Australian artist Finch Faux reinvents pop on her new single Humbly Hollow. The innovative artist makes a powerful statement on just her fourth single release in advance of her debut full length due out later this year. The artist would be able to inject these vocal and writing talents easily into a basic singer songwriter structure, but she chooses instead to reimagine these musical worlds with innovative production and an attention to sonic nuances and textures. Humbly Hollow is enhanced with glitchy production, tweaked synths, and modulated patches. It’s as if the artist has dissected an indie pop standard and recreated it in disjointed tethered fabrics, like little keepsakes displaying its most attractive qualities.
The combination of contemporary talent and a pension for experimentation draws references to St Vincent and Bjork. It’s an apt comparison for an artist who is infectious in her vocal prowess and curious in her abstract pop leanings. Altogether mysterious, haunting, curious. Her mystique draws you down under into her intangible musical dream world where dark and light collide, where lust meets love in the madness of her mind. “But I try to tell you baby, that this side of me is just no good, and I thought you understood.” She is quite aware of her curiosities, of everything she wants and everything you want from her, and how its all a little convuluted. “but when I pardon you I pardon murder…”
A bad girl embracing her dark world with conviction, Finch Faux is here to stay. Enjoy Humbly Hollow, now on our Women of Trip Hop playlist.
The spirit of dark trip hop is alive and living in Monody. The UK artist now lives in Netherlands after years of touring and running their own label. They recently released the pensive Blue, featuring 10 vast songs, all with variations of atmospheric doom-scapes.
Like the founders of Trip Hop, Monody exists in a different dimension. Their drum patterns, though appearing unconventional and chaotic, exist in an inverted rhythmic world beyond the comprehension of mere musical mortals. You have to embrace an advanced rhythmic credo to truly get down with these jagged phrases. It harkens to a time when electronic music examined its own assumptions and grew beyond the nightclubs and into your contemplative headspace. From the dancefloor to your bedroom, Monody embraces electronic music’s therapeutic qualities.
All of this and more drew us to their single The Truth Is Harder Than Living A Lie. Monody has a secret weapon that could launch them into the stratosphere: really strong vocals. They have all the melodic intellect of Esthero and Beth Gibbons with the dark groovy appeal of Massive Attack and Morcheeba. Its no secret that trip hop influenced Radiohead’s electronic pivot and you can hear that influence in the second half of The Truth Is Harder Than Living A Lie as Monody inserts an infectious chord progression. This writer relates the first half of the song to slowly sinking to the abyss with the second half feeling like you’ve grasped a hand pulling you out of water. And just like that, in harmonious release, the artist portrays the idea of revealing the truth and releasing yourself from the lie. A masterful conceptual piece from an under the radar genius. Dig in to Blue, and enjoy The Truth Is Harder Than Living A Lie now on our Women of Trip Hop playlist.
Lena Brown is prolific with her ability as a producer and DJ. She crushes it with her band Foxy Panic, and explores her breadth of influence with her project Tuff Ghost. Lena is a genre bending combination of electronic and indie rock influences. She adores rock noir moderns like The White Stripes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs while also cherishing EDM elites Sofi Tukker and Rufus Du Sol. A little off all of this seeps into Tuff Ghost and her new single Cold and Grey.
Cold and Grey kicks off like an electronic modern praise track with mid 90s era sensibility, as Lena invites you to “Come to the river, wash your face, wash it all away.”
The hypnotic stacked vocal has a haunting quality, swirling like a troop of Burning Man sirens luring you into some bizarre ancient ritual. And that’s Lena’s third eye, her ability to create suspense and build up in anticipation of the release. She has been doing it for years as a DJ all over the world, and with Tuff Ghost she can inject her build-ups into fits of pop and trip hop at a level beyond the scope of most song based producers.
As the song progresses the trip hop connoisseur reveals herself, as world and hip hop influences infiltrate her pop roots and draw this Ghost out into the open. Cold and Grey has all the makings of a festival anthem, a representation of the Coachella counter-culture of secretive recreation, chemical indulgence, and free fun. The artist admits the song is about Winter’s chance to self reflect, likely after long sprints on on tour. Lena is fully aware: these newkids know how to party. Tuff Ghost is maître d, ready to share her intercontinental road map on how to feel free and have fun.
Hear Cold and Grey now on our Women Of Trip Hop playlist.
Dark Pop princess Courtney Nord creates cinematic dream worlds with hints of industrial, hip hop, and a subtle hint of alternative rock. Born out of the quarantine, Nord found herself and is now fully immersed in this new transformation. Despite her recent revelation, her creations expand well beyond the scope of her experience. Her new album Wonderland is full of intricate arrangements and unique alterations, and Nord subtly reinvents the guitars place in popular music. If you don’t listen carefully you might not catch these moments when she bends or tweaks a guitar effect to mold it into her electronic dreamscapes.
On her popular single Nostalgia in Wonderland, she opens with a definitive signature rock riff before engulfing you into the specter of her dreamscapes. This etherial world evokes memories of other trip hop faves Lamb, and selections from Bjork and Massive Attack who masterfully shape creepy darkscapes ripe with sexuality and otherworldly appeal. Nord conjures visions of dark heavens innate to our souls, releasing a cavernous sound linked to the epics of our timeless history, unveiling tales of old stitched to the fabric of time. That is Nostalgia in Wonderland, an invitation to return to you subversive consciousness.
With whispery affect Courtney’s voice gets under your skin. The hush presence brings an additional haunting quality to her sound. She displays impressive control over her soft presence, and can raise into a dynamic exhilarating howl.
As Nostalgia in Wonderland evolves it brings with it an array of feelings. It’s a mix of brooding angst, jealous agony, and overzealous indulgence. Nord digs deep into our vulnerabilities, feeding on the sexiest scenes in our nightmares. It’s the scary part of ourselves that we like, that guilty pleasure.
Hear Nostalgia in Wonderland now on our Women of Trip Hop playlist.
The Wild Is Calling 