Over the past year, I’ve really been getting into the electronica genre. Whilst I’ve always listened to music with elements of that style, it’s only in the past few months that I’ve really started to appreciate it more, hence the third iteration in this series within several months! As always, all the bands and artists here contain elements of the electro and synth-pop scenes, but they’re all sufficiently unique enough to garner your attention – don’t forget to check out the full playlist at the bottom too!

Review by Jane Howkins

Photo by Dirty Freud

Dirty Freud – I’m So Fly

First up is Dirty Freud with his new song I’m So Fly. It’s a really unique sounding track, seeming unlike anything else I’ve heard of late. The backing effects have a cool futuristic vibe, also adding to the rhythm of the piece. The vocals repeat the titular refrain with a few extra phrases added, ensuring I’m So Fly gets stuck in your head on the first listen. It’s also really atmospheric, as some gorgeous backing vocals float along in the background – they’re prominent, but they never take over from the rest of the music. Definitely worth a listen if you like your experimental electro!

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Genevieve Sovereign – Square Root -1

We’ve featured Genevieve Sovereign a few times now, and her music just keeps on getting better and better! Square Root -1 is perhaps the most distinctive sounding song in this review, as the lead vocals are essentially spoken word poetry, backed up by a steady drum beat and some intriguing electronic effects in the background. It’s the sort of song that keeps you continually on your toes, constantly waiting to see what’s coming up next, which is one of the things I really loved about Square Root-1. I can’t wait to see what Genevieve comes up with next time around!

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Bad Bubble – Beauty Burger

Our resident readers should know the name Bad Bubble by now – this enigmatic artist returns with a banging new tune, titled Beauty Burger. The track mixes elements of modern electronica with a more old school 80s new wave sound, combining the different electro genres in a cool way. The synths swirl through the music in a dreamy fashion, as Bad Bubble sings along in an impassioned way. The rest of the instrumentation is impressive too – the bass and drums are quite subtle sounding in the background, but they really work wonders here!

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Mark Soucy – PTSD: Paris-Tokyo Suborbital Departures

Mark Soucy is the first newcomer to these pages in this review so far, with PTSD: Paris-Tokyo Suborbital Departures being the perfect introduction to his sound! It’s another somewhat experimental sounding tune, incorporating recorded train announcement messages into the start of the song, before it kicks in properly. The music builds up slowly, changing constantly as it progresses, developing into a gorgeous electronica tune with a dreamy sound. There’s also some interesting percussion used here – the xylophone is to die for!

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Adik Angel – On The Move (Remix)

As you might have guessed from the title of the song, On The Move (Remix) is a remix of Adik Angel’s original track. The song actually leans more towards the EDM side of things, also incorporating moments of disco, hip-hop and breakdance. The synths sound glorious here, acting almost like a vocal melody as they seep through the tune, occasionally dropping off to allow the throbbing drums and bass to pump through your veins. It’s a song that is absolutely full of energy, making for one killer tune that fans of house and EDM music should check out!

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Sean Grant & The Wolfgang – Turn The Dark On

Sean Grant & The Wolfgang lean more into the indie-electronica side of things – Turn The Dark On is the first song I’ve heard by them, but it makes for a worthy introduction to the cause! The band make ethereal, atmospheric soundscapes, once again combining a modern indie sound with a retro synth-pop/post-punk vibe, making for something that sounds really cool! The energy is high here, yet it’s quite a melancholic tune – the vocals drift through the music in a dreamy, emotional manner, tugging at the heartstrings throughout.

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LUISA – Elemental

Finally, we have LUISA with her debut single release, Elemental. It’s astounding that this is LUISA’s first ever single, as it sounds exceedingly accomplished! The piece starts out slowly with a lovely little piano motif, as the music builds up slowly, creating a suitable ambience for the themes of the track. A fast, drum and bass style drum beat eventually kicks in, ramping the tension up, serving as a nice foil against the more ethereal sounding synth effects. It breaks down slightly towards the end, highlighting the guitar and piano motifs again, before increasing the tempo once again.

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Electro Euphoria – playlist by York Calling | Spotify