Browsing Tag

electronic pop

Nissu Illuminates the Power of Reminiscence with ‘Memories’

The classic emotional wreckage of a pop ballad gets a sleek, modernist refit in Nissu’s single Memories, the title track of his debut EP. With tendrils of progressive house pop coiling around its core, the Dublin-based Brazilian artist doesn’t just aim for impact—he ensures every beat, every note, every carefully curated swell of emotion lands with undeniable sincerity.

There’s a rawness to Memories that refuses to be polished out by its glossy production. Nissu doesn’t sugar-coat the inevitable lows of life, but instead acknowledges them as a necessary passage to the kind of euphoric highs that make it all worth enduring. With an intimately consoling vocal delivery, he takes the fleeting nature of existence and spins it into something meaningful—because, in the end, it’s the moments we collect that define us.

With Trey Vittetoe (Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Selena Gomez) at the production helm, Memories finds itself in expert hands, bridging contemporary and nostalgic pop influences with seamless ease. The track sits among an EP packed with deeply personal reflections, including Connection, a pandemic-era tribute to resilience featuring a music video that celebrates LGBTQ+ unity, and Yourself, an empowerment-driven collaboration with UK rapper Paigey Cakey.

Memories is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Julia Powell Resurrected the Esoteric with Her Art-Pop Earworm, ‘LAZARUS’

In a world where mannequin heads and hypnotic light shows serve as the set dressing for Julia Powell’s sonic exorcisms, ‘LAZARUS’ arrives as the latest séance. Since her 2022 debut EPEphyra, fans have been left suspended in Powell’s void—unsure whether to dance, dissolve, or do both at once. With her upcoming album alchemically stirring for a late 2025 release, she’s already made it clear that her dominion over the avant-garde is absolute.

Between the stabbing ache of the piano keys, the chamber strings that oscillate beyond recognition, and the trip-hop-tinged middle-eight teetering on the edge of total chaos, ‘LAZARUS’ doesn’t just transcend—it disorients. Powell’s teasingly arcane vocal lines slither through the arrangement, twisting through histrionic motifs that claw at the psyche. The track is as much a fever dream as it is a statement: Powell has reached the epitome of art pop and staked her claim to supremacy.

If her live shows—described by fans as out-of-body experiences—are any indication, ‘LAZARUS’ is only the beginning of the next rupture in Powell’s hauntingly immersive world. The esoteric earworm is a sign of the seismic shifts to come.

‘LAZARUS’ is available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Shanear Nicole’s ‘THE BEGINNING’ Pulses with 80s-Tinged Electro-Pop Alchemy

Shanear Nicole signalled a new era in pop with THE BEGINNING, a debut single that ebbs and flows with brooding intensity before bursting into euphoric waves of synth-driven energy.

The bass-swathed turbulence underpins her vocals as they carry an air of innocence without naivety, while each rhythmic pulse electrifies the ethereal atmosphere. With a tempo that moves at its own pace rather than chasing chart-friendly conventions, THE BEGINNING thrives in its ability to be savoured instead of mindlessly devoured.

The intricately authentic nature of the release is no coincidence; while sonically it may fall into the pop sphere, Nicole utilises her ballet and hip-hop background to push movement into melody with effortless control. The influence of 80s pioneers like Madonna, David Bowie, and Tears for Fears is unmistakable, yet filtered through her own aesthetic, which pulls from the rebellious spirit of Vivienne Westwood and the cinematic allure of the New Romantics – Chappell Roan has brand new competition.

Every layer of synth and every vocal inflection serves the emotional weight of the single which explores how time is finite, but new possibilities are endless. Feel the emotive gravity weigh down on you as your soul transcends by streaming THE BEGINNING featuring Matthew Tryba on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The AI-Man – From Darkness to Light: A Pop Opera Eclipse of Emotion

The AI-Man

The AI-Man’s standout single from his upcoming debut album, From Darkness to Light, allows listeners to live vicariously through a visceral metamorphosis, guided by genre-fluidity and scribed through emotionally charged storytelling. The track opens with a poetic hush, as reverberant vocals float over an ambiently cinematic foundation, setting the stage for a crescendo that bursts with iridescent light and theatrical intensity.

The tightly woven soundscape flows between electronic euphony, pop grandeur, and the bruising simplicity of singer-songwriter confessionals. As the title suggests, the single traces a passage from despair to illumination and back again, with the sonic shifts reflecting the push and pull of personal evolution.

The AI-Man, the artistic moniker of Casper Gottlieb, has poured the turmoil of losing access to his children into this release, allowing the lyrics to strike an elusive balance—abstract enough for universal resonance, yet steeped in enough candour to convey the raw emotion.

Crafted as part of his upcoming debut album, A Father’s Truth, the song offers a glimpse into the artist’s exploration of grief, hope, and resilience through the motifs and aesthetics of classical, gospel, country and EDM. It may be difficult to pigeonhole, but it is effortless to find awe within.

From Darkness to Light will be available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify, as part of The AI-Man’s debut album, A Father’s Truth.

To stay up to date with all the artist’s news and new releases, hit follow on Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

SonicFluxx – Nomad: The Ultimate Synthscape for the New Generation of Wanderers

Blazing the same trail as Depeche Mode, The Human League and Pet Shop Boys, the independent breakthrough artist SonicFluxx exhibited his ability to craft neon-lit melodic hooks that pierce euphoria straight into the soul with his latest single and music video, Nomad.

With the 80s aesthetic incorporated into the synthscape and official video, Nomad is a retro-future odyssey of pure euphony; just one hit and you’ll be hooked on the earworm which celebrates the freedom of unchaining yourself from geographical anchors and giving into wanderlust.

By allowing his listeners to live vicariously through the eyes of a wanderer, SonicFluxx didn’t just explore the phenomenon of nomadic culture, he imbued it within every strobing synth-driven progression, attesting to the beauty of living by your own liberty.

Stream the official music video for Nomad on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jaco Painted a Pop Portrait of Love’s Duality in His Latest Single, ‘Gioconda’

In his third single and first Italian release, ‘Gioconda’ the electro-pop icon in the making, Jaco, tracked the highs and lows of love, painting a sonic picture as ambiguous and complex as the Mona Lisa’s smile. As the bass kicks momentum into the disco-funk-tinged indietronica beats, the pop production draws you into an intoxicating kaleidoscope of emotion which shimmers with reflections of love’s beauty and inevitable fragility.

Having made waves across the UK and Italy, Jaco’s latest release ensures nothing is lost in translation. Even if you don’t speak the language, the sticky-sweet melodies and euphoric reverberations will resonate. The warm tones offer a sense of familiarity, while the layered production reveals a depth that lingers beneath the fresh, summery exterior.

Prior to introducing his latest single to his staunch fanbase, Jaco hit international stages, brushed shoulders with Eurovision and X Factor alumni, and found a distinct way to maintain a unique sonic signature by channelling his classical training and Italian roots into British pop sensibilities.

Gioconda was officially released on October 11; stream the single via all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sonia Stein became pop’s most scintillating conduit of soul with her single, Blooming Season

When she’s not flitting between Warsaw and London, the icon of soulful pop hooks, Sonia Stein, is honing her sonic signature, which scribes through nuances of RnB, electronica and pop while writing a legacy that the music industry would struggle to lose to history.

Her latest single and the title single for her upcoming LP, Blooming Season, sees her vocally find the middle ground between Swift and Lady Gaga as synth lines strobe beneath her arcane vocal timbre and the syncopated beats kick adrenaline into the mix which is wrapped in an aura of pure scintillation. Equally as affecting as the production by Duit, are the lyrical underpinnings, which explore the bliss of finally letting down your walls and letting love in without the fear of losing everything you’ve emotionally invested in.

My only complaint is that Sonia Stein isn’t sitting at the top of the Billboard charts after unleashing this earworm which even the most rhythmically steadfast will feel themselves melting into.

Sonia Stein’s single, Blooming Season, was officially released on October 8th; stream the single on Spotify.

Follow the artist on Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date with news of the upcoming Blooming Season Part 1 LP.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Al Coffey became sad boy synth-pop royalty with his latest single, I Get Sad

The UK’s most evocative icon of queer sad boy synth-pop, Al Coffey, overloaded the airwaves with mesmeric melancholy with his latest single, I Get Sad. Each vocal note reverberantly hums as it drips honey over the nostalgia-soaked synth hooks that take you back to the 80s via a route never taken.

Imagine the chord progressions of Nick Cave fused with a Chris Isaak-esque atmosphere lit up by the neon lights of The Midnight and The Weeknd, and you’ll be close to getting an idea of how much of a sanctuary I Get Sad delivers as it runs through the reprise, ‘I get sad and you’re the reason why”.

Just as sharp as Josh Savage’s hits, I Get Sad is the ultimate attestation to Al Coffey’s ability to paint striking vignettes with his synth strokes. With his mission to make 2024 his breakthrough year, now is the time to transplant the affecting ingenuity of Al Coffey on your radar. Following the release of I Get Sad, there are teasings of live performances and more hits in the pipeline.

Stream I Get Sad on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Step into the ethereal with Slender Dan’s leftfield trip-hop release, Field of Reeds

In their latest single, ‘Field of Reeds,’ the breakthrough duo, Slender Dan, affectingly intertwined ethereal strands of pop with the gritty undercurrents of leftfield electronica and the rhythmic complexity of trip-hop.

From the outset, this melodiously rendered explosion of style and beguile sinks its teeth into your senses, weaving shadowy notes with luminous beats to create a soundscape that spans the full emotional spectrum. The deep and resonant hooks pull listeners into a weightless, transcendent production, showcasing Slender Dan’s potential to hold dominion over the alt-electronica scene.

You couldn’t listen to the arcane yet soulful production half-heartedly if you tried. The glassy celestial vocals demand undivided attention as they drift through the soundscape which oscillates between chilling and warming the soul by echoing the intricate balance of light and dark.

Behind Slender Dan are Heather Dickson and Patrick Ahern, a duo whose previous collaborations have seen them grace stages and studios from Los Angeles to Nashville, alongside notable names like Portugal. The Man and David Z. The band first caught the public’s attention with a debut on KEXP in early 2021 and has since expanded their discography with the full-length album ‘GESTALT’, along with several impactful EPs.

The official music video for Field of Reeds premiered on August 9th; stream the video on YouTube or check out the track on all major streaming platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

EmiTQM has made an ethereal debut with his installation of Latin indietronic pop, IGUAL Y ME PENSASTE

Latin pop sensation in the making, EmiTQM, has made an indelible mark on the Latin pop scene with his dreamy indietronica debut single, IGUAL Y ME PENSASTE, which arrests with ethereal melodic waves in the same vein as Cigarettes After Sex, and originates via tenderly warm and exploratively 8bit-adjacent sequences which envelop you in a sonic world of kaleidoscopic colour and soul.

Translating to ‘maybe you thought of me’, IGUAL Y ME PENSASTE is a reticently sweet embodiment of hope and yearning to reverberate around the mind of the person who ceaselessly occupies every waking thought.

The single is an affectingly unforgettable introduction to the Mexican pop singer-songwriter and producer’s unique style which has already seen him amass a loyal army of fans who relish in his ability to visualise universally resonant facets of the human condition.

The emotions that will flood through you as you follow EmiTQM’s lead through this future-forward earworm reach the pinnacle of visceralism. The hazy love-drunk hues translate with perfect articulation as the lines between reality and imagination blur.

One of the only things with more promise than his music career is that the sun will rise tomorrow. We are already stoked to hear what he has in store for his sophomore release.

IGUAL Y ME PENSASTE was officially released on June 27; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast