Browsing Tag

electronica

PonyArt has unveiled his Avant-Garde IDM installation of sonic maleficence, Novum Stutter Sd

Posted on 14 August 2023

The artwork for PonyArt’s debut LP, Redundancy, which landed on August 3rd, is creepier than any scene in The Last of Us; when you open the sonic door to it by delving into the first single, Novum Stutter Sd, you’ll instantly note the sound designer and composer’s ability to sonically visualise the macabre into maleficent melodic soundscapes.

While I never thought I would use Otto Von Schirach and Glenn Branca references in the same review, PonyArt necessitated it with his Avant-Garde installation of IDM, which came into fruition when the composer, who day walks by the name of Joe Sheldrick, decided to orchestrate an expression of pure creative freedom and escapism from genres or expectations.

While there are visceral moments of phantasmally cacophonous etherealism, the LP, which was put out through Dachshund Records, is underpinned by melodic accessibility.

Stream the Redundancy LP on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Softmax connects through disjointed isolation in her Lynchian installation of electronica, Swishers

Posted on 9 August 2023
Softmax

Silence fell after the 2022 debut EP, But What If There Isn’t?, from the Chicago-native Softmax; in her time away from the airwaves, she honed her craft and primed herself for her latest single, Swishers.

Co-produced by Joel Ford, of How to Dress Well fame, and Berlin’s premier electronica producer, Gabriel Gifford, Swishers sets a dramatically Lynchian tone to create a dystopian synthpop backdrop for the portrayal of inwardly imploding isolation while everyone falsifies their lives online.

The sentiment is just as resonant as the score orchestrated to depict the agonisingly disjointing feelings. Clearly, Softmax has a talent for reflecting the rawest facets of the human experience back at us. The syncopated beats and oscillating synths paint a portrait of how it feels when black holes of alienation form as a fixture in the arrangement of your bedroom furniture.

In her own words: “It’s about wanting to connect with the world and understand people while feeling further and further from it,”

Swishers will hit the airwaves on August 9th as a courtesy of the London-based indie record label, Psychotic Reaction Music. Stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Feel the temperature drop to Absolute Magnitude’s artfully monochrome Drum and Bass single, Cold in November

Posted on 7 August 2023

Sonically signifying that even though the globe is hotting up our modern era of dystopia is growing ever colder in terms of connection, Absolute Magnitude’s latest cinematically monochrome Drum and bass hit, Cold in November, is an arresting sign of the ostracised times.

The magnetic resonance of the release is only matched by the disjointed glitchwavey artfulness of the release that traverses themes of all-encompassing loss that create wormhole-esque voids in our lives. With heartbreak underpinning the futuristic release, Cold in November reaches the pinnacle of visceral vulnerability.

Cold in November is just one of the tracks found on the forthcoming LP, Main Sequence, which is due for release on September 29; it efficaciously sets the tone for the emotionally and intellectually elevated singles that are set to follow in the footsteps of Bjork’s Army of Me Remix.

As you eagerly await the drop of the LP, stream the official music video for Cold in November on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sensitive Golgoth’s ambient deep house cut, Aie confiance !, went right down to the bone

Posted on 3 August 2023

Life science researcher by day and electronic producer by night, Sensitive Golgoth poured just as much intellect into their latest single, Aie confiance ! as they injects into their research on how digital worlds may help humans empathise with other lifeforms.

The ambient deep house soundscape is an extension of their empirical work, which can be quantifiably noted through the blurred boundaries between the material and synthesised worlds. The groove-driven beats mellifluously cruise through the cathartically elemental atmosphere of the release that uses naturalism as a soundboard.

The transcendentally resonant bliss is a bubble that you never want to burst once the melodies get into intrinsically organic motion. Short of stepping out into nature and forest bathing, there’s no better way to connect with the universe than delving into Aie confiance !

Stream Aie confiance ! by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Strange World Music held dominion over the future of electronic pop rock with their latest single, I’m on Fire

Posted on 2 August 2023

Strange World Music blew techno-pop-rock smoke onto the airwaves with their latest endlessly progressive single, I’m on Fire. The Sussex, England-based songwriter made a mockery of the comparatively stagnant evolution of post-rock with the anthemically eclectic future-ready hit, which starts with a histrionically cinematic prelude before slamming you right into a techno-pop verse.

Along the way, around the lyricism that compels you to stoke the fires of self-empowerment and subsequently socio-political justice, the literally and metaphorically red-hot hit picks up riotous rock licks that turn up the temperature and the momentum in the liberating EDM anthem that leaves the contemporary curve safely in the rearview mirror.

I’m on Fire dropped on July 17th; stream it on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Grab a Seat: Elevated Focusion embraced the future of fusionism with his alt-electro hit, Tabla Tea Party

Posted on 22 July 2023
https://on.soundcloud.com/KERbZ3gaPJ9vjupF8

The Queens, NY electronica pioneer Elevated Focusion, AKA Johnny Rhythms, caused a solid eight on the Richter scale by dropping his ground-breaking fusionist LP, featuring the standout single, Tabla Tea Party.

The rocksteady release became the ultimate celebration of the vibrant culture in NY by stitching a tapestry of contrasting facets of counterculture against each other to create a galvanic forcefield of friction your rhythmic pulses won’t want to resist.

With East Coast hip-hop and afrobeat bringing the danceable rhythm and the vocal lines breaking the monocultural mould while lavishing the soundscape with rock n roll attitude and soul, every new progression in Tabla Tea Party is a sonic revelation.

By putting mixing and mastering in the hands of Chris Conway, who worked on every LP that inspired the Elevated Focusion project, the East Coast flavour packs a mouth-watering punch; grab your seat at the Tabla Tea Party while the hype is hot.

Stream Tabla Tea Party with the rest of Elevated Focusion’s eponymous LP on SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Break the day the right way with SnoZ’s tranquillity transcending electronica score, Morning

Posted on 10 July 2023

Finding the perfect balance between tranquillity and enlivening energy, SnoZ scored the ultimate playlist staple to spin when you want to break the day the right way; your morning commutes will never be the same again.

The transcendent tones and ambient textures elevate the vibrantly strident tempo in ‘Morning’, which features on the three-track single, Day, allowing the instrumental soundscape to unravel as the ultimate soundtrack to your transition from exploring your subconscious to embracing waking reality.

The innovation in the chiptune/house crossover in the mix is the ultimate testament to SnoZ’s originality. It’s only a matter of time before his tracks are at the front and centre of editorial electronica playlists.

Morning is available to stream on Spotify. For more ways to listen, visit the artist’s official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

“Grime Meets the Dancefloor: Chiron Loxton’s Electrifying ‘Ibiza’ Journey”

Posted on 6 July 2023

“Ibiza” by Chiron Loxton is a track that defies expectations in the best way possible. From the moment the song kicks off with thumping “booty-bass” reminiscent of late 90s dance club electronica, you might think you know what to expect. However, Mr. Loxton takes you on a surprising journey as he starts rapping in a talented and gritty grime style.

The fusion of rapid-fire rapping and catchy dance club music creates a captivating and unique combination. Initially, it may seem like an unlikely pairing, but as the song progresses, you can’t help but be drawn in. Chiron Loxton’s skilled delivery and confident flow blend seamlessly with the energetic beats, resulting in a musical experience that demands attention.

“Ibiza” stands out as a testament to Chiron Loxton’s versatility as an artist. It showcases his ability to take unexpected risks and make them work flawlessly. The song is a refreshing departure from the ordinary, injecting a sense of excitement and freshness into the dance music scene.

This track’s ability to surprise and captivate is its strongest asset. It grabs your attention, making you pause and think, “Huh, that’s different, and it’s wonderful.” Chiron Loxton  demonstrates a strong command of his craft, effortlessly navigating the rapid rhythms and infusing the song with his unique style.

“Ibiza” is a bold and innovative offering that pushes the boundaries of genre conventions. It’s a reminder that music has the power to break down barriers and create unexpected connections. Chiron Loxton has crafted a track that is both catchy and thought-provoking, leaving a lasting impression on anyone who listens.

Sandor Gavin borrowed from 80s synthpop pioneers in his captivatingly lush synthwave single, Ghost of a Memory ft Weldon

Posted on 27 June 2023

For his latest single, Ghost of a Memory, the Synthwave sensation, Sandor Gavin, borrowed the mesmeric vocal timbre of the featuring artist, Weldon, to leave the airwaves awash with nostalgia, emotion, and captivatingly lush melodies.

There is a strange assumption amongst artists and producers that when summer hits everyone is drunk on love and desperate to hear anthems which capture the euphoria of lust. Thankfully, Sandor Gavin injected realism into his latest synthwave crusade to help his audience through the minefield of lost love and shattered dreams.

The relatability of his crushed romanticism does so much more than just scratch at the surface of superficiality. Everything within Ghost of a Memory runs deep, from the basslines to the ennui to the reverberant hums emanating from the vocals, ensuring that the bitter-sweet release hits all the right marks.

Ghost of a Memory hit the airwaves on June 16; stream it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spotlight Feature: Ducktail’s fiery feat of anthemic electro-soul, Over, ft Kristal Oliver, Bursts with riotous, almost punk energy: try telling us this isn’t the debut of the year

Posted on 23 June 2023

With a Wall Street career in the rear-view mirror, the electro luminary in the making, Ducktail, ensured the world knew about his arrival in the Future Bass scene by dropping his debut single, Over. If it’s good enough for Pete Tong, the multi-layered leads driving through pop-hooked groove-pocketed basslines are worthy enough for your rhythmic pulses.

The New York-based artist and producer teamed up with the Grammy-nominated platinum artist Kristal Oliver, who exhilarated the release with her award-winning vocal lines before the anthem for a lost and now found cause was mixed and mastered by none other than Gosteffects.

Ducktail and Kristal Oliver converged to create an unreckonable force with this fiery feat of anthemic electro-soul. With choruses that burst with riotous, almost punk, energy and ever-ascending verses, which will leave you on a new spiritual plateau, just try telling me this isn’t the debut of the year.

As change is the only inevitability in life, Ducktail prepared us for it with Over, by illustrating that freedom to step into the infinite possibilities of the unknown is something that we should forego complacency and stagnation for.

“Over is all about following your passion and finding happiness along the way. Music has always been the greatest source of happiness in my life. So, in a way, Ducktail was created to repay the debt I felt I owed to something that’s given me so much. Lyrically, Over is a testament to pursuit and passion; it quells decisional regret, something we’ve all experienced.”

Over hit the airwaves today on June 23rd. Check it out on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

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