Over the past couple of years, I’ve created a few round-up reviews based around different regions of the world. This time around, I decided to head over to Asia, in order to showcase some of the astounding underground artists based on that continent. All the artists here have a different sound, meaning there should be something for all tastes. Why not take a listen and see what you think?!
Review by Jane Howkins
Photo by dishant
dishant – why
dishant is a composer, producer and singer-songwriter, creating haunting alternative pop songs like latest release, why. It’s much more stripped-down than most modern pop tracks, adding a folky vibe to proceedings. The song is characterised by a simple yet effective piano melody, sounding extremely beautiful here. dishant’s vocals are rather quiet, yet they have a raw honesty about them, drifting through the music in a magical way. The chorus adds a set of occasional backing vocals, creating a little more variety within why.
Social media: Website, Spotify, Soundcloud, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube
Betre – Opulent
Betre brings a dream-pop sound to this article, with the wonderfully titled Opulent. It’s characterised by the main guitar motif, which has a lovely spidery sound, working its way through the music with ease. The beat is steady, accompanied by a subtle bassline that nevertheless adds something special to the dreamy atmosphere. The vocals drift around in the forefront of the track, having that classic dream-pop/shoegaze sound we’ve all come to know and love. The production also sounds amazing, making Betre one artist not to miss out on!
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Mesmershade – Moth
Mesmershade brings us a glorious piece of electronica in the form of Moth, taken from the album, Echoes of Elergy. Whilst it certainly has its electro moments, the track also had a bit of a folky vibe to me, as well as elements of dream-pop. The vocals have a really ethereal quality, weaving in and out of the music in a rhythmic manner, suiting the fast beat. The synths really pop in the background, with multiple layers built up, creating something that truly is out of this world. Definitely worth a listen!
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Ritika – Arabella
Ritika takes things in an entirely new direction with her pretty tune Arabella. It’s actually technically classified as a demo, but it sounds absolutely perfect as is – in fact, this factor actually adds to the raw and genuine quality the track has. It’s a stripped-down folk tune, consisting entirely of a fingerpicked acoustic guitar and Ritika’s amazing vocals, which really shine here. The main chord sequence is gorgeous, despite its simplicity, making Arabella perfect for all fans of folk and indie-folk. If this is a demo, then just imagine what a fully mixed version will sound like!
Social media: Spotify, YouTube, Instagram
Mama Blue – Mother Of The Night
Mother Of The Night is more of a mainstream pop song, containing a drum beat that could be straight out of a modern hip-hop tune. However, the vocals add a slightly different feel – they use a lot of electronic backing effects, although it’s clear that Mama Blue still has a fantastic singing voice. The bassline really caught my attention here, running through the music in a dark way, as the sultry vocals envelop you, showing a fantastic range. It’s clear that Mama Blue is a fantastic songwriter, curating a track with a wonderful atmosphere on Mother Of The Night.
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Inkakai – Drown (Shadow Version)
Last, but by no means least, is Inkakai – a band that we’ve actually featured a couple of times before! Drown (Shadow Version) is a remixed version of their original single Drown, and it’s actually my preferred track of the two! The vocals open the track up, singing in a quiet manner, as a lovely piano melody trickles along in the background. The vocals are really unique sounding here, but they’re also very strong, used perfectly to portray the emotion contained within the lyrics. It’s very different to the original version of Drown, but it’s great to hear a rock band like Inkakai trying something different!
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Eastern Vibes – playlist by York Calling | Spotify