Sonic Cinema 24- Joseph Efi, Bad Colours, and Rival Consoles

Joseph Efi is a UK-based artist who artfully fuses electronic, dubstep, and experimental influences to create an innovative and experimental sound. ‘Walker’ is the latest example of Efi’s soulful creations and is based on the idea of a character whose spirit is traveling between different bodies as a shapeshifter looking for a home. The accompanying video features a fossil-like conglomeration of objects and stones set in a square piece of concrete—an assemblage of items that mirrors the artists’ merging of soundscapes. Around the block floats an amorphous orb that shifts shapes and hunts for a place to land.

Always With U is Bad Colours’ second album, releasing this November. ‘Maybe I Should Move to LA’ is a single from the upcoming album, where the artist merges his songwriting, producing, and djing to produce an upbeat and aspirational sound. The song’s music video features a couple on their way to go surfing on a beach in New York City, juxtaposed against lyrics about a dream of living the beachy LA lifestyle. Bad Colours is a London-born and Brooklyn-based artist whose first album PINK was released in 2021.

Rival Consoles’ latest single ‘Vision of Self’ explores the question of ‘what is the self?’ Understanding transformation, pain, love, relationships, nature, dreams, and more, the music and video are formed around existential questions about who we are, howe we dream, and how music can reflect this ambiguity and questioning in an abstract and symbolic manner. The animated, colorful music video incorporates animals, nature, and objects to depict phases of transformation, imagination, and dreamed-up visions. Rival Consoles is electronic artist Ryan Lee West, and the track features on his latest album Now Is, out now via Erased Tapes.

Sonic Cinema 08- Music videos from Seamus O’Muinechain, Teleskop & Wooden Peak, and Holodrum

From his fifth and latest album, Different Time Zones, “Over” is a reflective track by ambient and minimal composer and instrumentalist Seamus O’Muinechain. The musician composed the album across both the Czech Republic and his native Ireland, crafting a composition that is inspired by the role one’s environment plays in the creative process. The video accompanying “Over,” filmed in the Czech Republic, delivers a meditation on place, through abstracted water ripples, snowfall, and a sublime feel of isolation and calm. With not a single human in sight, the video shows a snowy street, absent of all life, making the ambient track deeply existential and accepting, bringing back a sense of connection at the end when a duck swims across the water marking the first sign of life for the duration of the video.

Sebastian Bode and Jonas Wolter release experimental pop music through the name WOODEN PEAK and sound art for films and museums through the name TELESKOP. “Human | Nature | Machine” is their electro acoustic and archaeological composition resulting from years spent collecting sound samples from the Energiefabrik Kanppenrode. A former briquette factory in East Germany that was closed at the end of the GDR and turned into a museum, the site is rich with the area’s mining history. Coming together with bass clarinet player Wencke Wollny, trombone player Antonia Hausmann, and bass player Christian Dähn, the video documents the group’s performance of the piece in the hall of the museum bringing the found sound and ethereal sonic texture to the industrial site.

“Free Advice” is a single from the upcoming debut album by Holodrum, set to drop at the end of February. A collaboration featuring members of Hookworms, Yard Act, Cowtown, Virginia Wing, Drahla and more, the album represents a collaboration and team effort that has been in the works among this community of musicians, for years. The disco rock and synth pop track is accompanied by a video of fun candy pop colors and a nostalgic, innocent set of pixelated video game imagery. Made by Emily Garner and the artist behind PastelFortress, Jonathan Nash, the visual story depicts the true lighthearted, fun, carefree tone of the track.

Sonic Cinema 07- Music videos from Surv, Lost Dream and B4Lasers

‘Mirage’ is the latest single released by Surv, German songwriter and producer duo Jannis and Luca Hönick. The release follows a series of singles across 2021 including ‘Clarity,’ ‘Lénie,’ ‘Sunray (At Dawn Remix),’ ‘Easy Fix (Surv Remix),’ and ‘Akihi (Surv Remix).’ Brought to life through a video grounded in nature, light, and water, the bubbly techno sound of ‘Mirage’ takes on a dance-worthy and meditative flair. An abstracted series of nature shots featuring small particles, bubbles, running water, and plant life all break for a light show and series of iridescent color filters that put an electronic-music spin on the natural environment.

Lost Dream is the music project of sonic storyteller Justin Dean. Single ‘Arctic Winds’ was released in 2021 and is followed by ‘Shelter’ released already in 2022. The artist’s ambient tracks layer tones and depth that allow the listener to unite with their surroundings and their own body. The video for ‘Arctic Winds’ sets the vantage point facing a mountainous piece of land and holds one singular frame for the entire video—the only movement present is the snow falling on the arctic and bitter cold scene. Set alongside the ambient track, the video gives an existential feel, reminding the viewer of our ultimate solitude but also of our calm acceptance and connection with nature.

Wisconsin producer and engineer B4Lasers is known for mixing and mastering music aimed to reach the heart and touch the soul of its listeners. Starting out in the industry as a way of overcoming a troubled upbringing, the artist’s tracks weave multiple genres and paces to create a truly unique sound. ‘Feel Meh’ is one track from his 2021 album Carpe Diem which features soulful, vocal, and emotive electronic music with jazzy piano and drum elements. The video teaser for ‘Feel Meh’ shows the painting process of the Carpe Diem album cover, with the slow layering of colors that ultimately form a window looking into a dark home surrounded by flowers and white walls.

Premiere: Vijunns on the road to sonic discovery

Jeremy Raskin has carved out an exciting career as a graphic designer in the film and music industry. He recently expanded his creative endeavours in the audio realm as Vijunns. It has been less than a year since his last album, Liminal, came out on tape on his A/V imprint Hyperreal Projects. His new track, Apex, out today, represents a major shift for defining his sound:

“When I finished Liminal, I felt like I had reached the end of the road of the ideas and sounds I wanted to explore when I first started this project. However, I was determined to produce music that still honed my aesthetic, but was distinctively different from my previous releases. Apex marks the beginning of a whole new chapter in my musical journey. It’s also the furthest I’ve ventured sonically into the rock territory”. - Vijunns

Check out Vijuuns’ full visualizer for Apex here and keep an eye out for his upcoming projects.

Bandcamp / SoundClound / Spotify / IG / Twitter/ Designs

Discover more emerging artists on ADSR Selects: Electronic:

Modern jazz group Fox Capture Plan releases their latest album Xronicle

Celebrating ten years together, their signature sound plays on

Fox Capture plan has just released their latest album XRONICLE and is currently celebrating with their 10th anniversary tour. Formed in 2011, the Japan-based trio has had a prolific career thus far creating modern jazz rock music. Comprised of Hidehiro Kawai on the double bass, Tsukasa Inoue on drums, Ryo Kishimoto on the piano, they come together to form a piano-based contemporary jazz and dance sound. The recipients of numerous awards and accolades, Fox Capture Plan won the CD Shop Grand Price Jazz Category Award, the Jazz Japan Award in the 2013, 2015, and 2020 Album of the Year Category. They have performed across the world and featured in the Fuji Rock Festival, Summer Sonic, and in the Tokyo Jazz Festival.

Across their ten years as a group, they have released an extensive discography of prolific quantities. Earlier this year, they released NEBULA, an album of alternative jazz with an ethereal twist. In 2020, they released Discovery, featuring song ‘PRDR’ with an intricate keyboard intro, as well as several TV and movie soundtracks including ‘Confidence Man – JP Princess Edition.’ Before that, in 2018 they released Capturism, and in 2017 the two albums UNTITLED and Fragile.

Their current album XRONICLE features the band’s signature fast-paced jazz beats. With a house under tone and set of rhythms that bring out the bass, ‘Akashic Xronicles’ is an especially stand-out track with a complex and intricate piano motif. Other tracks on the album, like ‘Nexus’ have more of a narrative sound with a storytelling feel that brings to mind the band’s work developing soundtracks and audio chronicles.

See more from the artists:

Spotify | Website | Instagram

An organic universe exists within BYLJA’s latest release

The five track EP from the Danish duo is a mesmerizing soundscape

Copenhagen-based duo BYLJA released their latest EP ‘Sojourn’ in September. The musicians Marchel Mørk and Emil Aagaard have been friends since school and met while participating in a musical. Sharing a love of synthesizers, they formed BYLJA in 2018 and create music with melancholic tones in a warm soundscape, inspired by organic elements and nature. In their process, they use electronic components, analog synthesizers, and acoustic instruments. Since uniting three years ago, the pair has performed at numerous festivals in Denmark including Spot Fesitval, Uhørt Festival, Smukfest, and Stella Polaris and been featured by publications including Comeherefloyd, VENTS Magazine, and Rock & Pop of Bands of Tomorrow.

BYLJA has released numerous singles and EPs between 2020-2021. This year they released singles ‘Another State of Matter’ and ‘Rings of Eradication,’ both of which feature on their latest EP, as well as ‘Youth Remix’ in collaboration with German pair, KIDSØ. Last year, they released ‘Running Around Remix’ in partnership with teepee, as well as the EP ‘Float’ in collaboration with Gunva. Prior to that, BYLJA released ‘Kosm,’ ‘Mist,’ ‘Sinn,’ and ‘Laki’ in their first two years making music together.

The latest five-track release ‘Sojourn’ pursues BYLJA’s atmospheric tone, exploring space and entrancing beats. Taking inspiration from artists like Jon Hopkins, Christian Löffler, and Boards of Canada, this EP extends their imagination to influences like Kiasmos, Rival Consoles, and Bonobo. The mesmerizing tracks provide a delicate sense of light, as they create space for the listeners to become immersed in an internal exploration grounded in nature, while offering the opportunity for escapism.

See more from the artists:

Spotify | Instagram | Soundcloud

Sonic Cinema 02- Music videos from Charbonneau / Amato, Kamandi, and rosi

Following up their 2018 debut album on Toronto’s Paper Bag records, Montreal musical duo Charbonneau / Amato bring forth their newest collection of voltage controlled tracks with ‘Synth Works Vol.’2 slated for a release in February 2022 on east coast label ‘Backward Music’. With each respectively participating in a multitude of musical groups and projects Charbonneau / Amato often work remotely; firing ideas back and forth to shape their unique soundscapes. Although we’ll have to wait a few months yet for the full release, we’ve luckily been gifted the first single ‘Light Memoir’ with a cleverly crafted stop motion visual from Joël Vaudreuil to hold us over til then.
🎶 Charbonneau / Amato
🎥 Joël Vaudreuil
📀 Backward Music

New Zealand electronic and experimental producer Kamandi just dropped a new single ahead of his upcoming Sinking But Upwards Cassette E.P. Exploring the deeper end of breakbeat and bass music, Kamandi stays true to form with cracking drums and visceral vibes emanating from the new single. It’s a true representation of where the artist is at currently, as the new vapor noir video was filmed, edited, directed and animated by Kamandi.
🎶🎥📀 Kamandi

rosi is the musical project of producer and multi-instrumentalist Chris Petrosino and singer/songwriter Joni Mathews. Both accomplished musicians in their own right, the collaborative project was born several years ago when the two crossed paths in music school. Their upcoming album 'White light’ features six tracks written in Los Angeles and completed in London during quarantine, representing a sound torn between brooding doom and delicate hope. Collaborating only with Sam Petts-Davies (Frank Ocean, Thom Yorke) and Mandy Parnell (Bjork, Aphex Twin) for mixing and mastering, the duo’s creative vision comes to life with ghostly synths and intimate vocals wrapped in a gritty well-crafted exterior.
🎶 rosi
🎥 Benjamin Verhoeven

De Ghost is an atmospheric detour from glitch jazz →

Explore the ultra-futuristic world created by the man behind the mask in our latest artist interview!

Thanks for Understanding and Fermi Lekunde come together for a debut collaboration

Two new tracks by these Toronto-based artists produce innovative sound

‘Donovan Birds’ is the first collaboration between Toronto-based musicians Thanks for Understanding and Fermi Lekunde. The former is the alias Ali Awah who brings an indie sound to the two-track collaboration. The latter, Fermi Lekunde, brings the other dimension to the sound; he was classically trained in piano before turning to experiment with electronic music beginning with FM synthesis, deconstructed analog beats, and Space FX. His inspiration comes from the emerging Toronto techno scene that he saw growing up, including Jeremy Greenspan, Ciel, and Daphni.

Thanks for Understanding released Year of Uncertain Gods in 2021—his second album after Kevin Nishri Tape from 2020. Additionally, he has released singles including ‘Milk’ in 2019, and ’Kulish Helu’ in 2020. A live set from 2020 featuring Thanks for Understanding can also be replayed via Biblioteka Records. Fermi Lekunde has released two EPs in collaboration with Toronto-based label Doubt & Uncertainty: Hydra in 2020, and The Once and Future in 2019. Prior to that, he released the EP Comess in 2019.

Thanks for Understanding brings his self-described androgynous and genre-less sound to Donovan Birds. He adds the elements of real-life-sound, voice, and bubbly disorientation. Mixed with Fermi Lekunde’s warm techno feel that combine ambient sound textures, glitches, and rhythmic beats, the collaboration arrives at an unpredictable set of jazzy, techno, acoustic music that leaves the listener in an auditory cliff hanger.

See more from the artists:

Thanks for Understanding
Spotify | Bandcamp | Instagram

Fermi Lekunde
Spotify | Website | Instagram

Murakumo brings forth hidden projects with new EP ‘Identical Days’

The Dutch producer looks to his personal experiments as he focuses on solo releases

Murakumo has been a quiet side project for Luuc O over the past few years. The producer stood out for his contribution to the now retired IDM duo known as Ludique, and made a name for himself in the electronica community of Groningen in the Netherlands. Between preforming marathon DJ sets across the city, the artist would occasionally tinker with flavours of glitch, techno and UK garage. This aside into private work and experimental sampling would invariably end up stored on a pocket size USB, gradually planting the seeds for a new venture into the electronica scene, now coming to fruition.

The reclusive artist has finally begun to open up a little more, sharing his thoughts and ideas with the release of ‘Identical Days’ in December. The collection is a five track EP which delivers stirring but melodically smooth IDM, clean percussion sliding alongside mellow synth and low bass.

‘Identical Days’ gathers sounds of meditative future garage, and tinkers with ambience vibrant with character and stirred by manipulated vocals. Our featured track ‘Walk in the Park’ shimmers with light percussion, cosmic but cooling.

It’s a step away from the previous sound explored with Ludique, and a chance to wander in a fresh direction.

Support the EP on Bandcamp or stream it on Spotify

Check out more from Murakumo
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