Releasing in collaboration with Fly National and Popmfs label, Up Dare brings retro synths, keys and colour to the current scene, along with a gritty yet addictively rhythmic vocal flow that naturally gifts things an earworm aspect.
Rebecca Cullen
Scott Kirby has always impressed, always been worthy of a pause – stand back and enjoy the music in every case. With So Many Ways, it appears that those qualities, and all we’ve come to love about the authenticity and heart of his music, reaches intense new heights.
Hypnotic production and distant vocals instantly present an enchanting, retro realm of sound, as Joanna Adamiak crafts her latest synth-pop exploration Let Go.
Pairing electric guitar and programmed drums with reverb-soaked vocals and poetic images of a ‘wild village, unruly town’, New York Sound is subtle, even minimalist, yet still creates an immersive vastness in its melodic and rhythmic embrace.
Building up from colourful beginnings through soul-pop and electro verses to the ultimate looping of that central phrase, Nice Things gathers momentum like a classic summer anthem, blurring the lines between electro-pop and EDM with grace and intention.
In 2024, Yuheng worked as the musician and score technical engineer for the Annie Award-Nominated film composer Dominic Lewis, for the Netflix movie Lift, and for the hit movie The Fall Guy, starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt.
The fullness of each track is fantastic, organic and powerful, reinforcing the theatrical, circus-like sentiments of The Carousel in a humble yet fitting way. The talent on show is unrivaled, the songs capture a level of magic that’s refreshing to immerse yourself within.
The instantly catchy All I Want brings through a multi-layered array of retro synths and keys, alongside an admittedly Taylor Swift-like vocal tone, and is quick to assert itself with a uniquely meandering melody.
Fragments of voice and melody light up the outer edges of this relentless and euphoric rhythm, distortion playing its part for that wholly enveloping power of sound, and structure too weighing in for a crucial dynamic; which helps shine light on the unique nuances of Robot Sunrise all the more so.
The piece does in fact brilliantly underline the implications of its title, taking the listener along on this whisper in the wind – to feel both the unrelenting speed and stillness of nature all at once.
There’s almost a touch of irony in the nostalgic presentation of this otherwise contemporary exploration of concept. The very thought of the GOAT is undoubtedly a modern day reference, but the yesteryear production and confident melodic stylings of this release draw focus to anything but the current sound of the scene.
“I love the combination of Flamenco and Electro, it seems to naturally blend really well. This track took a world effort to produce and I feel one of the best produced yet.”