Browsing Tag

electronica producer

Obsidian Cane & Gizella Eased the Friction of a Wearied Reality with Their Soul-Fuelled Electro Release, Crazy World

Posted on 30 April 2025

Crazy World saw producer Obsidian Cane and vocalist Gizella join forces once again through unflinching determination to better the world through sound. As we become wearied by the weight of the world, it can almost feel impossible to find a guilt-free reprieve, but that is exactly what you will find in the soul-infused electro anthem. With vocals tempering the frenetic pulse of the breakbeats which feed drum n bass rhythms into the leftfield tropical house atmosphere, there’s no denying that the symbiotic collaborators orchestrated a hit as authentic as their creative connection. As your rhythmic pulses get rhythmically delivered shots of adrenaline, your mind won’t escape the catharsis of knowing that there are others out there praying for peace to stand in place of the lack of humanity and friction which gets more corrosive day by day.

As one of London’s most boundaryless beatmakers, Obsidian Cane – whose career has spanned producing for major label acts and scoring for British TV – has never bowed to formula. With Crazy World, he once again rewrites the rules. After producing for Gotcha! Records, Gizella earned her stripes as a vocal chameleon, traversing the UK Garage and Drum n Bass scenes with her singular range and emotive command. Their latest release expands their sonic synergy and marks them as artists unafraid to make their art mean something in the age of desensitisation.

Crazy World is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Leirbag X.O. Threads a Sonic Scalpel Through the Ether in the Avant-Garde Electronica Cut ‘Earth Paradise Hell’

Posted on 18 April 2025

Earth Paradise Hell is just one of the viscerally affecting hits in Leirbag X.O.’s discography—if this release is anything to go by, no one will be in line to tell the French producer to watch their tone. Starting out in the vein of a pulse-pounding deep-house anthem, the single quickly transmutes into transcendence to sonically visualise the paradise alluded to in the title. Through arresting quiescence, the cultivated producer compels you to lean into the instrumental soundscape far enough that you can feel the textures bleed into your anatomy, leaving you at the mercy of the concluding chapter of the single which feeds disquieting motifs into the ambience, reaching the epitome of harbingering while never forsaking the diaphanous euphony.

Clearly, Leirbag X.O. grabbed a cleaver and ensured he was a cut above the rest through Earth Paradise Hell—a cut deep enough to expose the full contrast between serenity and dissonance without losing control of either. As part of a growing discography which has earned him over 5,000 monthly Spotify listeners, this release showcases his ability to structure tracks as psychological arcs rather than passive audio wallpaper.

Based in France, Leirbag X.O.—real name Gabriel—is already working on his second conceptual album Awakening of Light, following his debut Annihilation of Darkness, released track by track from October 2023 to July 2024. With ambitions of collaboration and a beatmaker’s instinct for sonic architecture, he’s a producer wired for deeper conversations through sound.

Earth Paradise Hell is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast.

Viresha Found Rhythm in Transcendence with Her Organic Tech House Debut, Flow of Life

Posted on 16 April 2025
Viresha

Hit play and permit the augmentations of transcendent spirituality to slam and spiral through your speakers as the synthesis of organic house and techno in Viresha’s debut, Flow of Life awakens the senses. Like a tribal calling to the dancefloor, the instrumental radio edit of Flow of Life delivers exactly what it says on the tin—encapsulating what it means to be human in the tension and catharsis of the progressions, which seamlessly shift as a tribute to the trials we face and the sanctuaries we can lead ourselves to if we ebb to the flow of life.

Viresha—the moniker chosen by Swedish producer, DJ, and breast cancer survivor Anna—channelled her invincible strength into every beat of her self-written and self-produced debut. Drawing from years behind the decks and deep immersion in vinyl and radio culture, she’s carved out a sound steeped in tribal, Latino, afro, melodic tech, and downtempo roots. Her style doesn’t borrow; it builds. There’s structure in the sonic chaos, purpose in the propulsion, and emotion that doesn’t just flirt with the surface but cuts clean through it.

From her past to her pulse-raising future—including her forthcoming attendance at Tomorrowland Academy—Viresha is proof that it’s never too late to create something worth dancing to—debuts rarely come as strong as this fierce rhythmic reckoning.

Flow of Life is now available to stream on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast.

Venom in the Reverb: Offworld Narcotics Lace Trip-Hop with Lynchian Limerance in ‘Siren Serpent’

Posted on 9 April 2025

As harbingering, serpentine, and seductive as the title would suggest, Siren Serpent by Offworld Narcotics is a salacious cocktail aimed at intoxicating your mind as much as the rhythmic pulses. The juxtapositions between the dark reverberant effects, chilling tones and timbres, and spectral shadows cast across the illuminated motifs and the ethereally diaphanous vocal lines as they refract light through the alchemised darkened corridors in the mix results in a hypnotic effect; you’ll be fully at the mercy of Offworld Narcotics as they build to a crescendo of Lynchian Avant-Garde beguile.

The trio behind the track – multi-instrumentalist Bryan Drummond, vocalist and producer William Fyke, and drummer-engineer Brandon Bera – have already laid down a reputation for sonic subversion. Their debut single Mariana earned spins on WFMU, and with their 2025 dual drop Siren Serpent and Chained (The Descent), they’ve proven their dedication to pushing their trip-hop sound further into the abyss.

Rooted in the rhythmic tension of artists like Portishead and Massive Attack, Siren Serpent flirts with electronica and alternative rock while keeping a firm focus on subjugating the listener through sound.

Siren Serpent is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast.

Whit2Boi’s Progressive House KPop Earworm, ‘Set the Vive’, Pulses Through the Cracks of Reality

Posted on 8 April 2025
Whit2Boi

Whit2Boi threw out the rulebook to make room for an innovative recalibration of electronic music with his KPop-laced house anthem Set the Vive, featuring the exhilarating vocal presence of Estelle. While Western EDM producers cling to worn-out formulas, Whit2Boi architects an entirely different experience—one that abstracts your senses from material reality and relocates you into the textural transcendence of his sound.

Set the Vive is a slamming EDM house release that hypersonically injects euphoria into every drop. The builds, however, are where Whit2Boi’s signature hits hardest. Meditative textures ripple through the structure with spiritual and naturalistic ambience, dialling back the intensity just long enough to let the anticipation simmer into something more divine than mechanical.

Where other artists are happy to build club tracks for disposable escapism, Set the Vive constructs a world beyond imagination and delivers you straight into it. This isn’t an anthem for losing yourself on the dancefloor. It’s full-body escapism from an artist who understands how to make the synthetic feel sentient.

Discover Whit2Boi on SoundCloud. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Titan Titan’s ‘Spiritual Ascendence’: Electronica’s Kaleidoscopic Call to Rhythmically Awakened Souls

Posted on 28 March 2025

With ‘Spiritual Ascendence’, electronica artist and producer Titan Titan reaches the epitome of delivering everything promised on the titular tin. The track taps into beats that awaken the primal side of your rhythmic pulse, effortlessly pulling motifs from across the geo-cultural spectrum.

Lavishes of Latin rhythm interweave seamlessly with smoky jazz breezing from the brass, while funk-infused basslines provide an irresistible, soul-deep kick. Rather than merely inviting transcendence, Titan Titan offers listeners an opportunity to pour some vivid colour directly into their souls. Electronica like this powerfully reminds you of music’s potential to possess, instil catharsis, and inspire infectious melody, urging you to step into its sun-bleached groove.

The artist, also known as Anthony Lavery, is no stranger to producing diverse styles, effortlessly exploring hip-hop, drum and bass, house, chillout, rock, English garage, and samba. With ‘Spiritual Ascendence’, his eclectic background converges into a single cohesive expression, resonating with creative versatility and global inspiration.

This instrumental release exemplifies how electronic music can move beyond the predictable, turning a sonic exploration into a sanctuary beyond sound. By rhythmically transcending genre boundaries, Titan Titan ensures your only real obligation here is to surrender to the beat.

‘Spiritual Ascendence’ is now available to stream on all major platforms, including YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

L33A.P Drops a Sugar-Rush of Club Nostalgia with D10R2004

Posted on 17 March 2025

L33A.P knows exactly how to tap into nostalgia without letting it weigh down the present. D10R2004 is a shot of Y2K club euphoria, drenched in bouncy house beats, 80s synth stabs, and 8-bit melodies that feel like a lost ringtone from a Motorola Razr in the best possible way. It’s twee, it’s polyphonic, and it’s a feel-good anthem that refuses to apologise for revelling in the hyper-feminine aesthetics that pop culture loves to dismiss.

The London-based, NY-born producer, DJ, and multi-instrumentalist wears her influences on her sleeve, fusing the pulse of UK dance music with the playfulness of early 00s Eurodance. The autotuned vocals glide through the mix with an artful duress, bending and warping like an overworked CD skipping in a neon-lit club basement. There’s no self-conscious posturing here—just an artist celebrating what she loves with unapologetic confidence.

That refusal to conform isn’t limited to D10R2004. L33A.P has been busy remixing Everything is Romantic by Charli XCX with jungle-fuelled chaos and putting her own stamp on the Twin Peaks theme with a pumpin’ organ house spin. She isn’t chasing trends; she’s building soundscapes where retro-futurism collides with personal expression, and D10R2004 is the perfect entry point. It’s music for the dancefloor, the dressing room, the night bus home—wherever you need a dose of unfiltered fun.

Stream D10R2004 on SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Eleftherios’ Hide CS01 (Ambient Rework) is a Portal into Weightless Reverie

Posted on 7 March 2025

As an alchemist of catharsis and sonic spectral beguile, Eleftherios knows exactly how to render sanctuary into rhythmic pulses with his melodic dioramas. Throughout his discography, lines blur between hitting play on an electronica composition and stepping into a portal of etherealism. With GLO’s diaphanous vocal echoes amidst the reverb-softened reverberations that envelop the neo-classical-leaning keys, Hide CS01 (Ambient Rework) leaves nothing to be desired as it ambiently illustrates why Eleftherios is achieving so much success as an architect of reflective soundscapes.

Sydney-based Eleftherios has spent over a decade conjuring immersive textures and nostalgic melodies that strike deep. In 2024, he became a viral phenomenon on TikTok, racking up over 90K video uses and pushing his Spotify monthly listeners past 270K. With over 9 million streams and a growing presence across Amazon Music and other major platforms, his impact on the ambient scene is impossible to ignore.

The artful, zen-like qualities of his sonic signature are beyond compare. Whether you’re seeking introspection or a momentary departure from reality, this is the kind of ambient composition that effortlessly bends time.

Hide CS01 (Ambient Rework) is available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

PRI//’s Scrapbook of Shadows: An Interview with the Artist

Posted on 2 March 2025

PRI//’s latest album, Madonna’s Scrapbook, unpicks the illusions we construct from memories, photographs, and the carefully curated fragments of our past. Through dissonant beats, lo-fi textures, and a raw, unfiltered approach, the album doesn’t just explore nostalgia—it questions its reliability. In this interview, PRI// touches on the deceptive nature of images, the masks we wear to function, and the blurred lines between perception and reality. From the influence of Hubert Selby Jr. and Lou Reed to the uncomfortable truths buried within seemingly ordinary lives, PRI// dissects the beauty and horror of human nature with a brutal honesty that’s impossible to ignore.

Welcome to A&R Factory, PRI. Your album, Madonna’s Scrapbook sounds like an intense, fragmented exploration of perception and memory that hints at nostalgia and illusion. What drew you to that concept, and how does it connect to the album’s themes? 

I was doing lots of inner work when I was writing the songs. Lots of re-assessing my old memories and questioning my perspectives of them. I think we can hold on to a memory of something quite tightly and not want to let go of it, but maybe that isn’t even accurate.

You’ve spoken about the deceptive nature of old photographs and objects. Was there a specific moment or experience that made you fixate on that idea?

I was looking at old childhood photos and there is the image you see in the photo – a happy smiling child and then what was going on behind the scenes, off camera which could be quite different. I was also thinking about photo shoots where there is a controlling, maybe even abusive atmosphere on the set, but all the audience sees is the photograph without that context. The title itself is a reference to this. Madonna Scrapbook – filled with old pictures of her. What was going on on set? It’s also the idea that fans can create a narrative from old photos, one that maybe doesn’t exist in any other reality than their heads. I’ve definitely done that myself

The album explores figures who could be seen as tragic or ordinary, depending on the perspective. Do you see yourself in any of these characters, or are they more like distant projections?

 I hope the characters have a universal quality to the listener

Fake It and The Universal Frown pick apart the masks people wear to function in society. Do you think anyone ever truly drops the act, or are we all performing to some degree?

Ha ha! Well, I think that the more comfortable you are in your skin the less gap there is between the projected self and the real one I suppose? Or maybe the masks are more conscious for some people, maybe they don’t notice they’re doing it. It’s a weird one

There’s a cut-up, collage-like approach to the music itself. Was that a conscious effort to mirror the way memories distort over time?

Yes, I’m glad you got that. It’s like when you take a Polaroid; you have to wait until the photo reveals itself, and then later on, it fades away under natural light

Compared to See No Evil, which leaned into body horror, this album focuses on perception and distortion. Was this a natural evolution for you, or did something shift in your creative process?

 The title of the album Madonna Scrapbook is about a literal old book I had

Your sound is deeply DIY, with fragmented beats and lo-fi textures. What draws you to that raw, unpolished aesthetic?

First thought, best thought. I love the emotional authenticity of it. I am drawn to dissonance and the sound of things distorted, almost going wrong. The truth is those moments of nearly fucking up.

You reference writers like Hubert Selby Jr., Mary Gaitskill, and Lou Reed. How do their works filter into your songwriting?

I love how they speak about the darkness of the human soul. It’s so refreshing but also horrible. But there’s a truth in the darkness.

The idea of parasocial relationships—thinking we ‘know’ someone through an image—feels especially relevant now. Have you had moments where you’ve been on the receiving end of that projection?

I really like the idea of that – I think we all think we know someone based on how they look in a photo. We project our own perceptions and prejudices onto a photo, as much as we connect to it

With Madonna’s Scrapbook released, are you already thinking about what comes next, or do you need time to step back before getting stuck into another project?

Yes, I can’t wait to explore more of the sonic boundaries in Deadbeat Dad, we’re releasing a series of remixes of it soon. Stay tuned!

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Madonna Scrapbook is now available to stream on all major platforms via this link. The 28th of February will also see the launch of PRI//’s Deadbeat Dad Maxi single.

Interview by Amelia Vandergast

Obsidian Cane & Gizella Turn Sonic Synthetics into a Soulful Inferno of Avant-Garde Transcendence in ‘Never Change’

Posted on 2 March 2025

Drum & Bass rarely carries this much ethereal weight, but Obsidian Cane and Gizella aren’t in the business of serving up the expected. Their latest single, Never Change, released on Reset Records UK, finds the perfect median between visceral energy and spectral serenity, where the frantic percussion doesn’t just drive the track—it elevates the transcendental vocal harmonies into another stratosphere.

With a three-octave range that has been flexed across genres from UK Garage to Dubstep, Gizella pours a lifetime of versatility into this track, mirroring the sonic unpredictability of Obsidian Cane’s production. As harp-esque motifs shimmer through the mix, the composition pivots between the frenetic and the meditative, creating a push-pull dynamic that never loses momentum. The pairing may seem unlikely on paper—Gizella’s vocals carry the grace of classical technique with a touch of Bjork, while Obsidian Cane’s foundations lie in electronic intensity—but together, they craft a sound that is electrifyingly human.

Their creative chemistry is no fluke. After years of producing music for major labels and television, Obsidian Cane was ready to walk away from the industry, only to be drawn back in by the digital age’s independent revolution. A chance connection led him to Gizella, who unknowingly auditioned while cycling through London, singing as she rode. That serendipitous meeting now fuels a collaboration that doesn’t adhere to trend cycles or genre limitations. Never Change is proof that electronic music doesn’t have to be detached—it can pulse with soul, speak to the subconscious, and command movement all at once.

The Club and Radio mixes of Never Change are out now on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify. Find other ways to listen and connect with Obsidian Cane via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast