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Category: International Music

  • Valerian Steel and Manufracture Music Fuse Industrial EBM and Darkwave on “Synthetic Species””

    Valerian Steel and Manufracture Music Fuse Industrial EBM and Darkwave on “Synthetic Species””

    Valerian Steel and Manufracture Music have released “Synthetic Species”, a track that combines industrial EBM and Darkwave with a narrative about technological dependence and system failure.

    The song’s concept developed after Steel experienced a power grid failure during a winter storm. The sudden loss of electricity and the resulting shutdown of digital infrastructure became the starting point for a fictional scenario in which synthetic entities created to replace humanity eventually experience a collapse of their own.

    “Synthetic Species” addresses system failure, cybernetic decay and the tension between human consciousness and machines. Its production combines EBM basslines and industrial percussion with Darkwave textures and gothic-influenced vocals.

    Steel, the electronic composer and producer behind Manufracture Music, describes the track as a reflection on the point at which reliance on synthetic systems breaks down.

    Manufracture Music is Steel’s main electronic project, drawing from EBM and Industrial while exploring the relationship between technology, sound and human experience.

    “Synthetic Species” is now available on streaming platforms.

  • LODIC Revisits 1990s and 2000s Dance Sounds on “DROWN”

    LODIC Revisits 1990s and 2000s Dance Sounds on “DROWN”

    Electronic artist LODIC has released “DROWN,” a melodic dance track built around a recurring “don’t let me drown” refrain.

    The song uses water as a metaphor for feeling overwhelmed by uncertainty, with its lyrics describing the tension between being pulled under and trying to keep moving forward.

    “DROWN” draws from late-1990s and early-2000s dance music while using contemporary electronic production. The track is structured around a melodic chorus, which arrives at 0:43, and features LODIC on vocals.

    “DROWN” is LODIC’s seventh release.

    The track is now available on streaming platforms.

  • Onai Releases Electronic Instrumental “When U Home”

    Irish artist Onai has released “When U Home,” an electronic instrumental that follows a run of releases including “Wendys Homecoming,” “Want You,” “Frame of Mind” and “Slightly Feeling It.”

    The new track continues Onai’s focus on electronic music without relying on vocals or lyrics. Instead, the production carries the track, placing it within the producer-led side of contemporary dance and electronic music.

    “When U Home” is out now and available on streaming platforms.

  • R4IZES Releases Portuguese-Language Single “Quero Poder Voar”

    R4IZES has released a new single, “Quero Poder Voar,” a Portuguese-language song that explores the desire for freedom and escape from difficult circumstances.

    The song moves at 92 BPM, with a restrained arrangement featuring kora and djembé. Its lyrics revolve around the image of flight, using the idea of rising and letting go as a way of expressing a desire to move beyond what feels limiting.

    “Quero Poder Voar” draws from the Afro-Lusophone tradition while fitting within R4IZES’ broader work across afro-soul, kizomba, afro house and kuduro.

    The independent project is based near Lisbon and releases music primarily in Portuguese.

    “Quero Poder Voar” is out now on major streaming platforms.

  • jak demo brings funk and alternative rock together on “trojan war”

    jak demo brings funk and alternative rock together on “trojan war”

    jak demo has released a new single, “trojan war,” a track that blends funk, alternative rock and electronic textures around a prominent guitar-driven arrangement.

    The track leans heavily on its instrumentation, with guitar riffs providing much of its character. Its sound draws from funk-rock, with the influence of the Red Hot Chili Peppers particularly noticeable in the rhythm guitar and loose, energetic approach.

    “trojan war” also avoids taking itself too seriously. The song’s hook has a playful quality that contrasts with the force of its instrumentation, giving the track an anthemic edge without making the arrangement feel overly heavy.

    The release follows a run of singles and projects from jak demo, including “midwest,” “my my,” “sick” and the 2025 album jak démo tapes vol 1. “midwest,” released in August 2025, featured Geordie Kieffer alongside jak demo, with Eric Rodgers, Eric Zeiler and Christopher Berry credited on the recording.

    “trojan war” is out now.

  • Shmu & Ziller Bas explore love and resistance on “Njoroge”

    Shmu & Ziller Bas explore love and resistance on “Njoroge”

    Shmu and Ziller Bas turn their attention to love, intimacy and resistance on “Njoroge,” the third single from their upcoming album Safari ya Bamba.

    The song follows two people who find a connection despite opposition from those around them. Rather than treating love as a purely emotional experience, “Njoroge” frames closeness as a choice that sometimes requires courage.

    Samaal responds to Shmu’s composition with a vocal performance that gives the song its emotional centre, while Shmu and Ziller Bas keep the production relatively restrained. That restraint leaves room for the relationship at the heart of the song to unfold without losing its physical, danceable quality.

    “Njoroge” forms the third stage of Safari ya Bamba, a seven-single project built around themes of movement, friendship, departure and the connections formed along the way. The album continues the musical relationship between Swiss rapper and producer Shmu and Kenyan rapper Ziller Bas, whose sound brings together hip-hop, Afrobeats, reggaeton, electronic textures and East African influences.

    Their collaboration began after the two connected at a concert in Winterthur and continued with Shmu’s visit to Kilifi, Kenya, in February 2025. Their first album together, Mekatilili, was inspired by Giriama freedom fighter Mekatilili wa Menza.

    On Safari ya Bamba, Swiss German meets Ziller Bas’ combination of Swahili, English and Giriama. Across the project, the duo uses their musical exchange to explore different forms of connection and the realities surrounding them.

    With “Njoroge,” that journey becomes more intimate, asking what it means to remain close to someone when that connection is challenged by the people around you.

    “Njoroge” is out now.

  • Nilsa Mosele revisits her roots in Mozambique on new single “Sofala”

    Nilsa Mosele revisits her roots in Mozambique on new single “Sofala”

    Mozambican singer-songwriter Nilsa Mosele has released “Sofala,” a song that looks back to her childhood in rural Mozambique and the musical traditions that shaped her.

    The track draws from memories of growing up with her grandmother, in a setting without television or telephones where community, music and dance were central to everyday life. At the heart of “Sofala” is Utsi, a traditional Mozambican dance accompanied by drummers.

    For Mosele, the song is an exploration of where her musical identity began. “In Sofala, I search for my musical roots,” she explains, describing the track as a reflection of her childhood and the cultural environment surrounding it.

    Mosele’s connection to music began early. Born and raised in Beira as one of eight children, she made homemade instruments and performed with her siblings before winning her first music competition at 14. At 16, she joined Djovana, a collective that became part of Mozambique’s hip-hop scene in the late 1990s and later toured internationally across Switzerland, Germany and South Africa.

    Now based in Switzerland for more than two decades, Mosele has developed a career spanning jazz, songwriting and Mozambican musical traditions. She studied jazz in Bern and has released four albums: Mamã (2005), Aphale (2010), Eu Sou de Cor (2012) and Salada Moçambicana (2018).

    “Sofala” is accompanied by another recent single, “Emilia,” which takes a different approach to personal storytelling. Inspired by a conversation with her niece, the song reflects on beauty, self-confidence, education and independence.

    Across both releases, Mosele draws from personal experiences while remaining connected to the cultural traditions that have informed her work. With “Sofala,” that connection leads back to rural Mozambique, childhood memories and the music and dance she encountered growing up.

    The new single is out now.

  • Cyprus Mafia Project brings Mediterranean atmosphere to “Ayia Napa”

    Cyprus Mafia Project brings Mediterranean atmosphere to “Ayia Napa”

    Cyprus Mafia Project has released a new single, “Ayia Napa,” an Afro House track named after the Mediterranean resort town.

    The production combines deep percussion with warm synth textures and a vocal hook, giving the track a club-oriented sound with a summery feel.

    The track draws on the nightlife association of its namesake, with its arrangement centered on rhythm, melodic textures and a steady electronic groove. Rather than relying on a narrative, “Ayia Napa” is primarily concerned with creating an atmosphere through its production.

    The song places Afro House within a distinctly Mediterranean setting, connecting the genre’s rhythmic foundation with the sound and imagery associated with Cyprus’ club culture.

    The title also connects the track to Ayia Napa’s association with nightlife and electronic music, giving the production a clear sense of place.

    “Ayia Napa” is out now.

  • Big Ken releases “Gemma”

    Big Ken releases “Gemma”

    Big Ken has released “Gemma,” a new single that adds to his run of releases in 2026.

    “Gemma” follows other 2026 releases from Big Ken, including “Coco Baby,” “No Face,” “Money Evidence” and “Cruise.”

    Big Ken’s catalogue spans Afrosounds alongside hip-hop and R&B influences, with earlier releases including Rich Before Rap, Midnight Sun and Flowers.

    “Gemma” is available on streaming platforms.

  • Ricky Sky rebuilt “Sikasso” from scratch after the first version fell short

    Ricky Sky rebuilt “Sikasso” from scratch after the first version fell short

    Ricky Sky’s new track “Sikasso” began with an early version that ultimately did not match the direction he wanted.

    The project started in 2025, as Sky experimented with rhythmic patterns, atmospheric elements and different sounds in his studio. After completing an initial version, he decided that the structure and energy were not quite where he wanted them to be.

    Rather than continuing to make minor adjustments, Sky returned to a blank project. He kept only the elements from the original session that he felt were worth developing and rebuilt the track around them.

    That process allowed him to rethink the arrangement, dynamics and overall direction without being tied to the decisions made in the first version. The production was then constructed, mixed and mastered independently in his own studio.

    For Sky, the process reflects his view of music creation as a continual process of transformation. Instead of forcing a version that did not feel right, he chose to start again and build “Sikasso” around the ideas that still felt true to his original vision.

    The single is now available on streaming platforms.