DATE ARCHIVES : January 2021

Dystopic L. – ‘Caos IV’

Dystopic L., alter ego of Lázaro Pereira, is a Portuguese DJ and producer influenced as much by electronic music as science fiction films and philosophical movements.

The Dystopic L. sound finds a home in a space between techno and minimalism that whisks us off to a futuristic world of darkness, chaos and dissonance. Latest single ‘Caos IV’ is a perfect case in point – a subtle, nuanced and transfixing, dancefloor minded, techno influenced music. Heavy on mood, texture and atmosphere with relentless oscillations, driving techno beat and pulsating synth that captivates and hypnotises in equal measure. Although everything is delivered with a pin point accuracy, it has a grainy and dusty feel, as we are entranced by relentless repetition and groove, leaving us utterly powerless to resist it’s tempting allure. Driving, pulsating and relentless – it is dark and moody but burning with intensity – a triumph.

Listen to ‘Caos IV’ below and if that is to your liking, check out the album ‘Symphony of Dystopia’ here.

Carwyn Ellis & Rio 18 announce second album ‘Mas’; Share ‘Ar Ôl Y Glaw’

With so much of our lives put on hold as we navigate our way through the pandemic, it brings great joy to hear that Carwyn Ellis & Rio 18 will release their second album ‘Mas’ in 2021.

Originally penned for release in 2022, the follow-up to 2019’s stunning debut ‘Joia!’ has been fast-tracked by a year and out on 26 February 2021 via Banana & Louie Records. As with its predecessor, ‘Mas’ will have songs sung in Welsh, backed with a distinct pop flavoured with music from across Latin America; a beautiful melting pot fabulously informed by tropicália and bossa nova, but with a psychedelic flavour. Ahead of the album’s release next month, we have been afforded a glimpse of what we can expect with lead single, ‘Ar Ôl Y Glaw’ (After The Rain). It is a joyous bundle of sunshine that tips along a bright strum, bubbling bass-led groove, array of sunny tones and beautiful breezy and feelgood vibes. It is sweet, charming, colourful and playful – an undeniable triumph; this is pure unadulterated psych-pop perfection. Carwyn Ellis & Rio 18 sounding fresh, new and alive, once again.

Listen to ‘Ar Ôl Y Glaw’ below:



Y.LOH – ‘6 Train’

Y.LOH is a New York-based and Sonoran Desert-raised DJ and producer with a preference for minimal, downtempo house.

Y.LOH draws inspiration and identity from natural environments and surroundings, and especially attempts to connects with his homestead, the edgy and beautiful Sonoran Desert. Created using field recordings in the NYC Subway system, latest single ‘6 Train’ is a case in point, capturing the essence of his commute on the busy “6 Train” line and encapsulating his approach superbly. ‘6 Train’ slinks and slaloms along a seductive groove as dubby tones and bass bubbles mingle with the rhythmic force of the trains journey and snatches of field recordings. As it snakes its way along we are hypnotised and transfixed while illuminated by shimmering synths and frazzled electronics. ‘6 Train’ is an utterly mesmerizing tune and a fine love letter to his current home.

Listen to ‘6 Train’ below:

Detective Larsson – ’21 (Dreamt of Freedom)’

’21 (Dreamt of Freedom)’ is the debut single from Welsh psych-rock outfit Detective Larsson.  

Based in the old mining village of Blaenrhondda in the Rhondda Valley, their debut blends shimmering post-punk, rumbling shoegaze, ’60s pop and frontier balladry into a compelling, raw and melancholic tale of love and loss. Evocative vocals float with a haunting air, while in the haze below, basslines rumble, guitars shimmer and jangle while riffs burn through the blanket of fuzz and distortion. Dreamy yet edgy, ethereal yet muscular, Detective Larsson make these competing and contradicting factors work, and how.

Listen to ’21 (Dreamt of Freedom)’ below now:

Alexis Neon – ‘All My Dreams Of You’

Alexis Neon are a dream-pop pairing based in Ottawa, Canada.

Buoyed by a flair for rich, dreamy soundscapes, the Canadian duo reside in an enchanted world of calming sounds, hazy vibes and rich melody, marked by an omnipresent melancholic air.

Alexis Neon have opened their 2021 account with ‘All My Dreams Of You’ – and it is a doozy. Written, recorded, and produced in their apartment, it takes us on a woozy waltz that meanders through a sea of dreamy tones and textures as gentle melodies undulate below. ‘All My Dreams Of You’ sees an exquisite pairing of lush dreamy vocal lines with woozy instrumentals and atmospherics, with tranquil and beguiling results. A beautiful and entrancing slice of woozy and enchanting pop, a fine way to kick off 2021.

Check out ‘All My Dreams Of You’ below and if it is too your liking, why not check out their Seven Windows EP here.

El Levtchenko – ‘After Hours’

We were introduced to Brazilian / American pairing El Levtchenko and their lush, sun-kissed and world encompassing sonic distillations throughout 2020 – offering beautiful and beguiling bouts of escapism as they did. 

El Levtchenko’s sound is magpie like, in the very best way possible, borrowing from a world of influences; there’s Cuban guitar music, a touch of hip hop, some Middle Eastern and African influences, funk and soul, and a whole lot of beautiful psychedelia. Their latest single ‘After Hours’ is – like previous singles ‘Hopeton Overton’ and ‘Sunday Social’ – a perfect exposition of their well honed style. It is an intoxicating brew, built on seductive grooves and cool, calm and chilled vibes, offering a zen-like state as it drifts along a funky, hypnotic groove as guitars chime and chords strut their languid wares amid the late night vibes. This is super chill, beautifully addictive and mellow, while oozing nocturnal vibes, it is a tune make the day better no matter the hour.

Check out the sunny delights of ‘After Hours’ below:


Fauna Twin – ‘Rudy’

It has been far too long since we’ve heard from Fauna Twin – the pairing of Parisian singer-songwriter Claire Jacquemard Ginsberg & Wales’ Owain Ginsberg (Hippies Vs Ghosts / We Are Animal) – who released their debut ‘The Hydra’ in 2016.

The good news is that toward the end of 2020, Fauna Twin returned with a wonderful new single called ‘Rudy’. It has an eerie and mysterious air to it as an insistent strum joins a meandering groove in taking us on a woozy waltz through hushed and haunting atmospheric textures that slowly swell, sending a shiver down the spine, while Jacquemard Ginsberg’s powerful vocals rise to soar above with stunning consequence. ‘Rudy’ is sublime, a chilling track that tenderly introducing itself before swelling and engulfing you completely. It is a magnificent evolution of what made their previous work so compelling.

Listen to ‘Rudy’ below and rumour has it, we should be seeing (or hearing rather) more from Fauna Twin in 2021.

Moon Paw Print – ‘Forever’

Irish producer Moon Paw Print crafts music for moonlit walks, dimmed rooms approaching midnight and for the moments that belong to the haze of a daydream.

Fresh from the release of marvelous debut Dreams of Ü – inspired by intensely vivid dreams experienced during lockdown it explores themes such as the nature of dreams; love, insecurities and seeking to find beauty in life – Moon Paw Print signed off on 2020 with ‘Forever’. A single of style and substance, ‘Forever’ is a lush, woozy and warm slice of hazy, spaced-out
daydream tranquility. Dusty beats patter beneath a warm blanket of glistening synths and lavish layers of lush electronics that whisk away to cosmic realms of tranquility and lullaby vibes. This aesthetic knows no bounds as it slinks and shuffles while gushing with warmth and melodic allure while peppered by heart melting trumpet to leave us in a state of pleasant bliss. ‘Forever’ is utterly divine – a sound to soothe the soul.

Listen to ‘Forever’ below now and you can listen to the debut album here too.