It's difficult to describe how much I adore Ephixa's style ever since he came back to making music. It's mostly future house, with catchy basses and melodies, along with some nostalgic and kinda trance-y vibes.

His latest release: Ephixa - Dreamstate

Other songs like this:

Ephixa - Skyforth

• I have great nostalgic memories listening to this in the middle of the night on a road trip across Canada :)

Ephixa & Laura Brehm - Losing You

• Laura Brehm is also one of my favourite singers, and I think the vocals work beautifully in this track

Ephixa & Laura Brehm - Deja Vu

• 👌

Ephixa & Bossfight - Subside

• This song is pretty different from the other ones. It's much heavier, and it has the most addicting bass I've ever heard. Also got me into Bossfight, another great artist

New release today, Erra's Neon.

Apple Music
Spotify
YouTube

Currently the number one metal album on iTunes' chart, Erra's Neon is the latest release from the underground metalcore act. While they've attracted a cult following, Erra rarely gets headlining tours. Neon is their newest attempt at reaching the next step.

My personal opinion is that this is the perfection of the sound the band switched to with their last release, Drift. Just as atmospheric, with little less of the chug-chug-chug of most metalcore outfits, Erra may have finally found out how to make what some call "progressive metalcore" a bit more accessible. I personally enjoy how present the bass is in the mix. Metal and hardcore both seem to forget about the instrument and put it low in the mix as an after thought. The clean vocals have always been reminiscent of post-hardcore's darling Anthony Green, and Neon is no different.

It's a little bit of a shame that we have to wait until track three to really hear some of the noodling guitar solos they are known for. In a genre more punctuated by breakdowns, Erra is a breath of fresh air when it comes to lead guitar work. But when it does happen, it is up to the standard they've put out for themselves. They seemed to have moved even further away from the djent sound of their earlier work here. I don't mind that, even if I do like djenty sounds, as I think this crisper sound is better overall for Erra. While the uncleans do hit like a truck on first listen, they stay in a mid-range throughout most of the album and it would have been nice to see them go low, as JT has been known to do live.

Overall, I gotta say this is one my favorite albums of the year so far. Every song slaps a bit, gets the head bopping along at the very least.