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North Star Union: The Cold, Grandiose Rush of “Echoes of Decay”

By
Chris The Blogger
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North Star Union: The Cold, Grandiose Rush of "Echoes of Decay"
North Star Union: The Cold, Grandiose Rush of "Echoes of Decay"

North Star Union has released “Echoes of decay”, a slice of melodic heavy metal that feels less like a standard studio tracking and more like something dug out of the permafrost. There is a curious quality to Icelandic composer Myrmann’s work here; because he handles all the instrumentation and composition himself at Midgard Studio, the track possesses a singular, frighteningly cohesive nervous system. It moves as one giant, galloping beast.

You know that specific sensation when you wake up too early in winter, and the air is so cold it tastes distinct? Metallic, sharp, almost indifferent to your presence? That is the texture of the rhythm section here.

Myrmann lays down a foundation of distorted strumming and rapid-fire percussion that races forward not unlike a heart palpitation brought on by too much caffeine and existential dread while the lead melodies soar high above in intricate loops. It creates a fascinating verticality, grounding you in the mud while stretching for the peaks. Then you have Rob Lundgren on guest vocals, acting as the conduit for this dark, occult-laced narrative. He sounds like a town crier warning of a storm that happened three centuries ago, yet is somehow returning tomorrow.

North Star Union: The Cold, Grandiose Rush of "Echoes of Decay"
North Star Union: The Cold, Grandiose Rush of “Echoes of Decay”

The song addresses the resilience of life and the heavy hang of heritage. It’s grandiose, certainly. But it also reminded me strangely of watching dust motes dance in a shaft of light in an abandoned house chaotic, yet following unseen currents of history. It evokes the glorification of times past without feeling stagnant. The low-end rumble anchors the spiritual high notes, keeping the mysticism tethered to the dirt.

This piece, part of the debut album “Where the last light remains”, forces you to look backward while charging forward. Can a memory carry enough weight to crush you, or is that pressure exactly what builds the ground we stand on?

YouTube.

Al Young Resurfaces as Megapenny Music for “Dance with Giants”

By
Chris The Blogger
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Al Young Resurfaces as Megapenny Music for "Dance with Giants"
Al Young Resurfaces as Megapenny Music for "Dance with Giants"

There is a distinct, almost tectonic rumble occurring now that Megapenny Music has dropped “Dance with Giants”, a track that feels like the excavation of a lost city. Al Young, the mind behind the machinery, hasn’t produced music since the era when synthesizers were physically dangerous to move; forty years of silence broken not by a polite knock, but by a battering ram.

Listening to this single creates a peculiar physical sensation, similar to standing too close to a piece of brutalist architecture during a thunderstorm; you feel small, yet inexplicably safe within the sheer mass of the structure. The instrumentation relies on deep, booming rhythmic pulses a militaristic cadence that hits you squarely in the chest. These low-end frequencies anchor sweeping harmonic layers that seem to stretch endlessly upward, creating a verticality that makes my apartment ceiling feel fifty feet higher than it actually is.

Al Young Resurfaces as Megapenny Music for "Dance with Giants"
Al Young Resurfaces as Megapenny Music for “Dance with Giants”

Delphine Savatte provides the vocal navigation through this vastness. Her delivery is fascinating. She doesn’t attempt to scream over the dense wall of sound; instead, she occupies the shimmering textures floating above it, commanding the chaotic energy with a steely grace. The interplay captures the song’s core theme of dormant potential waking up. It’s that moment where the underdog stops trembling and starts snarling.

The track swells dynamically, shifting from solitary, gentle tones into a climactic, sonic solidity that feels heavy enough to weigh on a scale. It evokes a sudden, random memory of watching a rocket launch on an old static-filled television that specific mix of awe, danger, and blinding light.

This is Cinematic Pop that demands you stop folding laundry and actually look out the window. If the world is ending, or perhaps just beginning, shouldn’t we at least have the right soundtrack?

Website, Facebook, YouTube.

The Deep, Bouncy Rhythms of Lucia’s “Take It Off”

By
Chris The Blogger
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The Deep, Bouncy Rhythms of Lucia’s "Take It Off"
The Deep, Bouncy Rhythms of Lucia’s "Take It Off"

There is a specific frequency of liberation that Lucia captures in “Take It Off,” hitting the ears with the decisive snap of a locked door finally springing open. While the UK artist has a fifteen-year pedigree, spanning stints with Sam Bailey and time behind the piano, this single sidesteps nostalgia for something urgent and strictly present-tense.

The track rides on a deep, bouncy rhythmic pulse that functions as a biological imperative; your foot taps before your brain gives permission. There are staccato flourishes here that sparkle like crushed glass on a highway, weaving through a groovy foundation that feels meticulously architectural. It reminds me, strangely, of that precise, euphoric moment of relief when you take off heavy ski boots after eight hours on a mountain the sudden lightness, the returning circulation, the abrupt realization that you were carrying weight you didn’t need to. The percussion is crisp, but the bass brings a warmth that keeps the electronics from feeling sterile.

The Deep, Bouncy Rhythms of Lucia’s "Take It Off"
The Deep, Bouncy Rhythms of Lucia’s “Take It Off”

Lyrically, we are in the realm of desire, but don’t let the shine fool you. The surface reads as sensual, a playful provocation to shed clothes and inhibition in the heat of an electric encounter. Yet, beneath the gloss of the dance-pop production, there is a distinct emotional exfoliation happening. Lucia isn’t just singing about a physical tryst; she’s articulating the shedding of historical debris. It’s a dismantling of the past, disguised as a party. The vocals build from a smooth, conversational rhythm to an intense hook, selling the idea that true vulnerability requires ironclad confidence.

It creates a fascinating paradox: a track about losing control that feels incredibly disciplined in its execution. When the music fades, you have to wonder is the most naked version of ourselves actually the strongest armor we possess?

Website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube.

The Vildes Question Perfection with “Manicure for the Strangers”

By
Chris The Blogger
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The Vildes Question Perfection with "Manicure for the Strangers"
The Vildes Question Perfection with "Manicure for the Strangers"

With The Vildes releasing “Manicure for the Strangers”, I found myself instinctively checking my reflection in the black screen of my monitor, correcting a frown that absolutely no one was around to see. It’s an uncanny reaction, but then again, Ingvild Tafjord, Hilde Wahl, and Glenn Tvedt specialize in this specific breed of beautifully curated anxiety. They understand the weight of the mask.

The track performs a sonic sleight of hand. It enters with resonant keystrokes, sombre and hesitant, almost polite. Then, without warning, the floor drops out, replaced by a rhythmic, subterranean low-end pulse that drives the song into true Melodic House territory. It’s glossy, undeniably energetic, yet strangely isolating like dancing alone in a room made entirely of chrome. The oscillating digital textures and manipulated vocal chops swirl through the mix like confetti falling in slow motion, glittering but ultimately trash on the floor.

The Vildes Question Perfection with "Manicure for the Strangers"
The Vildes Question Perfection with “Manicure for the Strangers”

Listening to this, my mind jumped to the historical practice of Ohaguro in Japan dyeing one’s teeth black to hide the natural color, a beauty ritual that signified maturity but arguably masked the decay beneath. “Manicure for the Strangers” feels like the modern auditory equivalent. The song explores the exhaustion of the “perfect” exterior, suggesting that our grooming rituals are actually combat armor. We paint ourselves to survive the scrutiny of people who don’t actually care if we breathe.

The Vildes Question Perfection with "Manicure for the Strangers"
The Vildes Question Perfection with “Manicure for the Strangers”

The contrast between the gentle verses and the propulsive, detached chorus highlights the fracture between who we are and who we pretend to be. It’s pop-electronica for the girl crying in the bathroom of a very expensive club.

The Vildes have crafted a track that feels less like a party anthem and more like a frantic heartbeat disguised as a drum loop. If we stop polishing the surface, will we simply disappear?

YouTube, Instagram, TikTok

Lhord Verses New Single “Long Way” Featuring Oseikrom Sikanii

By
Blogger In Cap
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Lhord Verses New Single "Long Way" Featuring Oseikrom Sikanii
Lhord Verses New Single "Long Way" Featuring Oseikrom Sikanii

Ghanaian rap sensation Lhord Verses continues to prove his depth and versatility with his latest release, “Long Way,” featuring acclaimed rapper Oseikrom Sikanii. Known for his sharp lyricism and ability to blend genres seamlessly, Lhord Verses once again tells a powerful story rooted in real-life experiences.

“Long Way” is a reflection on the hustle, resilience, and determination required to rise from humble beginnings to greater heights. Through honest lyrics and streetwise storytelling, both artists share the realities of chasing success against the odds, highlighting the sacrifices and strength it takes to stay the course.

The collaboration brings together two voices that represent the spirit of the streets, delivering raw and relatable rhymes without exaggeration or shortcuts. “Long Way” stands as a motivational anthem for anyone on a tough journey, reminding listeners that progress takes patience, faith, and hard work.

With this release, Lhord Verses reinforces his place as a compelling voice in Ghana’s rap scene—one that speaks truth, inspires hope, and stays true to the grind.

Stream Here

 

Harris Rafferty Torches the Past with “Burnin’”

By
Chris The Blogger
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Harris Rafferty Torches the Past with "Burnin’"
Harris Rafferty Torches the Past with "Burnin’"

Harris Rafferty makes his latest statement with “Burnin’”, a track that arrives with the subtle grace of a brick thrown through a conservatory window. Listening to this, I was immediately struck by the sheer kinetic output of the Lancashire artist; it feels less like a studio recording and more like being strapped into a roller coaster that has not been inspected for safety since 1997.

The song sits comfortably at the frantic intersection of pop-punk and alternative rock, driven by a rhythm section that seems to be running away from something terrified. There is a density to the production a thick, churning wall of harmonic distortion that somehow smells of ozone and asphalt. It reminds me, quite unexpectedly, of a dream I once had about trying to run underwater; that sensation of immense resistance met with desperate, flailing effort. Rafferty’s vocals soar over this turbulence, anthemic and cutting, embodying the “fire inside” that the lyrics explore.

Harris Rafferty Torches the Past with "Burnin’"
Harris Rafferty Torches the Past with “Burnin’”

Thematically, Rafferty isn’t interested in holding hands. He is sifting through the wreckage of his own making. “Burnin’” deals with the distinct, heavy flavor of guilt that settles in the stomach after you’ve torched a bridge you swore you’d cross again. It captures that precise moment where ambition turns into isolation, where the safety of the past is sacrificed for a cold, unwritten future.

This is a song about the debris of self-sabotage, yet it rings with a cathartic determination. It’s loud, messy, and wonderfully human. Is the heat of the fire worth the burns? Rafferty doesn’t answer the question for us, but he certainly enjoys watching the flames dance.

Instagram, TikTok

Kaleidoscope Collision Hit High Velocity on “Hiding Place”

By
Chris The Blogger
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Kaleidoscope Collision Hit High Velocity on "Hiding Place"
Kaleidoscope Collision Hit High Velocity on "Hiding Place"

There is a distinct, jagged auditory flavor to the concept of velocity, something that hits you immediately when listening to Kaleidoscope Collision and their latest single, “Hiding Place.” Listening to this Malaga-based duo feels like stumbling upon a secret transmission while spinning the radio dial in a stolen getaway car.

The track kicks in with a rhythmic pulse that refuses to ask for permission. Jovani Rocha has constructed a sonic backdrop here that feels paved with grit; the distorted harmonic sequences rise like heat haze off asphalt in August. It’s strange, really, how a rough, energetic vocal line can sound so incredibly comfortable like wearing a leather jacket that’s been broken in by someone else’s adventures, yet fits you perfectly. Heather attacks the vocals with a ferocity that suggests she isn’t just singing the lyrics, but exhaling them to clear room in her lungs.

The narrative here explores a clandestine love, a sanctuary built for two. It got me thinking about usnea that pale, greenish lichen you see draping off old oak trees. It’s a composite organism, algae and fungi living in a symbiotic structure that requires specific, clean air to survive. That is what this track feels like: an ecosystem for two, thriving only because they’ve shut out the pollution of external judgment and the “rat race.”

Kaleidoscope Collision Hit High Velocity on "Hiding Place"
Kaleidoscope Collision Hit High Velocity on “Hiding Place”

During the breaks, there are these high-pitched, soaring melodic runs that mimic the sensation of flight, or perhaps just the popping of ears as you gain altitude. It is nostalgic and urgent simultaneously. “Hiding Place” doesn’t ask you to understand their love; it simply dares you to try and catch them.

Are we running away, or are we finally running towards the only thing that actually matters?

YouTube, Instagram, Facebook

Archers New Rival Find a Heavy New “Direction”

By
Chris The Blogger
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Archers New Rival Find a Heavy New "Direction"
Archers New Rival Find a Heavy New "Direction"

With the arrival of Archers New Rival and their single “Direction”, I found myself tracing the jagged line of a crack in my ceiling, letting the melody dictate exactly how much that imperfection bothered me. The track initiates with a deception a clean, resonant melancholy that feels safe before suddenly mushrooming into a thick, distorted wall of heavy texture. It reminds me, oddly enough, of the way the air pressure drops so rapidly before a summer storm that your inner ear pops; you brace for the deluge, and when it arrives, it is soaking wet, loud, and absolute.

This is modern emo rock that wears its “Myspace era” influence not as a costume, but as a second skin. Vocalist Matt Troy navigates the topography of heartbreak with a desperation that feels almost biological. He shifts from sorrowful quiet to explosive, high-energy pleading, mirroring the messy, non-linear architecture of grief. It captures that specific species of youthful ruin where a separation feels less like a social change and more like a tectonic event capable of swallowing the horizon.

Archers New Rival Find a Heavy New "Direction"
Archers New Rival Find a Heavy New “Direction”

Assisted by co-writer and friend Emmerson Gray, the narrative explores the stickiness of guilt the way past mistakes adhere to us like burrs on a wool coat. The instrumentation relies on soaring harmonic layers that crash and recede, a sonic push-and-pull that physically mimics the indecision of the lyrics. It traverses regret before arriving at a sorrowful acceptance, eventually fading into a reverberating silence that feels heavier than the noise that preceded it.

As the feedback dies out, one has to wonder: do we ever truly find a completely new direction, or do we just learn to walk with a steadier gait over the rubble?

Instagram.

The Jagged, Beautiful Duality of Cries of Redemption’s “Abstract”

By
Chris The Blogger
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The Jagged, Beautiful Duality of Cries of Redemption’s “Abstract”
The Jagged, Beautiful Duality of Cries of Redemption’s “Abstract”

There is a precise sort of chaos within the architecture of Cries of Redemption and the new release “Abstract” that feels entirely purposeful, like a storm trapped inside a glass bottle. Ed Silva, the Savannah-based mastermind behind this project, isn’t merely writing songs; he seems to be conducting experiments on how much tension a melody can hold before it snaps.

Listening to tracks like “The Return,” one is immediately struck by the friction between the organic and the synthetic. Silva creates a hybrid soundscape nuance filtered through digital vocal modeling and the stark capabilities of FL Studio that hits with the gritty nostalgia of late-night grunge. The vocal textures here don’t just carry a tune; they vibrate with a specific frequency that reminds me of the hum of a high-voltage transformer box in the dead of winter. It is dangerous, buzzing, and curiously warm. However, Silva doesn’t navigate this isolation entirely alone; the presence of session vocalist Denisse Ferrara adds a crucial, ghostly human layer to the project, preventing the digital precision from becoming too sterile.

When the album pivots to “An Eerie Feeling,” the mood shifts from angst to something more chemically unstable. The interplay between the delicate, sorrowful intro and the sudden wall of distorted aggression is jarring. It evokes the visual of a calm goldfish bowl shattering in slow motion a sudden violence that is somehow beautiful to watch. It is in these moments that the project’s experimentation with Post-Hardcore elements shines, balancing fragility with thunderous percussion.

The Jagged, Beautiful Duality of Cries of Redemption’s “Abstract”
The Jagged, Beautiful Duality of Cries of Redemption’s “Abstract”

Yet, Silva pulls back the darkness for moments of strange clarity. The title track, “Abstract”, and the heroic “Awakening” operate on a different wavelength entirely. These instrumental-focused cuts ditch the gloom for technical proficiency. “Cloud 9” utilizes the rhythmic chugging of Djent not just as a beat, but as a texture that feels tactile, almost heavy enough to hold in your hands. It captures that distinct rush of driving a rental car slightly too fast on an open highway at 2 AM, windows down, with the smell of asphalt and anticipation filling the cabin.

Even in “No More Google Translate,” with its aggressive, radio-ready Hard Rock drive, there is a lingering sense of miscommunication and frustration that feels universally human. Cries of Redemption isn’t trying to offer a polished pop solution to life’s problems. Instead, Silva offers a heavy, reverb-soaked mirror.

Does “Abstract” provide an answer to the questions it asks? Perhaps not, but it certainly builds a fascinating, distortion-heavy room for those questions to echo in.

YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Reverb Nation.

Swiss Five-Piece Proves Powerful Rock Comes from Unexpected Places

By
Mister Styx
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Ping Machines releases Down to the other, Ping Machines with Down to the other, Ping Machines drops Down to the other, Down to the other by Ping Machines, Down to the other from Ping Machines, Ping Machines musical artist, Ping Machines songs, Ping Machines singer, Ping Machines new single, Ping Machines profile, Ping Machines discography, Ping Machines musical band, Ping Machines videos, Ping Machines music, Down to the other album by Ping Machines, Ping Machines shares latest single Down to the other, Ping Machines unveils new music titled Down to the other, Ping Machines, Down to the other, Ping Machines Down to the other, Down to the other Ping Machines
The sound is not smooth and polished intentionally

Since 2009, Ping Machines have been carving their raw and totally in-your-face sound, and their single “Down to the Other” is a good wake-up call as to why they so proudly claim the name of their sound as dirt rock!

Based in the tiny Alpine village of Muotathal, Switzerland, this five-piece band demonstrates the fact that occasionally a really strong rock music can be created in the most unlikely places! This song was performed by their old singer Ryps who gritty vocal contributes another dimension of intensity to the already heavy mood of the song!

Already at the very beginning, Down to the Other draws listeners into a dense layer of distorted guitar that sounds like a freight train of Marc Monnin and Fabian Mettler! The sound is not smooth and polished intentionally so that the song has an honest and almost dangerous quality that is exciting!

Ping Machines releases Down to the other, Ping Machines with Down to the other, Ping Machines drops Down to the other, Down to the other by Ping Machines, Down to the other from Ping Machines, Ping Machines musical artist, Ping Machines songs, Ping Machines singer, Ping Machines new single, Ping Machines profile, Ping Machines discography, Ping Machines musical band, Ping Machines videos, Ping Machines music, Down to the other album by Ping Machines, Ping Machines shares latest single Down to the other, Ping Machines unveils new music titled Down to the other, Ping Machines, Down to the other, Ping Machines Down to the other, Down to the other Ping Machines
The sound is not smooth and polished intentionally

The bass of Alex Schrutt has everything on the ground, and the drumming by Pat Dollinger moves the song forward with a constant momentum and amazing mastery!

The song delves into gloomy subjects of life, hardship and life after death and never attempts to make it sound warm! The music follows the natural tension release, and delivers the crushing and mighty concluding crash that delivers!

Down to the Other is not created to be liked by everyone but those who like their hard rock with serious substance and heart can find it worthwhile to experience the fearless Ping Machines!

Listen to Down to the other 

 

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Screaming Into the Fuzz: Stone Deaf Releases “Joculator”

By
Chris The Blogger
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Screaming Into the Fuzz: Stone Deaf Releases "Joculator"
Screaming Into the Fuzz: Stone Deaf Releases "Joculator"

With Stone Deaf’s well-anticipated single “Joculator”, the atmosphere shifts; the air suddenly feels thinner, charged with static and the sweet promise of bad decisions. Coming out of Swansea, these guys Michael Pole, Benjamin Lake, and Charlie Ridgway seem intent on resurrecting the ghost of every raucous basement party you vaguely remember leaving long after you should have gone home.

> Pre-save here! <

Screaming Into the Fuzz: Stone Deaf Releases "Joculator"
Screaming Into the Fuzz: Stone Deaf Releases “Joculator”

The sound doesn’t introduce itself; it collides with you. It is a gritty, distorted wall of noise anchored by a churning, staccato rhythm. Listening to the relentless, crashing percussive backbone, I was struck by a distinct mental image: a washing machine filled with heavy bricks during the spin cycle violent, dangerous, yet mesmerizingly rhythmic. Then, there is a fuzzy, high-pitched scream in the bridge that scrapes the back of the brain like the peculiar satisfaction of peeling dried glue off your fingertips. It teeters on the edge of discomfort, but you can’t stop engaging with it.

Screaming Into the Fuzz: Stone Deaf Releases "Joculator"
Screaming Into the Fuzz: Stone Deaf Releases “Joculator”

Underneath this garage rock revival sweat, there is a fascinating desperation. The song navigates the frantic geometry of social anxiety and financial inadequacy, with a protagonist who uses humor as a rusted shield. It captures that specific, cringey desire to perform to become the “joculator” just to catch someone’s eye, masking the sting of rejection with wild, indifference-feigning dance moves. With Ryan Zachariah Martin listed as a key contributor, the team has bottled the essence of a panic attack disguised as a good time.

It feels rebellious, raw, and wonderfully unpolished. Instead of mourning a failing social standing, Stone Deaf simply laughs at the absurdity of it all.

Why dwell on the impending emotional fallout when you can just scream into the fuzz?

Twitter(X), Instagram, TikTok

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Shery M Navigates the Velocity of Loss on “Goin Gone”

By
Chris The Blogger
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Shery M Navigates the Velocity of Loss on "Goin Gone"
Shery M Navigates the Velocity of Loss on "Goin Gone"

Listening to Shery M navigate the pulsating, anxious corridors of “Goin Gone” feels like watching a high-speed train pass a quiet station; you catch glimpses of faces in the windows, but mostly, it is just wind, velocity, and the undeniable sense that something is leaving forever.

The single arrives wrapped in the glossy sheen of Global Pop and Dance-Pop, yet the engine driving it is fueled by a specific, jittery adrenaline. The production relies on a driving, up-tempo rhythm section that demands movement, even if that movement is just pacing a hole in the floorboards. What really snags the ear, though, are the stuttering, chopped vocal samples. They function as rhythmic textures, but they remind me oddly of skipping stones across a frozen lake frantic, sharp little impacts trying to reach the other side before the ice breaks. It is a catchy hook, sure, but it glitches like a nervous tic.

Shery M Navigates the Velocity of Loss on "Goin Gone"
Shery M Navigates the Velocity of Loss on “Goin Gone”

Knowing that this piece was penned after Shery M was forced to flee Iran adds a heavy gravity to the electronic pulse. The narrative is ostensibly about the severance of a relationship, but it bleeds into the broader anxiety of displacement. The protagonist is struggling with paranoia and holding back tears, yet the crescendo is undeniably high-energy. It creates a strange friction; you want to dance, but you also want to check the locks on the door.

Shery M Navigates the Velocity of Loss on "Goin Gone"
Shery M Navigates the Velocity of Loss on “Goin Gone”

It creates a cathartic atmosphere, blurring the line between the joy of freedom and the terror of the unknown. We tend to think of liberation as a fanfare, but often it sounds like this: urgent, repetitive, and slightly breathless.

When the dust settles on the final beat, one has to wonder: does the rhythm carry us away from the pain, or are we just dancing to outrun the silence?

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Cut, Loop, Create: Inside Monophonic Underground’s Do or DIY

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Mister Styx
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Cut, Loop, Create: Inside Monophonic Underground’s Do or DIY

This EP grew from a fascinatingly unusual starting point, with music first written as imagined scores for silent films like Metropolis and Nosferatu! Those early ideas were later cut, looped, and creatively reshaped, giving the tracks a strong sense of movement and genuinely unexpected emotion. This exciting cut-up approach, inspired by Brion Gysin’s innovative ideas, runs throughout the entire release and gives it a restless, experimental edge that’s absolutely captivating!

Sound-wise, the EP stays powerfully true to its underground roots. Analogue, monophonic synths take center stage, with acid basslines from a 303 and a Korg Monologue driving much of the atmospheric mood! The title track keeps percussion beautifully minimal, letting the bass speak for itself, while staying grounded in slower tempos and deeper mid and low tones that really hit!

There are vivid inspirations throughout—from empty early-morning roads to unsettling nocturnal suburbia, and even being trapped indoors during a violent storm in Ibiza! Made entirely by the artist from start to finish, Do or DIY feels raw, thoughtful, and refreshingly honest. It may not chase trends, but that bold refusal is exactly what gives it real meaning and lasting impact! This is underground music with substance!

Listen to Do or DIY below

 

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What inspired the concept of “Do or DIY,” and how does it reflect the band’s ethos of independence and creativity?
The initial concept was born out of an earlier project to experiment with musical scores for scenes from silent films, mainly Metropolis and Nosferatu. I watched them on mute over and over and started to develop music and design the sound for each scene, using a mixture of instrumentals, field recordings and sampless I really enjoyed the challenge because it was about timing and aesthetic but it got to the point with it where I began to wonder what the fuck id do with it so I decided to start cutting up the midi files into 4, 6 and 8 bar loops and effectively created a large palate of loops,

I liked the idea of mixing up pieces of music that had been set to very different emotional scenes, which led to some interesting musical phrasing. The loops and samples then became the source material I used to for each track, each with their own inspirations. I’d always been a massive fan of the artist Brion Gysin and his experiments with cut ups; his idea was that you can liberate meaning from fixed texts by physically cutting and rearranging words to reveal hidden realities so I wanted to have a go at applying to music. Id imagine it’s probably something that most electronic musicians/producers do without thinking as electronic music is about chopping, cutting and rearranging.

The title of the EP was inspired by a polemical essay I read on vanity publishing of the same name. Despite having made music for many years (and seriously since 2022) I’ve always had an issue with releasing music, which meant I also had an issue with finishing tracks and convinced myself there was no merit in releasing music to wide audiences. There was a quote in this essay which goes… ‘institutions cannot prevent what they cannot imagine’, i read this and it changed my way of thinking on the matter.

I realised that creating any art is a freedom and a protest in its own right, but more importantly, if music and art is left to be decided and disseminated by the established musical ‘elite’ then what of innovation? the trend will always be towards sponsoring and promoting artists that fit the popular trends and then we end up with a homogenous mass of singer, songwriters and catchy EDM floorfillers…not that there is anything wrong with any of these, but we’ll never push the envelope if we don’t innovate.

How does this EP showcase your signature monophonic, underground sound through its tracks and production?
I love analogue synths, especially monophonic ones, they have a unique sound and I think you have to work harder to get the right sound of them. I love 303s and I used one and a Korg Monologue a fair amount across the EP. Beats and percussion are really important to me, I wanted the percussion to be restrained and minimal on the track Do or DIY.

The acid bass hopefully says enough and I didn’t want the percussion crowding out the sound. I also wanted the sound of the EP to be predominantly in the mid and low ranges and as the late, great Andrew Weatherall said “never knowingly exceeding 120 BPM”. I wanted each track to take the listener on a bit of a journey and allowing the track to build up but still respecting the listener enough to allow them to interpret the track each way they want.

The second track A1_a19 was also inspired by a drive from Leeds on a deserted road early one morning, the sun is coming up, the road is dead, the mind wanders as the pace increases…I think this is the most energetic track on the EP and although retains the analogue sound from the 303 samples, has a more uplifting feel about it as it respects the traditional EDM build ups and drops. Killer is my favourite track on the EP, which was inspired by nocturnal suburbia as well as the artwork of Harmony Korine of whom I am a great admirer, his Agressive Dr1fter was hugely inspirational to me, especially RAVETEK14 and MANT1X FAZE..under the vivid acid, infrared colours there is real feeling of terror.

This track was also sample and field recording heavy and the production took the longest. Cabin Fever was partially written and mixed in Ibiza during the worst storm of 2025, we were literally trapped in the hotel for days as the place flooded and the staff ran around trying to keep the water out. The track is a reminder that a guided cage with room service is still a cage.

Can you walk us through the songwriting and recording process, particularly any DIY techniques that embody the title?
My workflow has developed over the years and currently I like to ideate and then head off somewhere to start field recordings and writing music. Technology enables you to easily do that these days..I can take off for a week with a recorder, MacBook, tablet and midi keyboard and actually get meaningful stuff done.

Hotels work best for me..especially the big resort ones in the middle of nowhere where people eat and drink all day, its great for field recordings as well..you get such a wide mix of sounds; from birds to people speaking in different languages as well as machinery and impact noises. Give me plenty of tragedy, comedy and an isolated place to work and Im happy. I then take everything back to the studio and add in the analogue synth parts and any analogue drums…

I like 909s best as they have so much energy and intrigue to the sound, as well as a feeling of nostalgia about the sound. Everything is then recorded as loops before the final recordings. I would best describe the process as like making a stir fry, you spend ages preparing all the ingredients in advance, get them ready and ordered and then the actual cookery is fast and frenetic. That’s how I like to work.

What themes of self-reliance, experimentation, or rebellion emerge across the EP?
I think the whole EP speaks of self reliance, I like self reliance and on this release I managed the whole thing end to end myself…I learned a lot about the process and also about the parts I don’t enjoy and those I do. The artwork was the hardest. I think it’s easy to forget that self reliance is an act of rebellion in its own right as it relies on you trusting your gut and moral compass over societal pressure, institutions, and conformity. I think in today’s social media obsessed world, this is more important than ever.

How do you balance raw, underground energy with polished musicality in “Do or DIY”?
Despite projects being planned out based on an overall vision / design principle, as the actual recording is quite spontaneous, I think there is a rawness that gets baked in when you work like that, I start with inspiration, then design rules for each track that I lay out at the start although it rarely ends up that way as ‘happy accidents’ always seem to happen.

Making music is a wonderful, engrossing process and I really adore all parts of it; from ideation and creation, to mixing and mastering…the latter is what takes the time really and I have a real issue with the definition of done in any track, I can iterate ad infinitum and this is why releasing has become so important. I really do hope those that like this style of music enjoy it, but that’s not the main goal of releasing…I think you need closure or you just end up drowning in a sea of unfinished tracks.

Were there innovative approaches to sound design or instrumentation that defined this release?
Ive spoken about the design principles, creative inspiration and workflow which individually are not unique but I hope listeners like the vibe of the sum of their parts. I had an old analogue synth malfunction during the recording which resulted in a really weird sound being generated whenever I used it, which I actually loved and kept using…it sounded like fried vacuum cleaner being played through a bank of effects pedals, I liked the sound so much I used it a fair bit in the end.

What listener response do you anticipate for this EP, especially within the underground scene?
No clue really…Its probably not going to appeal to the mass market. I hope the underground scene like the vibe, I struggle to be able to categorise the sound, especially with so many sub genres out there. I just make what I like and mix it to sound how I like, so if there are people out there that share that then great as I made it to be listened to, so I hope people do just that…I’ll just keep making music and releasing it.

I love the rules and structure of EDM and its sub genres but I didn’t want to make music that had a banging four to the floor beat from the first bar, but to try and give a sense of a journey through each track. The listeners can decide whether this is the case or not.

What are your plans for promotion, live shows, or follow-up projects after “Do or DIY”?
A: I have some material left over which I’ll put out in the next month or two but I am actively working on a new project now. I’m particularly interested in movement…especially the movement of people in.a space and setting this to music, I like the idea of watching people walking about and trying to make beats and music to accompany their movements – almost like making a musical score to situations and the inherent randomness of this…we’ll see what happens. I’d really like to do live shows in 2026 once I have worked out what the vibe and set would sound like and if there is demand.

Amaarae Sets The Benchmark With Blackout Concert

By
Blogger In Cap
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Amaarae Sets The Benchmark With Blackout Concert
Amaarae Sets The Benchmark With Blackout Concert

Years after having her first concert in Ghana, Ghana’s biggest pop star, Amaarae, had her long-awaited homecoming on the 6th of January at the Underbridge Annex with her Blackout Concert.

In collaboration with iMullar Sound System, Amaarae closed out her tour for her latest album, Blackstar, with the homecoming experience showcasing an event of global standard.  

Following an announcement of the event schedule via her Twitter account, doubters were proved wrong as the show started on time and ended on time despite some patrons arriving later than the start time.

The intentionality behind the curation of her sets, quality of performance and overall show production was an exemplary one. 

It was an audience of community, lovers of her music and creative enthusiasts all shrouded in their all-black attire at the venue having the time of their lives. From the curated DJ sets by iMullar to Amaarae performances, the crowd stayed alive through it all. 

With guest appearances from Sarkodie, Gyakie, FTY and “Asaakaa Boys”, fans were left with joy in their hearts and memories of an experience like none they’ve had before. The Blackout Concert by Amaarae in collaboration with iMullar Sound System and partners Access Bank, Ecobank Ghana, Hollard Insurance, Enterprise Insurance, Chale Ticketing App, and Republic Bar on the 6th of January, 2026, will go down as a benchmark for Ghanaian artists when it comes to live event production and organisation a tastemaker for what attendees deserve and a serious contender in filling a long-standing gap in Ghana’s live event industry.

 

“Keep it Burning” Finds The Plastic Pals in Vintage Form

By
Chris The Blogger
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"Keep it Burning" Finds The Plastic Pals in Vintage Form
"Keep it Burning" Finds The Plastic Pals in Vintage Form

Twenty years into their tenure, The Plastic Pals have returned with “Keep it Burning”, a record that feels less like a studio product and more like finding a pristine, forgotten leather jacket in a thrift store scuffed, smelling faintly of clove cigarettes, and fitting perfectly. Hailing from Stockholm, this group has managed a strange bit of sonic teleportation. They are Swedish, yes, but the air displacing through their amplifiers carries the grimy, humid oxygen of 1970s New York City.

The alchemy between Håkan “Hawk” Soold and Anders Sahlin on guitars is the engine room here. It’s not just about strumming; it is a geometrical conversation. On the opening cut, “Saturday Night and Sunday Morning,” their interplay reminds me of two windshield wipers out of sync during a torrential downpour jagged, frantic, yet effectively clearing the view. Olov Öqvist’s drums and Bengt Alm’s bass lock in a groove that feels deeply caffeinated, anchoring that twin-guitar attack that fans of Television will find deliciously familiar.

"Keep it Burning" Finds The Plastic Pals in Vintage Form
“Keep it Burning” Finds The Plastic Pals in Vintage Form

But to say they are merely retro would be lazy. There is a peculiar, wonderful mood in “The Blue Train” that stopped me cold. It captures the specific ache of being an apprentice watching a master at work that desire to steal the magic. It felt like watching dust motes dancing in a sunbeam in an old library; reverent, dusty, and strangely alive. Conversely, “Lost in Translation” pivots hard into jagged Post-Punk. It vibrates with the tension of a conversation where no one is listening, a jittery dance floor track for the socially anxious.

"Keep it Burning" Finds The Plastic Pals in Vintage Form
“Keep it Burning” Finds The Plastic Pals in Vintage Form

The title track, “Keep it Burning”, serves as the spiritual spine. It’s a wide-open road trip anthem for those who have realized the map they bought at the gas station is outdated but refuse to turn the car around. It captures resilience not as a grand battle, but as the quiet stubbornness of keeping a pilot light on during a draft.

"Keep it Burning" Finds The Plastic Pals in Vintage Form
“Keep it Burning” Finds The Plastic Pals in Vintage Form

As the album winds down to the acoustic gravity of “Love’s Not the Answer,” you realize the sardonic wit is a shield for genuine vulnerability. It leaves you with a lingering, metallic taste of melancholy, but also the warmth of survival. Are The Plastic Pals guarding the flame, or are they the fire itself?

Website, Facebook, Bandcamp, Instagram, YouTube.

The Voyeuristic Intimacy of “MISSING IN ACTION” by Joey P.

By
Chris The Blogger
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The Voyeuristic Intimacy of "MISSING IN ACTION" by Joey P.
The Voyeuristic Intimacy of "MISSING IN ACTION" by Joey P.

There is a specific texture to the air in Chicago a kind of electric grit but listening to Joey P. unravel his latest project, “MISSING IN ACTION”, feels surprisingly like peeling the protective film off a brand-new emotional state. Satisfying, smooth, but with a lingering static charge. This two-song release functions like a handwritten note tucked into a coat pocket, discovered months later when you actually need it.

The opening track, “Only One,” abandons the clutter of modern over-production for something bordering on voyeuristic intimacy. It is Contemporary R&B stripped to its bones. With a warm, rhythmic strumming pattern and a beat so subtle it might just be a toe tapping on a hardwood floor, Pacius constructs a shrine to absolute devotion.

Listening to his voice slide from conversational tones into expressive, soulful runs reminds me of watching dust motes suspended in a singular beam of sunlight aimless yet purposeful, fragile yet undeniable. He argues that material wealth is a distraction, and honestly, amidst the improvised, serenade-quality of the recording, you believe him. It evokes the oddly specific comfort of putting on socks straight out of the dryer.

The Voyeuristic Intimacy of "MISSING IN ACTION" by Joey P.
The Voyeuristic Intimacy of “MISSING IN ACTION” by Joey P.

Then the light dims. “Wrong With You” enters with the haze of a Neo-Soul confession delivered at an hour when nothing good usually happens. The atmosphere thickens, becoming dreamy and melancholic. There’s a dry, snapping backbeat here that feels like the rhythmic clicking of a radiator in an empty room steady, indifferent, essential.

Pacius sounds weary, his melody floating over sustained pads as he processes the tension between preserving his own authenticity and craving a connection he knows might be flawed. It is the sound of resignation wrapped in velvet.

Joey P. presents a duality here that is difficult to manufacture: the bright yearning of morning and the heavy introspection of night. Does the day validate the darkness, or does the darkness earn the day?

YouTube, Instagram, TikTok

Ryuichi Hayashi and Krokodile are “Turning to Gold” in Latest Single

By
Chris The Blogger
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Ryuichi Hayashi and Krokodile are "Turning to Gold" in Latest Single
Ryuichi Hayashi and Krokodile are "Turning to Gold" in Latest Single

There is a distinct, almost chemical alchemy happening with Ryuichi Hayashi and Krokodile latest release, “Turning to Gold”. It summons the specific, drowsy euphoria of staring at a ceiling fan spinning at medium speed on a Tuesday afternoon a suspension of time that feels necessary rather than lazy.

Usually, Hayashi acts as the structural steel within the music industry. He is the guy bridging the gap between Japan and the UK, handling the intense logistics of live production for FLOW during their North American run, or managing sound direction for Melt 4 at Spanish festivals. He deals in precision. He works with powerhouses like MAN WITH A MISSION and prepares stages for the likes of YOYOKA. You expect a man with that resume to deliver music that is rigid, calculated, perhaps clinically perfect.

Instead, you get a sun-flare.

Ryuichi Hayashi and Krokodile are "Turning to Gold" in Latest Single
Ryuichi Hayashi and Krokodile are “Turning to Gold” in Latest Single

Listening to this single feels oddly like biting into a ripe nectarine over a neighbor’s fence illicitly sweet, messy, and warm. As the bassist and composer here, Hayashi impresses with his band crew Kam Williams, Pablo Flores, and Joel Oldham, together they steer away from their typical noir sensibilities into a radiant “summer breeze” aesthetic. The groove is undeniably his; it pushes the song forward not with aggression, but with a buoyant, hypnotic pulse. It creates a legitimate question in my mind: why does this bassline sound exactly like the color saffron? I can’t explain it, but the synesthesia is vivid.

Ryuichi Hayashi and Krokodile are "Turning to Gold" in Latest Single
Ryuichi Hayashi and Krokodile are “Turning to Gold” in Latest Single

This is indie rock doused in neo-psychedelic chlorine. It represents a pivot toward joy, capturing the raw, shadowless emotion of simply being okay. It is surprisingly difficult to make happiness sound cool without it becoming saccharine, yet Hayashi achieves it. He uses his vast technical background not to over-polish, but to ensure that “dreamy” vulnerability remains intact.

Does the lightness scare you with its honesty, or does it finally let you exhale?

Instagram

Watch Me Die Inside: The Calculated Chaos of “Infinity Fall I”

By
Chris The Blogger
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Watch Me Die Inside: The Calculated Chaos of “Infinity Fall I”
Watch Me Die Inside: The Calculated Chaos of “Infinity Fall I”

There is a specific kind of digital claustrophobia embedded in the latest release from Watch Me Die Inside, aptly titled “Infinity Fall I”. Aleph, the sonic architect behind this Cypriot project, seems less interested in adhering to genre boundaries and more interested in the musical equivalent of grinding your teeth while smiling politely at a dinner party.

The title track, “Infinity Fall I”, sets a trap. It offers these sparse, clean notes a spacious, ringing register where you think you can finally breathe before the floor inevitably drops out. The resulting wall of low-frequency distortion doesn’t just hit you; it engulfs the room. It reminds me vividly of a brutalist library I once visited in London; cold, imposing concrete that somehow felt fiercely emotional when the grey rain hit it. The transition from that fragile introspection to a chaotic explosion of anguish captures the exact physiology of a panic attack.

This structural anxiety bleeds into “Weak Tension.” The syncopation here is rigid, almost cruel. It exploits that modern djent influence, where the rhythmic stabs feel like someone checking a door lock over and over again to ensure it’s secure. Yet, a high-register vocal melody glides over the top, almost ignoring the machinery grinding underneath. It creates a friction that is difficult to look away from, a struggle against unseen forces that feels oddly familiar.

Watch Me Die Inside: The Calculated Chaos of “Infinity Fall I”
Watch Me Die Inside: The Calculated Chaos of “Infinity Fall I”

I found myself consistently circling back to “Something Is Wrong.” The duality here is stark. It opens with shimmering, reverberating plucks like dust motes caught in a projector beam before descending into low-tuned, staccato violence. It captures the slow erosion of a tranquil facade. You know that feeling when you realize you’ve been reading the same paragraph in a book for ten minutes without absorbing a single word? That static mental disconnect is exactly what Aleph has weaponized here.

The EP oscillates between ethereal beauty and suffocating heaviness, creating a space that feels simultaneously calculated and emotionally raw. Is this a cathartic release of a burdened spirit, or are we just staring into the void while a synthesizer hums in the background?

Website, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok

“Regret”: Nelson G’s Smooth Yet Heavy Sonic Gamble

By
Chris The Blogger
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"Regret": Nelson G’s Smooth Yet Heavy Sonic Gamble
"Regret": Nelson G’s Smooth Yet Heavy Sonic Gamble

With “Regret”, Nelson G constructs a sonic space that sits somewhere between a confession and a late-night drive through an empty Swiss town. This single, emerging from his home studio in Brugg, immediately disarms you with a repetitive, plucked acoustic string progression. It functions less like a melody and more like a nervous habit like the way you might subconsciously tear at a paper napkin while preparing to say something irrecoverable.

The production here is deceptive. It’s billed as Indie Pop meets R&B, and while the relaxed, snapping beat provides that rhythmic comfort, there’s a low-end depth that drags the listener under. It’s smooth, yes, but heavy. As I listened, I found myself thinking about that specific, lurching sensation of walking down a staircase in the dark and miscounting the steps that split second where you expect solid ground but find only air. That is the exact emotional frequency this track operates on.

"Regret": Nelson G’s Smooth Yet Heavy Sonic Gamble
“Regret”: Nelson G’s Smooth Yet Heavy Sonic Gamble

Lyrically, the song navigates the precarious architecture of turning a long-standing friendship into something romantic. It’s a terrifying alchemy. Nelson G captures the tension of wanting to hold onto the innocence of the past while desperately needing to validate the adult desire of the present. When the layered, harmonized vocals kick in, creating a textured choral effect, it sounds like the accumulation of years of unspoken conversations finally crashing into the room.

It is a laid-back track, yet the subject matter creates a friction that sparks against the sentimental groove. He worries that intimacy might sour into regret, that the “new” us might destroy the “old” us.

Does the gamble of truth outweigh the safety of silence?

YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter(X)

Groovy Melancholy: Inside Tony Frissore’s “Four Walls”

By
Chris The Blogger
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Groovy Melancholy: Inside Tony Frissore’s "Four Walls"
Groovy Melancholy: Inside Tony Frissore’s "Four Walls"

Tony Frissore has constructed something strikingly paradoxical with his latest instrumental release, the single “Four Walls”. Listening to this track feels like watching a time-lapse of a foreign city skyline while sitting perfectly still in a high-thread-count bedsheet cocoon. It is motion and stasis arguing over who gets to drive the car.

The genre descriptors might label this Chill EDM or Deep House, but those tags feel too rigid, like plastic wrapping on a new suitcase. The atmosphere here is unmistakably sophisticated think rooftop lounges and that specific shade of golden-hour light that makes everything look expensive but there is an underlying current of solitude that catches you off guard.

The melody captures this friction beautifully. It is highly expressive, utilizing bright, syncopated rhythms and staccato bursts that eerily mimic the cadence of human speech. It doesn’t need lyrics; the instrumentation is gossiping, confessing, and pondering all on its own. It reminds me of a ceramic bowl I once saw in a museum in Lisbon that was broken and repaired with gold lacquer; the cracks were the point. Here, the driving rhythm is the gold filling the silence of an empty hotel room.

Groovy Melancholy: Inside Tony Frissore’s "Four Walls"
Groovy Melancholy: Inside Tony Frissore’s “Four Walls”

Frissore, drawing on that rich gumbo of Boston education and New Orleans spirit, navigates the space between upbeat funk and internal monologue. The track explores the strange comfort of transience how the wallpaper changes, yet the internal world remains a carry-on item you can never check at the gate. It is energizing, warm, and groovy, yet it forced me to think about the last time I felt truly alone in a crowded room.

Does the geography matter if the headspace remains fixed? “Four Walls” suggests we should probably just dance through the existential crisis anyway.

SoundCloud, YouTube.

AratheJay Defines A New Era Of Ghanaian Artistry At “Nimo Live” 2025

By
Blogger In Cap
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AratheJay Defines A New Era Of Ghanaian Artistry At “Nimo Live” 2025
AratheJay Defines A New Era Of Ghanaian Artistry At “Nimo Live” 2025

AratheJay brought his annual “Nimo Live” concert back to Alliance Française on Saturday, December 20th, delivering a performance that underscored why the event has quickly become a fixture on Ghana’s December entertainment calendar.

The concert marked the end of a significant year for the artist, who spent recent months touring Europe with his debut album “The Odyssey,” the centerpiece of his conceptual “Finding Nimo Series.” Shows in Hamburg and London expanded his reach beyond Ghana’s borders before he returned home for what has become his signature year-end event.

Saturday’s show, the second edition of “Nimo Live,” drew an overflowing crowd to the venue. AratheJay devoted the early hours of the show to up-and-coming artists in a move that demonstrated his leadership within the “new school” of Ghanaian music.The stage was set by high-energy performances from Ess thee Legend, Marince Omario, 99 PHACES, AJ Glory, and Kelali, providing the crowd with a comprehensive look at the future of the local scene.

AratheJay returned home with something intangible yet palpable. It was the confidence of an artist who has found his voice and the humility of one who knows exactly where that voice comes from. 

The annual “Nimo Live” concert wasn’t merely a showcase of songs from “The Odyssey”—the central project in his conceptual “Finding Nimo Series”— but the culmination of a year-long journey of self-discovery, artistic maturation, and unwavering faith.

What made this homecoming particularly poignant was the visible elevation from his first edition. AratheJay curated an atmosphere where every element, from the opening acts to the surprise cameos served a greater narrative about community, growth, and gratitude.

The most captivating aspect of “Nimo Live” was the palpable love exchange between artist and audience. AratheJay’s passion for his craft and devotion to his fans manifested in every carefully chosen moment, every unrehearsed expression of faith, every bow of gratitude. When he prostrated on stage to open the show before launching into the unreleased track “Dreams,” it portrayed authenticity in its purest form, an artist laying himself bare before God and his supporters.

This spiritual thread woven throughout the evening distinguished “Nimo Live” from typical concert experiences. Between performances of hits like “Zion,” “Cover Me,” and the fan anthem “Put Am On God,” AratheJay offered what can only be described as heavenly manifestations, moments where worship and performance became indistinguishable, where entertainment elevated into something transcendent.

The concert’s most resonating moments came when AratheJay honored both where he’s been and where he’s going. His medley from the earlier EP “The Capsule”, featuring “Praise,” “Atinga,” and “C’est La Vie”, served as a love letter to the day ones, those who believed before the European tours and album acclaim. It was a masterclass in gratitude, proving that success hadn’t erased memory.

Then came his renditions of classic Ghanaian highlife songs—a delightful interlude that connected generations and genres. In those moments, AratheJay revealed himself not just as a contemporary artist but as a custodian of musical heritage, bridging the highlife legends of yesterday with the sounds of tomorrow.

The evening’s cameo appearances from Beeztrap, Gonaboy, Ko-Jo Cue, M.anifest, and KiDi were affirmations of respect, symbols of a musical community rallying around one of their own. Each artist’s presence added a layer of validation to what “Nimo Live” represents: a movement, not just a moment.

Powered by Almighty Entertainment in partnership with Mass Appeal and Studio Dream, this year’s edition proved that when an artist approaches their craft with genuine love, unshakeable faith, and deep respect for their audience, they create more than entertainment, they create moments of collective transcendence. In doing so, he ensured that “Nimo Live” will remain not just a December staple, but a worthy experience that resonates long after the season ends.

ABOUT ARATHEJAY

“Ara,” as his dedicated fan base affectionately refers to him, released his debut project, “Finding Nimo Series: The Capsule,” on July 28, 2024. The nine-track EP has made him a household name in the Ghanaian music scene. It has currently been streamed over 10 million times across DSPs.

“The Capsule” invites listeners to delve into Arathejay’s everyday adventures. Adopting the persona of “Nimo Constantine” (a play on the name of Ghanaian HighLife Legend Koo Nimo and Emperor Constantine), Ara guides the audience on an authentic musical journey, showcasing his diverse talents across various genres. The EP’s cover art, shot by visual artist Andy Madjitey, also appeared in Vogue, proving that the project was appealing both sonically and visually. 

Following the success of “The Capsule”, AratheJay, now a staple in Ghana’s music scene, is primed for his next adventure, “The Odyssey”, which includes his smash hits “Jesus Christ II” featuring BLack Sherif and “Fire” Nigerian star Bella Shmurda, among other collaborations across borders and experiments with new sonic territories. Ara seeks to challenge himself with more diverse genres as he takes the listener on a journey to experience his sound. For Ara, music is both a mission and a message. 

FOLLOW ARATHEJAY

“Nashville”: A Soaring, Emotive High from Parmy Dhillon

By
Chris The Blogger
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"Nashville": A Soaring, Emotive High from Parmy Dhillon
"Nashville": A Soaring, Emotive High from Parmy Dhillon

Parmy Dhillon brings a searing kind of emotional gravity to his new single “Nashville”, a track that manages to sound exactly like the specific exhaustion of staring at a ceiling fan in a hotel room three thousand miles from home. Coming out of Naarm, Dhillon has somehow bottled the very air of Tennessee humid, heavy with history, and thick with the tension of unfulfilled ambition.

The instrumentation doesn’t ask for permission; it sneaks in. The melody rides on a rhythmic, strummed harmonic foundation that begins sparsely almost deceptively simple before it starts to recruit other frequencies, building into a fuller, driving pulse. It matches the vocal trajectory perfectly, shifting from a quiet, internal monologue into these soaring, emotive highs that feel less like singing and more like a necessary exorcism.

"Nashville": A Soaring, Emotive High from Parmy Dhillon
“Nashville”: A Soaring, Emotive High from Parmy Dhillon

There is a texture here that reminds me of finding a crumpled receipt from five years ago in a winter coat pocket the ink is faded, the purchase forgotten, yet it’s visceral proof of a version of yourself that no longer exists. Dhillon captures that bizarre paralysis of finding yourself in a “significant place,” surrounded by the neon lights of everyone else’s dreams while you’re stuck wrestling with your own shadows. It explores that duality of feeling youthful enough to run but weary enough to collapse.

This isn’t an anthem for the winners; it’s a companion for the wait. The track navigates the space between rock grit and country longing, capturing the isolation that hits hardest in a crowd. We spend so much life chasing the destination, but “Nashville” asks a different question: does the silence we find there offer clarity, or just a louder echo of what we left behind?

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube

Liz Luceris Drops Latest Single “Blessing For A Broken Shelter”

By
MrrrDaisy
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Liz Luceris Drops Latest Single “Blessing for a Broken Shelter”
Liz Luceris Drops Latest Single “Blessing for a Broken Shelter”

It is a rare thing for a piece of music to arrive with the quietude of a held breath. Such is the case with “Blessing for a Broken Shelter,” the new single from Canadian artist Liz Luceris.

The track is a study in gentle strength, a musical balm for a world nursing its wounds. Luceris, a classically trained composer, vocalist, and orchestrator, brings a refined sensibility to her work.

Her background, which includes studies at Berklee College of Music and collaborations with the Budapest Scoring Orchestra, is evident in the song’s sophisticated yet restrained arrangement.

This is not the stuff of saccharine platitudes or overwrought sentimentality. Instead, Luceris crafts a sonic space that is both intimate and expansive, a shelter for the listener’s own reflections.

The song opens with a delicate interplay of piano and ambient strings, creating a feeling of stillness. Luceris’s voice, when it enters, is clear and unadorned, carrying a lyrical weight that belies its gentle delivery.

The song, she explains, was born as both a personal prayer and a public benediction. It speaks to the heart of the human condition, acknowledging suffering, displacement, and spiritual exhaustion without succumbing to despair.

One of the most compelling aspects of “Blessing for a Broken Shelter” is its refusal of easy answers. The lyrics do not offer a simple cure for the world’s ills, but rather a companion in the struggle.

The central metaphor of a “broken shelter” is a powerful one, evoking a sense of vulnerability and the search for meaning in the midst of chaos. The cover art, a single candle burning inside a ruined structure, perfectly captures this visual metaphor for grace surviving devastation.

The track’s genre is described as Contemporary Christian and Inspirational Pop, and while it certainly fits within that framework, its appeal is broader. Fans of artists like Audrey Assad, Sleeping at Last, and Agnes Obel will find a familiar resonance in Luceris’s introspective and musically rich style.

There is a cinematic quality to her work, a sense of “soulful, orchestral storytelling” that invites the listener to create their own inner landscapes. What is perhaps most striking about the song is its deep sense of empathy.

Luceris speaks of the song as a

“whisked offering for anyone left in the rubble, whether from war, illness, heartbreak, or loss.”

This is not a political statement, she clarifies, but a pastoral one. It is a song for the individual, for the quiet moments of struggle that often go unseen.

Liz Luceris Drops Latest Single “Blessing for a Broken Shelter”
Liz Luceris Drops Latest Single “Blessing for a Broken Shelter”

The piece was originally conceived during a time of personal instability and global violence, and that context adds a layer of poignancy to its message.

In a culture that often demands we put on a brave face, there is something profoundly comforting about a song that acknowledges our brokenness.

Luceris’s work is a reminder that there is beauty to be found in the cracks, that even a broken shelter can be a holy place.

Her literary influences, ranging from Lord Byron to the Gospels, infuse her work with an intellectual and spiritual depth that is often missing in contemporary pop music.

“Blessing for a Broken Shelter” is a song that stays with you long after the final notes have faded. It is a quiet prayer in a noisy world, a gentle hand on a weary shoulder.

Grey & Purple Songbook – “Anthem of The Heart”: A Kaleidoscope of Sound

By
Chris The Blogger
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Grey & Purple Songbook - "Anthem of The Heart": A Kaleidoscope of Sound
Grey & Purple Songbook - "Anthem of The Heart": A Kaleidoscope of Sound

Listening to Grey & Purple Songbook unravel their latest single, “Anthem of The Heart”, is a bit like discovering a sequined glove inside the pocket of a heavy woolen parka. While the project hails from Oslo, a place my mind reflexively paints in shades of slate and frost, this track sweats with the humid, neon-soaked energy of a crowded dance floor at 2 AM.

The bass line here doesn’t just walk; it struts with the specific confidence of a cat that knows it’s about to knock a vase off a shelf and absolutely does not care. That punchy, syncopated low-end interlocks with high-pitched, scratchy rhythms in a way that feels geometrical like a kaleidoscope shifting into place. It’s Nu-Disco with a brain. The vocals glide from a warm mid-range into a falsetto so crisp it could slice through wrapping paper, floating over staccato chords that remind me of the popping sensation of bubble wrap.

Strangely, it makes me think of the color chartreuse acidic, sharp, yet somehow deeply necessary.

Grey & Purple Songbook - "Anthem of The Heart": A Kaleidoscope of Sound
Grey & Purple Songbook – “Anthem of The Heart”: A Kaleidoscope of Sound

But don’t let the polish fool you. Beneath the robust brass and the four-on-the-floor beat, there is a distinct agitation at play. The narrative isn’t content to simply count steps; it’s picking a fight with the status quo. The lyrics dissect the balance between wealth and justice, creating a friction between the euphoric soundscape and the heavy reality of privilege. It posits joy as a form of jubilant defiance. It evokes that specific feeling of laughing during a serious argument not out of disrespect, but because the absurdity of the situation demands a release of tension.

Does the groove make the pill of societal critique easier to swallow, or does it make the medicine work faster? “Anthem of The Heart” leaves you dancing, certainly, but you might find yourself wondering who paid for the floor you’re spinning on.

Edie Yvonne Drops New Single “Nightmare”

By
MrrrDaisy
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Edie Yvonne drops new single “Nightmare”
Edie Yvonne drops new single “Nightmare”

Edie Yvonne’s latest single, “Nightmare,” is not the kind of song that startles you with a sudden noise in the dark.

It’s the other kind of nightmare, the one that unfolds in slow motion, where you realize the person sleeping next to you is wearing a mask. The song is a quiet, unnerving examination of a relationship that has become a performance, a piece of theatre for an audience of two.

The Angeleno singer-songwriter has been making a name for herself with a string of releases that are both musically sophisticated and emotionally raw.

At sixteen, she writes with the kind of insight that usually comes with a few more years of accumulated heartbreaks.

But there’s a freshness to her perspective that makes her observations all the more poignant. Her previous singles have already demonstrated her ability to craft pop songs with substance, but “Nightmare” feels like a step forward, a more focused and mature work.

“Nightmare” is built around a simple, repeating piano motif that feels like a thought you can’t shake. Yvonne’s voice is front and center, a clear, steady presence in the midst of emotional chaos.

She doesn’t need to shout to be heard; the power is in the precision of her words. The production is minimal, which allows the lyrics and the emotion in her voice to take center stage. It’s a choice that speaks to her confidence as an artist.

The song’s central image is delivered with a devastatingly simple line: “I hate it when you laugh, ‘cause it’s a laugh track.” It’s a brilliant piece of songwriting, a single observation that illuminates the entire relationship.

The laughter isn’t a genuine expression of joy; it’s a sound effect, a canned response. It’s a detail that reminds me of the way old sitcoms used laugh tracks to tell the audience what was funny.

It’s a form of manipulation, a way of controlling the emotional environment. And it’s a lonely thing to be on the receiving end of. In an age of curated social media feeds and carefully constructed online personas, the idea of a “laugh track” in a real-life relationship is particularly resonant.

It speaks to the pressure to perform, to present a perfect, happy version of ourselves, even to the people who are supposed to know us best.

The rest of the song follows this thread, exploring the various ways a relationship can feel staged. The silences are too long, the conversations feel scripted, the gestures of affection seem rehearsed.

It’s a feeling that many people have experienced, but few have articulated with such clarity. It’s the emotional equivalent of being in a movie directed by someone else, where you’re not sure what your motivation is supposed to be.

This feeling of being an actor in your own life is a recurring theme in contemporary art, but Yvonne brings a unique, youthful perspective to it.

There’s a certain bravery in writing a song like this. It’s not a big, dramatic breakup anthem. It’s a song about the quiet, creeping horror of a love that might not be real. It’s about the self-doubt that comes with that realization, the way you start to question your own perceptions.

Am I imagining this? Am I the one who’s not being genuine? It’s a hall of mirrors, and Yvonne captures that disorienting feeling perfectly. The song doesn’t offer any easy answers.

Edie Yvonne drops new single “Nightmare”
Edie Yvonne drops new single “Nightmare”

It doesn’t end with a triumphant declaration of independence. It just sits with the discomfort, the uncertainty.

The song’s production is sparse and effective. The piano is the main instrument, with a few subtle electronic textures that add to the sense of unease.

There’s a feeling of space in the music, a sense of things left unsaid. It’s a song that trusts the listener to fill in the blanks.

The final notes of the song hang in the air, unresolved. It’s a fitting end to a song that is all about the questions, not the answers.

“Nightmare” is a song that will stay with you, a gentle but persistent ghost in the back of your mind. It’s a song for anyone who has ever felt like they were playing a part in their own life.

The Cathartic Distortion of Paul Gehl’s “Train to Nowhere”

By
Chris The Blogger
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The Cathartic Distortion of Paul Gehl’s “Train to Nowhere”
The Cathartic Distortion of Paul Gehl’s “Train to Nowhere”

With Paul Gehl and his latest single “Train to Nowhere”, we are invited into a sonic space that feels suspiciously like the inside of a pressurized cabin just before the oxygen masks drop. It is fascinating to consider that Gehl, an artist hailing from Luxembourg City, has roots in the disciplined worlds of classical and flamenco guitar. You might expect delicate fingering or warm wood tones, but an injury pushed him toward electric songwriting, and the result sounds like a bone healing crooked stronger, perhaps, but aching when it rains.

The track opens with clean, chiming metallic vibrations that loop in a hypnotic pattern. It reminds me vividly of the way a refrigerator hums in an empty kitchen at 3 AM that specific frequency of loneliness that gets louder the harder you try to ignore it. Gehl, who self-produces every aspect of his work from his home studio, captures a sense of claustrophobia that a glossy studio team likely would have polished away.

The Cathartic Distortion of Paul Gehl’s “Train to Nowhere”
The Cathartic Distortion of Paul Gehl’s “Train to Nowhere”

When the song transitions, it doesn’t just get louder; the floor drops out. The somber restraint collapses into a thick, fuzzy wall of distortion, mirroring that precise psychological moment where suppressed sorrow curdles into explosive angst. The deep, gritty vocal performance moves through this sludge with a mournful heaviness, anchored by a rhythmic thumping that feels less like a drum and more like a heartbeat under stress.

As the high-pitched lead line begins to wail during the finale, soaring over the grunge instrumentation, I caught myself holding my breath. It’s a cathartic scream in musical form. Listening to this, you get the distinct sensation that Gehl isn’t playing for an audience, but rather trying to exorcise a shadow from the corner of the room.

If this is a train to nowhere, why does the scenery look so startlingly familiar?

A Party Track or a Prayer? SidekoDJ Drops “Pride”

By
Chris The Blogger
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A Party Track or a Prayer? SidekoDJ Drops "Pride"
A Party Track or a Prayer? SidekoDJ Drops "Pride"

With SidekoDJ releasing “Pride”, I found myself unexpectedly gripped by the sort of urgency usually reserved for escaping a burning building or perhaps rushing to tell someone you love them before the train doors close. This isn’t background music for a polite dinner; it commands attention with the insistence of a siren cutting through the fog.

The melody initiates with a rhythmic chiming, saturated in a rapid delay that makes the air shimmer. It’s persistent. It chatters with a lucidity that feels less like a synthesizer and more like the frantic ticking of a cosmic clock. It oddly reminded me of the taste of biting into a spearmint leaf sharp, cold, and undeniably awake. Beneath this shimmering high-end sits a low-end pulse that throbs with biological intent, anchored by a marching beat that propels the whole apparatus forward. It doesn’t walk; it strides.

Then there are the vocals. High-register male vocals soar over the instrumentation, delivering an emotional swell that feels precarious, like walking a high wire without a net. The release aims to explore compassion and self-sacrifice in the face of conflict, which are dangerously heavy concepts to pack into an Electronic Pop vessel. Yet, SidekoDJ pulls it off. The atmosphere becomes stadium-sized, evoking that specific kind of collective effervescence you feel when thousands of people scream the same lyric simultaneously.

A Party Track or a Prayer? SidekoDJ Drops "Pride"
A Party Track or a Prayer? SidekoDJ Drops “Pride”

It touches on a spiritual intensity, creating a sonic space that feels wide open. The track serves as a strange, beautiful tribute to the idea of surrendering for the greater good, turning a dancefloor anthem into something nearly hymnal. It confronts the harshness of human struggle with a blinding, idealistic light.

Is it a party track or a prayer for the modern age? I’m not entirely sure, but “Pride” suggests that perhaps the only way to survive the darkness is to dance right through the middle of it.

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Twaang Finds Peace in the Eye of the Storm on “Zone”

By
Chris The Blogger
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Twaang Finds Peace in the Eye of the Storm on "Zone"
Twaang Finds Peace in the Eye of the Storm on "Zone"

With Twaang’s latest release, “Zone”, we aren’t so much listening to a collection of tracks as we are stepping inside a distinct architectural layout of the human psyche. This innovative solo project has constructed a psychological journey that feels suspiciously like the progression of a panic attack resolving into a state of zen-like lucidity a transition usually reserved for monks or people who have genuinely figured out how to meditate without falling asleep.

The opening track, “Without Fear”, establishes the stakes immediately. The dampened percussive chords create a thudding rhythm, mimicking a heart that is deciding whether to race or steady itself. It feels like standing in a subway station alone at 3 AM; there is a beautiful, melancholic isolation here, supported by an Indie Pop vocal performance that swells from intimacy to a gospel-like wall of sound. It captures the specific sensation of watching a storm through thick, double-paned glass you see the violence of the wind, but you feel only the temperature of the room.

Twaang Finds Peace in the Eye of the Storm on "Zone"
Twaang Finds Peace in the Eye of the Storm on “Zone”

Just as you get comfortable, “Dies Irae” arrives to shatter the glass. This is Cinematic Pop with teeth. Twaang pivots to a dark, orchestral soundscape that explores the weight of inevitable reckoning. The percussion is thunderous, landing with the finality of a heavy oak door slamming shut in an empty hall. It’s a track that demands you look at the encroaching darkness, embodying a strange, terrible grandeur that is impossible to look away from.

However, the EP is an exercise in alchemy, turning this leaden fear into gold. “Zero Point” forces a deceleration, using Lo-Fi acoustic warmth to press the brakes on the listener’s nervous system. Following this, “Anchorless Bloom” dissolves the remaining tension into a pool of ambient downtempo textures. The light, crisp clicking sounds and rippling harmonics reminded me of the visual distortion you see when opening your eyes underwater blurry, refracted, but undeniably peaceful. It suggests that safety isn’t found on solid ground, but in learning how to float.

Twaang Finds Peace in the Eye of the Storm on "Zone"
Twaang Finds Peace in the Eye of the Storm on “Zone”

By the time the Neo-Soul vibrations of “Doing Nothing(Like a Pro)” roll in, the transformation is complete. We end not with a bang, but with a deliberate, lazy reclamation of time. “Zone” doesn’t just navigate emotions; it metabolizes them. Twaang has created a space where the chaos of the world is acknowledged, respected, and then politely asked to wait outside.

Do we conquer the storm, or do we simply become the eye of it?

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Burning Plains Delivers Crushing Cinematic Metal with Self-Titled Single

By
Mister Styx
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Burning Plains Delivers Crushing Cinematic Metal with Self-Titled Single

Burning Plains’ self-titled single “Burning Plains” is a powerful and absolutely unsettling piece of cinematic metal that feels as urgent and relevant now as when it was first written back in 2008! Formed in a garage in Dnipro, Ukraine, the band built its identity on a sound that is heavy, direct, and completely uncompromising, and this track remains the clearest and most powerful statement of that bold vision.

Burning Plains the song brilliantly blends crushing riffs, harsh and clean vocals, and impressive layers of orchestral and electronic textures to create an atmosphere absolutely filled with tension and massive weight!

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From the opening moments, the track pulls the listener into a bleak landscape dramatically shaped by chaos and survival. The guitars hit with sharp, devastating precision, the drums push forward with relentless force that won’t quit, and the vocals cut through with raw, undeniable urgency!

Lyrically, “Burning Plains” avoids empty heroism and instead focuses unflinchingly on the human cost of war and oppressive systems, where people lose their names, dreams, and identities. The imagery is dark, vivid, and deeply uncomfortable, but it never feels exaggerated or manipulative—just brutally honest!

As the opening track of the mini-album Empire Collapsed, “Burning Plains” sets a crystal clear tone of despair, resilience, and grim honesty that demands attention! It is not an easy listen, but it is absolutely a necessary one, proving Burning Plains’ remarkable ability to turn pain and prophecy into a striking and unforgettable musical experience!

This is metal with meaning, delivered with the kind of raw power that leaves a mark!

Listen to Burning Plains below

 

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