create a solid structure for the ensnaring track to capture you within.

With the teasing progressions, aural curveballs and enigmatic sense of intrigue in Visions, you couldn’t ask for a better chillwave playlist staple.

Visions is now available to stream on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Urban fusionist Malix has released her ethereal dream-pop sophomore single, It’s You.

Posted on 15 September 2021

Ethereal pop, new wave rap and soulful RnB collide in the sophomore single, It’s You., from the enigmatically sensational artist, Malix. Sonically, she conjures dreamy and wavy ambient textures in the soundscape that feeds in plenty of tape echo effects. Vocally, she is unpredictable from one verse to the next. From phantasmal harmonies to fierce rap increments, you can expect to hear the full extent of her smooth vocal dynamic in her reprising single.

Based on It’s You, Malix deserves to be just as acclaimed as her trip-hop/dream pop predecessors, and yes, that includes Portishead.

It’s You. is now available to stream on Spotify

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Blood On The Ground: Buenos Aires band Los Cozmatics are quite brilliant on ‘Tears’

Posted on 11 September 2021
https://soundcloud.com/john-acosta-781066061/tears

Made in busy Buenos Aires with a true love, Los Cozmatics are in scintillating form with their new single which will have you shedding a few ‘Tears‘.

Los Cozmatics was formed by The Bronx-born John Acosta, who is an indie trip-hop/pop singer-songwriter and music producer.

Featuring Argentine-singer Daira Robin, guitarist/producer Ezekiel “Zeke” Vallejo, Pablo Guarnieri on drums, and Laura Corrazina on the bass with this incredible project, this is a stunning effort with so much soul.

She sings with such mesmerizing beauty and real class, with a caring soundscape which feels like you are being lifted into a rather sad story of mystery. There is blood on the floor and there are lots of people are looking, as you just wish that life was back to normal again.

This is a fine track with so much tranquilizing and striking atmosphere, which has your mind floating into a new world of intrigue. You are transported into an air of introspection throughout, as you turn up the volume to soak each word into your engrossed mind.

‘Tears‘ from the Buenos Aires, Argentina-based indie pop/trip-hop music project Los Cozmatics, is the story about looking away from the darkness and bringing in the light again. After a sad time, the healing needs to happen so that peace and love may return.

Sung with a true grace and featuring an assortment of clearly quality artists who seem to have that world class ability flowing through their souls, this is a real gem of an underground track to turn up and truly embrace.

Hear this new single on Soundcloud and see more news on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen