Presenting an intoxicating depth of sound from the ambient to the intense, Icelandic artist Sporfari pairs industrial rhythms with synth-wave arrangements and impassioned vocals, for the likes of the enchanting to euphoric new electronica anthem Echoes.
Singles
Old-school Gospel and RnB vibes strike up a soulful vocal lead, for a genre-fusing anthem that celebrates the power of collaboration. Youngstown, Ohio rapper Derrtyboi$lim joins forces with sublime vocalist Anthony Llewellyn, for the inspiring and nostalgic Hip Hop single No Chorus No Hook.
From dreamy beginnings, reverb-soaked guitar creates a sense of rising brightness amidst an atmospheric wash of synths. A spoken word voice is distant but poignant in its reference to violence breeding violence, and the mood is uplifting in line with this – just as the central groove of the track falls into place.
From the mysterious album THE DARK CITY, Vger delivers an ominous electronic ambiance and track, in the form of the story-telling sci-fi instrumental Approaching The City. This introduction to the project welcomes a state of intrigue and uncertainty, balancing rhythmic synths with warped synth melodies and an eighties progression that’s aptly cinematic.
New music from an elusive Invadable Harmony once again presents a completely unprecedented audio realm. The White Flame allures its audience in an instant, world music tones and atmospheric whirring asserting a kind of ambient to intense presence all around you.
Modest yet immersive creativity sees a softly evolving sense of anticipation and presence captivate – producer and artist Alex Hammond, known to the scene as Spatial Drift, presents an ethereal embrace both nostalgic and impressively fresh, for the aptly-titled track Beyond The Boundaries of Time and Space.
From minimal, atmospheric beginnings, the originality of Big O’s beat is the first thing to raise the bar for this gem of a track. Somewhat organic industrial in its stomping, pile-up feel, the beat is followed by a four-chord synth pattern and the quickly intoxicating passion of IB Delight’s saxophone lead.
Beautifully complicated, profoundly poetic – Kid Anansi is one of the only albums this year that genuinely prompts a deep-dive listen and repeated sessions with the tracks. The level of thought and smart, sharp wit incorporated throughout each and every story and line is phenomenal, and the delivery is second to none. An absolute highlight from 2024 so far.
Buckle up for a melodic darkwave explosion of nostalgia – Florida-born creative project Last Grasp recaptures the synth-led, ethereal grooves of a simpler era, with the tuneful stylings and immersive, riff-led production of Creature of Your Kind.
Centaur is the track, distinct as ever and continuing to strengthen the alternative rock and rap identity of an unmistakable HOLYMAMI. The song was inspired by the artists’ Sagittarius star sign, and acts as a personal ode to the symbol of the centaur. It’s an alter-ego, by all accounts, a declaration of self-expression that rings loud in everything from lyric to design to performance.
Devoted to freedom, self-expression and liberty, Elijah Moth celebrates his integrity as a modern pop and hip hop artist, with the dreamy design and soulful vocals of Doing Me.
Somewhat free-flowing in its verse-setup and tune, Manic Pixie Nightmare delivers the familiar line ‘Not all who wander are lost, but all who are lost wander’, repeatedly throughout. It’s a resounding moment, but elsewhere the song follows its own unpredictable melody and fragments of reflection on losing a phone and subsequently seeking to break free from societal expectations.