Dazzling in its array of dreamy meditations and hypnotic rhythmic undercurrents, A Space Between is an enthralling new album from The Numb Project. The Portland, Oregon-based alias of producer Chris Calarco caught our ears last year with the grippingly atmospheric album Transmissions from a Troubled Radio, and A Space Between continues to showcase Calarco’s penchant for captivating soundscapes. A Space Between succeeds with both lush synth-led entrancement and warming percussion, which melds hip-hop, downtempo, and dub-inspired trip-hop with cohesive allure.

“A Monkst” opens the album with glimmering synth intrigue, which moves seamlessly amidst a calming bass pulse and head-nodding percussion. Swaying, lounge-set piano brightens the initially nocturnal soundscape. Wordless vocal effects linger chillingly, re-emerging during a satisfying conclusion where shimmers of piano traverse into silence. The ensuing “All Souls” brings back the piano right away, though with a more serene elegance as they push forward within a lo-fi hip-hop rhythmic charm. A soulful vocal sample — “you’re the only one that grounds me,” — infuses melodically. Vocal elements on the album are often sparser — like the ghostly soothing on “Delia” or the glimpses of emotion within the Burial-esque “Bowling for Time” — though “All Souls” shows that the project’s sound can certainly succeed with a prominent vocal aspect, as well.

An especially magnetic melodic direction charms on “Bloom.” Spacey synth swells move into a shifting between twinkling momentum and subdued haunts, bolstered by dynamic rhythms that span from quaint click-clacking to more snare-forward vibrancy — exuding a boom-bap nostalgia in its melding of those snares and steady electronic pulsations. Fragments of glitchy effects contribute enjoyably, conjuring the sort of radio-frequency starry-eyed feelings of The Numb Project’s previous album. It speaks to the album’s versatility that the next track, “Split Width,” evoking another world entirely. “Split Width” succeeds with a funky, jazz-touched bass drive — intertwining electronic sounds with sparser precision, particularly as the playful piano lines assume a prominent role.

Aptly feeling like the approach of a rewarding journey’s end, the album’s final tracks reflect a nighttime-set ambience in its caressing electronic aspects and lusher percussion. “Leaves” balances lo-fi hip-hop comforts with effervescent synth doses and meditative vocal wordlessness, while “Still She Dreams” builds with artful momentum as mellow keys move sporadically into an otherworldly radiance. Album finale “5 AM” further enhances that sense of blur between night and day — beautifully straddling glistening trickles and lulling rhythms. The album’s central theme meditates on a state of in-between — as the title implies — and the eclectic structural traversal within its tracks represent that well; a mixture of gorgeous vocal samples, caressing instrumentation, and alluring rhythms make for a blissfully intoxicating sound.

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Melding warming video game nostalgia with modern lo-fi hip-hop atmospherics, NYC-based artist Gold Wing LoFi crafts an affecting sound on “Hill Top Zone LoFi – From Sonic the Hedgehog 2.” While the gaming franchise’s recent films have prompted a resurgence, longtime fans will recognize Gold Wing LoFi’s cover in a video game context. Sonic the Hedgehog 2‘s Hill Top Zone was amongst the game’s more scenic, featuring greenery and waterfalls (and also the occasional lava pools), and the playful music accompanying it was aptly playful and bouncy.

Clap-laden percussion join alongside a deep bass groove, first unveiling Hill Top Zone’s memorable melody. Debonair piano additions bring the melodic drive into fuller focus. The layered piano lines, grooving bass, and steady rhythms assemble for a familiarly inviting appeal, one that brings forth a more chilled-out version of the original. The earlier Sonic games are amongst the artist’s favorite childhood games, and they’re crafted here in a way that’s approachable and enjoyable — fit for everything from background music to intense waxing nostalgia.

More fantastic lo-fi interpretations of classic music from the Sonic video game franchise can be found on Gold Wing LoFi’s new album, Sonic LoFi Volume One, streaming below:

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The track is also featured in the genre-based, best-of Spotify compilation Rainy Days and Late Night Drives.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.

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German artist Vincent Krennerich crafts an enveloping soundscape on “Dunkelrot,” which melds jazzy vibrancy and lo-fi intrigue in its arsenal of lounge-ready piano, soothing saxophone, and intoxicating rhythm section. A balance of serene introspection, courtesy of the saxophone especially, combines with stylishly sharp synths and percussion. Elegant piano and hypnotic bass remain enjoyable fixtures throughout, as well.

The piano work proves dynamic throughout, consuming in both lush trickles and concise stabs. The saxophone’s pace remains more warming repetitive, slithering with smooth entrancement. Hazy flashes of synths intermingle within, invoking a spacey and nocturnal atmospheric pull. The atmosphere crafted is one fit for nighttime walks, where one is tranquilly aware of the day’s impending demise, while still awake enough to appreciate the neon-lit signs and ambience. “Dunkelrot” is a masterfully produced atmospheric gem from Vincent Krennerich.

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The track is also featured in the best-of Spotify compilation Rainy Days and Late Night Drives.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.

The post Vincent Krennerich – “Dunkelrot appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Amsterdam-based duo Nintenbros craft lushly memorable interpretations of anime soundtrack favorites across their album Anime, Vol.1 (Lofi & Chill). They draw particular inspiration from Joe Hisaishi, known for crafting the music in Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and other Ghibli classics. Piano and guitar interplay charms throughout, opting for a soothing tonal precision that’s fit for late-night contemplation. Additional ambient effects — like the sound of rain — further the sense of cinematic entrancement, doing justice to these legendary anime scores.

My personal favorite from Spirited Away is “One Summer Day,” an absolutely gorgeous melodic display. Nintenbros’ version infuses gentle raindrops amidst the elegant piano and plucky guitar tones, adding a further relaxing quality to a masterpiece that conveys both hope and melancholy. Moving to the gripping Princess Mononoke soundtrack, “The Legend of Ashitaka” sends chills with its reflective guitars and glistening piano, sounding weightless in its serene structural unveiling.

Anime, Vol.1 (Lofi & Chill) is a thoroughly blissful listening experience, consistently spine-tingling in its calming incorporations of guitar and piano. Hisaishi’s originals already stand as some of the most beautifully melodic songs out there, and Nintenbros shine a new light on these classics with a caressing, tactful captivation.

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We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.

The post Nintenbros – ‘Anime, Vol.1 (Lofi & Chill)’ appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Sacramento-based artist Styles1001 unveils captivating hip-hop atmospherics across his new album Return of the BoomBap. The project of artist Dewitt Marcel Nunery, Styles1001 embraces a nostalgic hip-hop sound within riveting, dynamic soundscapes — comparing to the heady hip-hop productions of artists like Madlib, Pete Rock, and J Dilla. The release melds familiar nostalgia — like the unmistakable Marvin Gaye sample within “Life” — with melodic inventiveness, spanning from the chilly guitar/keys interplay on “Wyzdom” and the melding of distorted guitars and spacey soul in “Mind Control.”

Since impressing with his debut album The Solution in 2010, Styles has continued to envelop with production that emphasizes both atmosphere and melodic immediacy, continuing here in its embrace of boom bap nostalgia. Opening track “I Am…” begins aptly, with lyrics reflecting the push to shine a light within darkness. The illuminating thematic call-to-action invigorates alongside a mellow, hypnotic assortment of mellow bass, scratching, soothing wordless vocals, and jazzy key flourishes. The highlights continue in decisive form throughout, ranging from the rhythmic intoxication within “Afro Musia” to the Avalanches-esque, orchestral flair of satiating finale “U Afraid?”

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“I Am…” is also featured in the genre-based, best-of Spotify compilation Rainy Days and Late Night Drives. Stream the playlist below:

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Its instrumental soundscapes echoing city life and the daily grind, Living Skyline is an enthralling EP from Philadelphia-based artist and producer Jake the Jeweler. Dreamy melodic drives coexist with a myriad of inspirations, notably downtempo electronica, hip-hop, and IDM. The result is a variety of atmospheric gems with enjoyably reflective qualities.

The enchanting “New Day” opens the EP with twinkling piano and spacey synth complements. A warming bass weaves in sporadically, as do tender guitar tones; it’s a compelling unveiling of various instruments and tones — from initial nocturnal contemplation into a rhythmic pulse with debonair hip-hop qualities. The EP quickly establishes Jake the Jeweler’s sound as one with dynamic appeal. “Unconscious Thought” comes next with a delectably murky intrigue. A shimmering ambient effect lingers amidst pit-pattering percussion, feeling apt for subway car immersion.

The EP continues its tonally eclectic charms with “Sometimes,” where smooth jazz elements combine with expressive vocal samples for a soulful invigoration. The finale “Wide Awake” concludes the EP with twinkling piano and string-touched complements, resembling the fluctuating presence of lights during a city at night. Living Skyline is an atmospherically gripping success from Jake the Jeweler.

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“Unconscious Thought” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.

The post Jake the Jeweler – ‘Living Skyline’ EP appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

A magnetic, nocturnal intrigue showcases on “Waning Crescent,” a chilled-out instrumental track from Green Bay-based artist iHop Borders. A steady bass drives alongside glimmering synth tones, prancing with an illuminated engrossment. A fantastic shift takes hold past the two-minute turn, as a bouncier synth clanging emerges with effervescent allure into a “thank you very much,” vocal sample send-off.

The production expands with cohesive entrancement, from quaint keys flickering into a bass-y insertion, reminiscent tonally of Canadian pop band The Russian Futurists. The playful, layered additions thereafter meld together with a twinkling charm; the mid-point synth line exudes a sort of video-game nostalgia. “Waning Crescent” is a serenely melodic success from iHop Borders, boasting a soundscape fit for contemplation. We’re excited to hear what’s next from the project.

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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Rainy Days and Late Night Drives’ Spotify playlist.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.

The post iHop Borders – “Waning Crescent” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

German artist Vincent Krennerich provides a lushly transportive spell on new single “Sommerregen,” led by glistening piano, calming bass, and smooth saxophone. Translating to the English equivalent of “summer rain,” “Sommerregen” evokes the serene impact of rainfall on a balmy day, cooling the earth down with steam gently rising from the pavement thereafter. Krennerich notes that the effort is inspired by “classical nostalgic-hopeful jazz and lo-fi hip-hop.”

Serene rainfall sounds journey into mellow piano trickles and late-night saxophone additions, appearing intermittently in the first minute. They assume a more prominent, expressive presence at mid-point, before descending into a lushly inviting piano-forward conclusion, aesthetically showing shades of Ryuichi Sakamoto. “Sommerregen” sounds like an antidote for stress and tumult, caressing with its gorgeous arrangement and subdued atmospheric engrossment.

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The track is also featured in the genre-based, best-of Spotify compilation Rainy Days and Late Night Drives.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.

The post Vincent Krennerich – “Sommerregen” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Toronto-based artist POINT3NINE presents a grippingly idiosyncratic variety of soundscapes on The iLLEST EP, stirring from the ominous glimmering within the title track to the debonair late-night moodiness of “The Machine.” An eclectic palate of inspirations peek through, with the artist drawing from the intoxicating trip-hop sounds of Mo’ Wax records, atmospheric hip-hop, rock, and soul/funk.

A myriad of successes show throughout. “GT” flaunts a rock-friendly demeanor in its scraggly guitar tones, wholly embracing chilly textural distortion. More hybrid iterations — like the trip-hop and rock meshing within “Immortality” — also stand out. “The Machine” is particularly compelling in its grumbling rhythm section and eerie guitar twangs; the combination of steady percussion and capricious-feeling guitar twangs make for a constant sense of momentum.

The closing “illusion of truth” struts a delectable creepiness, with a ghostly backing texture and horror-film vocal snippets conjoining into twangy guitar immersion. is a showcase in atmospheric creativity and constant intrigue from POINT3NINE.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.

The post POINT3NINE – ‘The iLLEST’ EP appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Enamoring in its sample-friendly dimensions from classic soul to hip-hop grooves and pop, Cratehead is a lovely new album from Stoop. The Fort Collins-based artist presents an eclectic sound, drawing on influences like DJ Premier, J Dilla, and The Alchemist in melding instrumental hip-hop hypnotics with classic touching stones in folk, soul, and throwback pop. Per the artist, the album “serves as a captivating blank canvas for emcees to unleash their lyrical prowess.” And while talented vocal flows could certainly stir in addition, the instrumentation on Cratehead thoroughly captivates on its own, as well.

Glistening keys, a hip-hop rhythmic nostalgia, and intermittent vocal samples converge on the gripping opener “The Origin,” quickly showcasing the project’s atmospheric talents. Following, “Daybreaks & Heartaches” weaves soothing vocal effects and twangy guitars for a chilling effect. Atmosphere is palpable throughout the release, from the lushly exotic woodwinds within “Cherry Blossom” to the soulful string-laden throwback feeling of “Stay High.” A blissful, transportive production takes hold on Cratehead.

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“The Origin” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of December 2023’ Spotify playlist.

The track is also featured in the genre-based, best-of Spotify compilation Rainy Days and Late Night Drives.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.

The post Stoop – ‘Cratehead’ appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.