One Year On – Enigmatic Journey Through Sonic Realms

by MAN1K

MAN1K


In the mystical depths of my sonic odyssey, amidst the swirling mists of creativity and experimentation, I, Yaroslav Boruk, known by the enigmatic aliases MAN1K and M∆N⸸K, emerged as a harbinger of ethereal soundscapes in the realms of Underground Witch-House and Darkwave. Born in the enigmatic city of Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine, my journey through the winding corridors of music began with a profound sense of curiosity and a yearning to transcend the mundane confines of everyday existence.

From the earliest days of my consciousness, I found myself inexplicably drawn to the enigmatic allure of music, its haunting melodies and mysterious harmonies resonating deep within my soul. It was amidst the vibrant tapestry of Poland that I first encountered the tantalizing whispers of inspiration, the rhythmic pulse of the streets echoing in harmony with the beat of my heart. Amidst the lively energy of the city, I found solace in the evocative power of sound, laying the foundation for my future endeavors.

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Collecting And Enjoying Sonic Elements And Influences

by Camilo Palma a.k.a. Ap Ducal

Ap Ducal


Over the past year, I’ve been developing my new album, “U,” by my moniker Ap Ducal, which continues in the sonic sequence of previous records, but this time from a more personal perspective. The sound, the process, and the timing of this album are imbued with the idea of collecting and enjoying the sonic elements and influences that have had the most impact on me.

Perhaps it is a form of nostalgia or simply a tribute to music styles like post-punk, new wave, and even some compositional elements of jazz in a long-play format. I tried to incorporate these elements into the four tracks of the album. An example is the theme “UUUU,” based on The Cure’s song “A Forest.”

These four themes were recorded entirely in my home studio, using only four elements per song in a band-like format, essentially the format I’ve been most familiar with in my career. The challenge was doing this as a solo artist with unconventional instruments in my context.

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Freedom of Expression

by Plastic Dents

Plastic Dents


Music is the closest thing to God for me, to spirituality. To freedom of expression and all things mysterious in the universe. It means more to me every day. I dabble in whatever sounds I like under a single name — Plastic Dents — doing my damndest to follow my muse and subvert audience expectations, as well as my own.

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A Bittersweet Experience

by Zachary Signals

Zachary Signals


When I released my first single, ‘Always Time’ as ZEETRICITY!, I found it incredibly moving how many people resonated with the subject matter; for such a personal song to have such an effect reminds me exactly why I began writing music in the first place.

I have always believed that music is the most powerful form of art because it is a constantly evolving medium that takes on various forms. However, its intention always remains the same: to resonate with the listener.

There is a special connection between the creator of the music and the one listening to it, creating a small window of insight into each other’s lives.

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The Perfect Jumping-Off Point

by Jalen Doughty

Jalen Doughty


In May this year, I found myself becoming disillusioned with music, something I never thought would happen. No matter how many hours I’d put into creating pieces, they always felt hollow and meaningless – maybe a technique here or there was exciting, but for months, it all felt like nothing.

With roots firmly in ambient and noise music, this was an unsustainable position to be in, and I felt like giving up.

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Pushing The Boundaries By Collaboration

by Hevi Levi

Hevi Levi


Asher Swisa and I share a profound connection that has spanned many years, our paths intertwining naturally within the music world.

Our fateful encounter occurred at an electrifying event hosted by my label during the esteemed Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE). Playing together that night only deepened our bond, and it was clear that our shared passion for music would lead us to embark on a creative journey together.

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No Easy Way Out

by Ezra Meredith of Supplemental Pills

No Easy Way Out by Supplemental Pills


On our sophomore full-length album, “No Easy Way Out,” we examine tragedy underneath a bed of pulsating drone-rock following the murder of our bass player Aron Christensen in 2022, inspired by artists like Spacemen 3, The Velvet Underground, and The Brian Jonestown Massacre.

We do a lot of things: heavy blues, psychedelic, and atmospheric rock. It’s not as psychedelic/jammy as our first record. It’s more dark and brooding. It has some jams in it, but it’s far more focused.

Tragically, the biggest story isn’t our sound but the death of Aron Christensen, who was murdered while hiking with his four-month-old puppy, Buzzo. Inept police work, a lazy district attorney, and many questions that will probably never be answered have led many news outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, to write about Aron’s mysterious murder. However, before his passing, we were finishing what would become No Easy Way Out, an eight-track collection of songs that explore, examine, and contemplate life, death, and how nobody makes it out alive.

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Your Friendly Neighborhood Electro-Witch

by Megan McDuffee

Megan McDuffee, your friendly neighborhood electro-witch


As I sit down to write this, I have several topics swirling around in my brain. I could spill my life’s story, I could educate you about music for the video game and film trailer industries, I could ramble about my frustrations and stress around having to wear too many hats, and so on. But for your sake (and mine honestly), I’ll keep it simple.

Welcome to my blog post! Thanks for being here. My name is Megan McDuffee and I’m a composer, music producer, and artist primarily for video games. I’ve built a successful client business over the past decade, and have gotten to work on some very cool things like all the Atari Recharged games, River City Girls 1 & 2 from WayForward, Apex Legends Mobile, the trailers for Annihilation and The Predator, and many more. You can even hear my songs in reality TV shows like The Bachelor and Love Is Blind. It’s been a wild journey, and there’s still so much more to tackle.

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Bugs Are Really Cool

by Lilac Boy

Lilac Boy - Bug2000


Bugs are really cool. I own a bunch of bugs encased in glass and you can look at them and go “Wow, that’s cool.” My favorite is a flower mantis that sits atop one of my shelves. I like how it looks. I wanted to make songs about bugs, so I did. In my opinion, you wouldn’t call a crab, a spider, or a shrimp an insect, but I’m perfectly comfortable calling them bugs. I even think I am a bug sometimes too. We’re all bugs if you really think about it.

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Those Who Ride With Us Through The Night

by Oly

Oly


My story starts with my Mexican parents. They eloped from Mexico City then had me in Los Angeles.  Their early gift to me was a stand-up piano for kids. According to my mom, I spent most of my time on it, writing songs and playing them over and over. When I was a teenager, I was the frontwoman in a punk/indie cover band, then played in a few post-rock bands. I became obsessed with the label Thrill Jockey, and moved to Chicago because they were based there. My sister was my biggest champion—she accompanied me on the long drive. Even though she slept most of the time in the passenger seat, her love and support meant the world to me.

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