Browsing Tag

Ethereal Pop

Jessie Berkshires – Enough: An Ethereal Synth-Soaked Lesson in Self-Discovery

Posted on 29 February 2024

Jessie Berkshires’ latest single, Enough, is a masterful blend of alt-pop finesse and 80s nostalgia, wrapped in a neon glow of modernity and soulful conviction. The single opens with Berkshires’ ethereal harmonies which weightlessly drift across the stabbing synth lines.

The intro’s melodic foundation sets the stage for a rhythmically compelling backbeat that kicks against the rest of the reverb-swathed instrumentation to create an immersive experience reminiscent of a neon-drenched dreamscape.

Berkshires’ vocal delivery is a study in artful beguile, echoing the haunting allure of Kate Bush. Her voice, a serene yet strident force, weaves through the track, delivering catharsis and conviction with equal measure. The lyrics, a poignant reflection on independence and empowerment, resonate with a poetic clarity that strikes at the heart.

The track’s production is a deft mix of contemporary magnetism and retro charm. Imagine pouring Warpaint’s style into The Human League’s mould, and you’re close to the unique cocktail that is ‘Enough’. It’s a sound that’s as deliciously poured as it is thoughtfully concocted.

In ‘Enough’, Jessie Berkshires offers a lesson in how to blend past and present, pain and hope, into a track that’s as empowering as it is enchanting.

Enough arrived on the airwaves on February 16. Stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

NÍNIVE – Aleluya: Celestial Permission to Shed the Weight of Emptiness

Posted on 9 February 2024

After making one of the strongest debuts of 2023, the Ecuadorian Alt-Pop conduit of cinematic experimentalism, NÍNIVE, has returned to the airwaves with her sophomore single, Aleluya, created in collaboration with the world-renowned producer, Enrique Gonzalez Müller.

There’s not just something in the ethereal atmosphere of Aleluya; the intricate complexities within the explorative instrumentals as they oscillate, glitch and melodiously flow are dynamite to the rhythmic senses as they create a beguiling platform for NÍNIVE’s celestial vocal timbre.

As the deeply confessional single professes the weight of internal emptiness, the transcendence within the production is permission to free yourself from that feeling and let light and colour into your soul through resilience, love and awareness of inner beauty. The sonic meditation is the ultimate antidote to the agony of our current era, which makes it so hard to find meaning and fulfilment. We can’t wait to hear what the superlative songstress constructs next.

Aleluya was officially released on February 2nd; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Etherdene filtered her latest indie dream pop release ‘You Are My World’ through rose-tinted lenses.

Posted on 17 January 2024

In her ethereal alt-indie pop single, You Are My Word, Etherdene captured the transcendence of someone walking into your life and completely redefining reality around the light and colour they use to infuse your perceptions with renewed vibrance. To ground the track in realism, Etherdene used the all-too-relatable fear of rose-tinted glasses being shattered under the realisation of lack of reciprocation.

The ever-ascending melodies within the ardent yet sublimely tender track amplify the sticky-sweet romanticism drifting through the lyricism. Far from your average head-over-heels hit, You Are My World will leave you on a plateau, constructed by tentatively pure poetry which cohesively coalesces with the dreamy melodies that will easily be placed on any playlists featuring Cigarettes After Sex, Sigur Ros, and Beach House.

With over 10k monthly listeners behind her, Etherdene’s trajectory will only be upwards from here on out. Her rapid ascent after her 2023 debut reflects the affecting resonance within her self-expressive self-produced releases.

You Are My World was officially released on January 5th. Slip into the etherealism via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Slip into a chorally Lynchian delirium with Milk Bar Gang’s latest orchestration, The Accident

Posted on 31 December 2023

Hitting play on the latest single, The Accident, from Milk Bar Gang, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’ve slipped into a chorally Lynchian delirium as you allow the cultivated hazy dream pop tones to wash over you, submerging you in ethereal Avant-Garde surrealism.

The song’s sonic landscape is a complex tapestry, weaving together elements of Shoegaze’s choral dreaminess and the experimental edge reminiscent of Glenn Branca while the incorporation of jazzy rhythms and darkwave elements contribute to its rich and diverse texture.

Lyrically and thematically, The Accident delves into profound concepts. It reflects on the uncontrollable circumstances of birth and the ensuing struggle against oppression, as well as the emergence of resistance. This philosophical depth is matched by the music’s atmospheric synths and sharp guitar riffs, underlined by a rhythm section that couldn’t be further from archetypal. The unsettling melodies and chord progressions further enhance its impact, creating a sound that is simultaneously bleak and beautiful.

Recorded at home and refined by professionals in Melbourne, the single is a testament to Milk Bar Gang’s commitment to their craft. The band, formed in 2021 by Felix Chapple and Bianca Cao, brings a diverse range of influences and experiences. Chapple’s history with various Melbourne bands and musicians, combined with Cao’s background in dance and visual art from Beijing, contribute to the unique identity of Milk Bar Gang. If this is how they chose to end 2023, we’re aching to hear the artfully cohesive orchestrations that are lurking in the pipelines.

The Accident will debut on New Year’s Eve; hear it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

FiFi Zhang has released her ethereal anime-inspired art-pop single, Travel Through the Milky Way.

Posted on 28 October 2021

‘Travel Through the Milky Way’ is the bewitchingly hypnotic latest release by Shanghai-born and raised electro-pop visionary FiFi Zhang; its entrancing propensities aren’t to be underestimated. The single completely redefines dream pop with the pitch-perfect accordance that flows right through this entrancing downtempo mix.

The Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter, music producer and visual designer takes inspiration from the likes of Grimes, Faye Wong and Yaejj and her love of sci-fi and anime for her ethereal art-pop sound. As a massive dream pop fan, I just know that my playlist staples won’t feel the same after hearing how sweetly transcendent and artful the genre has the potential to be. It’s a game-changer.

The official video for Travel Through the Milky Way is now available to stream on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Gabrielle Ornate has released her ethereal synth-pop anthem, Waiting to be Found.

Posted on 6 August 2021
Gabrielle Ornate

‘Waiting to be Found’ is the latest colossal alt-pop single from the luminary artist Gabrielle Ornate, which allows synths to bring a post-punk-style atmosphere while she feeds new-age-style-soul into the vibrant, massive production through the unapologetically intense vocals.

It is easily one of the most ethereal summer pop anthems that you will hear this year, or any other year, given that feels like quite the sonic paradox. Despite the alchemic ingenuity of the release, accessibility oozes through the sincerity and the rhythmic pull of the dark and sultry dance pop-rock earworm.

Waiting to Be Found was officially released on August 6th; you can check it out for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Thisiswar – Remember What You’ve Done: Pensively Visceral, Orchestrally Ethereal Pop

Posted on 3 November 2018

I’ll be honest, from an artist named Thisiswar, I was expecting a much heavier and catastrophic sound. Their latest single “Remember What You’ve Done” from their upcoming album “Voices” was less of an aural attack and much more of a sonorously sweet Alt Pop ballad. With sticky-sweet layers of harmony the quaint alchemy which was composed was still a soundscape with the capacity to move you. Whilst the guitar chord progressions were a little predictable, the classical strings uplifted the track whilst simultaneously adding even raw pensive emotion to the single. Whilst it’s irrefutable that Thisiswar are a band who possess a staggering amount of talent, I’d love to hear something that sets them apart from the myriad of other up and coming artists.

You can check out Remember What You’ve Done for yourselves by heading over to YouTube now.  You’ll be able to listen to the album in full from November 30th.

Review by Amelia Vandergast