Some time ago, I went to the cinema to see Backrooms (2026), a psychological horror movie by the young American director Kane Parsons. A mesmerizing film, in my opinion - one that stays with you for quite some time. I was reading some reviews afterwards and fell into this internet rabbit hole. Because what I didn’t know beforehand is that the film is based on the internet phenomenon and creepypasta1 called The Backrooms. This intrigued me even more.

So, apparently, in 2019, an anonymous person started a thread on the English image-based bulletin board 4chan, asking other users to post disquieting images that just feel “off”, accompanying the thread with a photo (see photo 1). Quickly, this creepypasta went viral and a fandom developed. Somebody replied to the thread by providing both a name and description for this new fictional place:

If you’re not careful and you noclip2 out of reality in the wrong areas, you’ll end up in the Backrooms, where it’s nothing but the stink of old moist carpet, the madness of mono-yellow, the endless background noise of fluorescent lights at maximum hum-buzz, and approximately six hundred million square miles of randomly segmented empty rooms to be trapped in

God save you if you hear something wandering around nearby, because it sure as hell has heard you.

If you still can’t make heads or tails of this, which I’d completely understand: picture endless empty, abandoned spaces like offices, parking lots or shopping malls. These places fit within the so-called liminal space aesthetic and evoke feelings like nostalgia, unease, and emptiness. The spaces are transitional and can only be accessed by leaving reality.

I was diving even further, now into the liminal space aesthetic and naturally, this led me straight to liminal music - a musical notion defined by feelings of alienation and a hauntological ache for the past. A classic example of liminal music is Everywhere at the End of Time, a 6.5-hour ambient piece by the English musician James Leyland Kirby a.k.a. the Caretaker containing samples of 1920s and 1930s ballroom music. Kirby was, among other things, inspired by the ballroom scene from The Shining (1980). For those who saw this movie, you might recognize the opening track of the album:

For this edition of Sonic Nurse, I’m sharing some of my favourite liminal music pieces. Not too much information; The Backrooms already took up all the space. Just immerse yourself if you’re into or interested in dreamy music that can be both eerie and soothing.

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Tor Lundvall - The Mist
Ambient album from 2001 by the American musician and painter Tor Lundvall. He’s known for his dark imagery and thoughtful, provocative soundscapes. This album is Lundvall’s reaction to springtime and how he perceived life at that time. As the title implies, the atmosphere is rainy and grey.

Jabu - A Soft and Gatherable Star
Third album by the Bristol trio Jabu, released through their own record label do you have peace? in 2024. The sound on this album is very warm and dreamlike. Ethereal beauty with a DIY feeling. Expect ambient, dream pop and influences of r&b with a lot of reverb and delay.

Deliluh - Amulet
Two track EP (2021) by the Canadian band Deliluh. Do check out the rest of their music, because there’s so much more good stuff. This eerie version of Amulet though, could have easily been featured on the Backrooms soundtrack.

BIG|BRAVE - in grief or in hope
Tenth album (2026) from the Canadian experimental doom trio BIG|BRAVE. Uncomfortable yet melodic music soaked in strong emotions. Somewhere between extremity and subtlety. No drums this time, only dense guitars full of overwhelming distortion, bass and the soothing bright voice of Robin Wattie.

I spent almost my entire career working in the popular music industry and one thing that has struck me is how music - within that scene - seems to have this relatively short expiration date. Whether working at a record label or a festival, the focus is often heavily on new releases. I completely support new artists and albums, however, it bothers me how short this time span of promoting actually is and how often the music is falling into some sort of oblivion afterwards. Journalists do write about older albums, but it seems there always needs to be a “good” reason - e.g. celebrating anniversary editions - rather than sharing music just out of love. In the music industry relevance seems of great importance, but I don’t think that’s how we should treat art. For me, art - and therefore music - is timeless and should definitely not have something that comes even close to an expiration date. What I’d like to see is that the music industry (writers, sellers, bookers etc.) would focus more on rediscovering and championing its own back catalogue — not just as a commercial practice, but as a genuine act of music preservation. Working independently with all the great music out there - new, old and rereleased.

MAY 2026

Yassine Nana - Modern Pop from Mauritania (1984-1989)
During the seventies, the influential Mauritanian family band Ahl Nana (later L’Orchestre National Mauritanien) changed Saharan folk music by using Western instruments like the electric guitar and paved the way for famous artists like Ali Farka Touré and Tinariwen. The great talent of the group was the youngest brother Yassine, who was their lead singer. This compilation brings together songs from Yassine Nana as a solo artist years later, when he formed his own musical group. On the album, the modernisation of Saharan folk music goes even further by using not only electric guitars, but also synths and drum computers. Blending reggae, soul, new wave with Mauritanian languages ​​and melodies, this record is an ultimate Summer jam!
Arabic pop | Saharan folk | new wave | reggae

Swell - …well?
First there was Nirvana, then Pavement, and now Swell may be the next thing to watch out for. That’s what the influential British radio DJ John Peel once said about this San Francisco band from the nineties. The first two bands probably need little explanation, but the last one got significantly less recognition. This second Swell album, though, is definitely of the same quality. Released in 1992, the album blends acoustic guitar and electric distortion with a cinematic feeling, thanks to vocalist/guitarist David Freel - who originally worked as a film director. Their first live show was a support slot for Mazzy Star in San Francisco, which seems like a perfect fit given the dreamy and hypnotic sound. The LP has been out of print for a very long time now, so waiting desperately for someone to rerelease this gem!
indie rock | 90s | cinematic | neo-psychedelia

Ambassade - Manrira
Although each Ambassade record is completely unique, the Amsterdam-based project is always consistent in quality. Debuting with their synthwave banger Duistre Kamers (2019), to their rather experimental second record The Fool (2023), they’ve now released Manrira, an album containing tracks with neo-classical elements, as well as nods to breakbeat and techno. Although each album is completely unique in its sound, Manrira is again a typical Ambassade release. The overall melancholic feeling in the music and the hypnotizing, repetitive melodies are characteristic and also the synthesizer is still there. It’s a bold choice to shift through all these genres over the years, but that makes this such a good record. After all, predictability is not a fertile ground for exiting music. Once again, a great album that shows the Ambassade is bursting with creativity.
electronic | neo classical | synth | breakbeat

There is no “old” music - only music you have already heard and music you haven’t.

The festival season has started and that means a lot of great music to discover. My personal one usually begins with Grauzone and Rewire - both multidisciplinary international festivals in The Hague. The first one focuses on genres like wave, post-punk and goth; whereas the latter features rather experimental and electronic acts. Through Rewire I discovered an album that might end up quite high in my 2026 end of year list: in filth your mystery is kingdom / far smile peasant in yellow music by Dagmar Zuniga. Sadly, her show got cancelled, however, her album has been on repeat for the past couple of weeks. Somehow all music in this newsletter have a link with the Dutch 2026 festival season. Either they are featured in a festival’s line up or they are referred to by other artists. Here are a few records that are currently defining my festival year!

Dagmar Zuniga - in filth your mystery is kingdom / far smile peasant in yellow music
At the age of fifteen, the Nicaraguan-American Dagmar Zuniga was given a Tascam 424 tape recorder. Inspired by the lo-fi sound of Elliot Smith’s debut album Roman Candle, she created her own field recordings over time resulting in this debut. In filth really fits within the concept of hauntology - the idea that the present is haunted by the past. It’s the tape hiss which creates this ominous atmosphere, but also the psychedelic folk elements, abrupt silences and the cautious, almost hesitantly played piano and flute melodies. Sometimes a track doesn’t feel quite finished, or the music stops unexpectedly. It’s the beauty of imperfectness which makes this such a great record.
lo-fi | experimental | hauntology | psychedelic folk | dream pop

Electrelane - The Power Out
For their second album, the all female British band Electrelane took a different direction. Their debut (2001) was mainly instrumental, but for The Power Out (2004) they embraced their vocals and a rather pop structured sound. This album has nothing to do with typical pop music, though. Musically, it’s quite conventional, however the songs are unique and there’s room for experiment. Electrelane brings in different languages, references to poems and lesbian novels and there’s an a capella ensemble. Working with the great Steve Albini, who records all-analogue and uses hardly any effects, ensures a raw and edgy sound.
art rock | Flinta | krautrock | post-punk

ashnymph - Childhood
This debut EP by London trio ashnymph has just been released. Very little is known about the band, but these five tracks are really something. The EP feels like a great distorted party; one that goes on all night. It’s dance music, but clearly not the one made by a producer or DJ; the sound of the band really gives these songs some layering. There are keys, guitars, bass, drums and vocals - everything loud and dipped in a hefty dose of chaos. It’s a promising new band, and the expectations are set high for their live performance.
alt-rave | glitch pop | industrial | electro punk

There is no “old” music - only music you have already heard and music you haven’t.

One month ago, I went to the Gerhard Richter exhibition in Paris. The now 94-year-old German painter is considered to be one of the most influential contemporary artists, and created a wide variety of works. His art ranges from the beautiful, ominous Seascapes to quite some abstract paintings, to overpainted photographs. I became familiar with the work of Richter through - what else - music. One of my favourite bands, Sonic Youth, chose Richter’s 1983 painting Candle for the cover of their iconic album Daydream Nation (1988). At first glance it looks like a blurred photograph, but in reality it‘s a painting that perfectly manages to imitate an image that’s slightly out of focus. One of my favourite Richter paintings - Ema (nude on a staircase) - causes the same confusion. Although it originally began with a photograph of Richter’s first wife, the work is a painting based on this photograph.

I’m certainly not unique when I tell you that I frequently find my favourite records based on the beauty of the cover art. Collecting records is as much a visual as an auditory practice. I’m amazed though, how often the cover art matches the music. I discover so many albums of which I find the music and the cover equally beautiful. Below you’ll find just a few of those records that have been on my mind lately. Records whose artwork, in my opinion, are - just like the music - a piece of art in themselves.

MARCH 2026

Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys - Pale Bloom
Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys is the Berlin-based band around South-African born musician Lucy Kruger. The characteristic sound of this band is built on the poetic lyrics and theatrical, often whisperlike vocals of Kruger. This is most exciting when it contrasts with the noisy aspect of the music, mainly thanks to Dutch guitarist Liú Mottes. The tracks build up slowly until they meet a sonic, often distorted eruption. On this seventh album, the band takes their time to develop a story, both lyrically and musically. From beginning to end, Pale Bloom is such a strong and haunting album revealing this mysterious story wrapped in beautiful string melodies and catchy guitar riffs.
art pop | noise | distortion | gothic pop

Victor De Roo, Alex Deforce - Nachtdichter
For Nachtdichter we go to Brussels where DJ/producer Victor De Roo and poet Alex Deforce meet for an interesting collaboration. This EP, released early 2019, represents nightlife, where people from different backgrounds meet. They are separated by cultural differences, but find each other in a dimly lit pub. A pub full of murmur and the smell of beer. It’s a place where musicians, writers and other artists find their escape to leave everyday life. The music on Nachtdichter is dark, minimalist and mysterious. Shreds of conversations from the café form the foundation of Deforce’s melancholic poems. It results in beautiful Dutch puns like: Breng de nacht dichter, breng de Nachtdichter. A celebration of nocturnal romanticism.
minimal synth | synth pop | melancholic | poetry

Bardo Pond - Peace on Venus
The American Bardo Pond was already an experienced band when they released Peace on Venus in 2013. This quite short album - consisting of just five tracks and lasting to almost 39 minutes - is the ninth album by this psychedelic band, who formed in 1991. The name of the band stems from the Tibetan Book of the Dead (Bardo Thödol) and refers to a conscious intermediate phase. According to Tibetan Buddhism, life - and afterlife - is not one continuous line, but consists of multiple bardos. Peace on Venus feels like such an intermediate state where there seems to be a lot of room for improvisation and where the music evolves into this long hypnotic or meditative state. The music is all about doom-like drums and heavily distorted guitar riffs. What makes this such a great record is this density of sounds combined with the dazzling vocals of Isobel Sollenberger and the warm sounds of the transverse flute. Sollenberger brings this soothing effect in the midst of all the heaviness.
psychedelic rock | space rock | doom | noise

Pavel Milyakov & Yana Pavlova - Blue
Blue (2021) is the collaborative album between the Russian producer Pavel Milyakov and Ukrainian experimental artist and vocalist Yana Pavlova († 2025). This intimate album consists of eight serene minimalistic tracks combining minimal bass and guitar loops with striking electronic sounds. The saxophone, played by Alex Zhang Hungtai (Dirty Beaches), has a prominent place on the first two tracks and mic noises, tics and other ambient sounds are audible throughout the entire album, as they’re part of the improvisational process. The musical arrangements are sometimes quite experimental and create a somewhat ominous feeling; this beautifully contrasts with Pavlova’s calm voice. The collaboration between the two artists feels like a particular one, musically and politically of course. Blue appears to be an album of hope; with the final track, Strong-Willed, being the album’s anthem.
post-punk | experimental | new wave | minimal | electronic

There is no “old” music - only music you have already heard and music you haven’t.

Not so long ago I was introduced to The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by the American author John Koenig. In this poetic book you’ll find new words for emotions that many people are familiar with, but don’t have the language (yet) to express themselves. It’s so valuable to have words for these very common, but often strange and inexplicable feelings. Feelings sometimes we didn’t know we had them, because we couldn’t find the right words. An emotion I know many people around me are familiar with is sonder: the awareness that everyone has a story. It’s about the realization that every random person is living a life just as rich as your own with all its related complexities. This feeling, or realization, is particularly strong when I peek into my neighbours’ windows at night and see the lights burning in all those houses; people just minding their own business within their own unique interiors.

Another word that really struck me is licotic (adj.). It’s the feeling you have when you’re anxiously excited to introduce a friend to something you think is really great, which makes you stare at their face waiting for their inevitably satisfying reaction, only to cringe when you discover the work’s flaws shining through for the very first time. I am definitely familiar with this when I tell someone to see a specific movie or exhibition for example. But I also experience it with Sonic Nurse, even though I believe so much in the music I share with you. I think it always comes with a certain insecurity when you don’t hear back from the people you’re talking to. And that’s the hard part of writing newsletters: it’s one way traffic. So yes, although I enjoy it so much, I do feel a bit licotic in some way writing this third newsletter to almost sixty (!) subscribers. Please let me know what you think by commenting on this post in the Substack app, replying by email or just share your thoughts with me in person. Whether you enjoy the music, or have some suggestions: it all will be much appreciated 🖤

FEBRUARY 2026

Lena Platonos - Gallop
Lena Platonos (1951) is a Greek musician, pianist and composer. Being one of the pioneers of electronic music she paved the way for many Greek electronic musicians. Born on the island of Crete she began learning to play the piano at the early age of two and before her eighteenth birthday, Platonos was already a professional pianist. Her second album Gallop (1985) is quite all over the place, in a good way. There are some definite dance-floor bangers, there’s quite some experimental stuff and there’s this mysterious, sensual track called Bloody Shadows from Afar. Dominant on the album are the analogue synthesizers and the 808 drum machine producing strong beats and rhythms. Platonos hardly sings on Gallop, but narrates the songs reciting her lyrics.
electronic | wave | synth pop | experimental

Craven Faults - Sidings
Craven Faults explores the sounds of the impressive, rough landscapes of Northern-England and post-industrialism by slowly unfolding analogue electronic music. Sidings, the third full-length of this quite anonymous artist from Yorkshire, is just like his previous albums: an immersive minimal, instrumental composition with gradual shifts in both rhythm and dynamics. Listening to this pulsating, hypnotic, ongoing performance brings calmness. There seems to be also some Kraftwerk influences which you might notice in the track below. As all tracks vary in length - some over fifteen minutes, some around four - and since there’s no climax build-up you will ask yourself: Where did the time go?
minimal music | electronic | ambient | modular synth

Solid Space - Space Museum
The British duo Solid Space didn’t exist for a long time. They formed in 1980, released just one album on cassette two years later and split up right after release. The band is heavily influenced by science fiction - both lyric and music-wise - and in particular by the 1960 television series Doctor Who (check out the Space Museum record sleeve as well!). Thanks to the work of the San Francisco label Dark Entries, Space Museum got a re-release in 2017 and appeared for the first time on vinyl. Look forward to quite some happy tracks - that’s “happy” in the world of minimal wave music, of course. There’s a prominent place for the acoustic guitar alongside the synthesizers and drum machine, which makes Space Museum overall less melancholic than you’d expect from a minimal wave record.
minimal wave | synth-pop | sci-fi | post-punk | electronic

ShitKid - The Essential (Vol. 1)
ShitKid is the project of the 34 year-old Åsa Söderqvist from Stockholm. The project is not in its early stages, Söderqvist began ShitKid already in 2015. After her disappearance from the music scene in 2020 and thereby the completion of ShitKid, she now returns with this compilation album. Söderqvist is an autonomous artist who doesn’t seem to be concerned with traditional genre boundaries or song structures. By breaking these conventions, her music becomes very eclectic: expect heavy guitars but also elements of pop music and electronica - always with a punk attitude. The compilation also includes the striking Sugar Town, which is not exactly a cover, nor is it completely her own work as it features parts of the Sugar Town by Nancy Sinatra / Lee Hazlewood.
garage | grunge | pop | punk

TRACK OF THE MONTH

Drowned (Dirk Wiertz Remix) by The Medicines
This eerie track from the Dutch guitar-wave band The Medicines had already two existing versions - the original one can be found on a Split EP with Lifeless Past (2017) and they released a new version in 2025. Just a week ago, I was blown away by this remix by Amsterdam DJ/producer Dirk Wiertz. The fine darkwave/goth vibe was already there of course, but the work of Wiertz makes this track stand out even more. It’s dark. It’s very danceable. It’s perfect for a great goth party. Just waiting for a vinyl release now and hoping for a long(er)-term collaboration between the two.
darkwave | goth | electronic | coldwave

There is no “old” music really - only music you have already heard and music you haven’t.

With much enthusiasm I am continuing this new project. I feel so honoured with all the positive reactions after the first newsletter was sent in December. Someone said to me how valuable it is to have something like a carefully curated music list, especially in times of algorithms where people get stuck. And that’s exactly the purpose of Sonic Nurse. Another appreciated comment which got me thinking a lot was about personalizing the texts a bit more. I do think a personal touch is of great value, however, the aim of this platform is purely the art of curating music that deserves a lot more recognition. Moreover, I want you to discover music with an open mind in order to decide for yourself what it means to you. That’s why I find album reviews somehow problematic. They are leading and will affect your own opinion, possibly unconsciously. It’s the same with musical genres and that’s why I try not to describe an album - and certainly not an artist - by just one genre or label. I try to think about this carefully, so you’ll get a nuanced impression. Sonic Nurse is just a starting point; from here your own musical quest begins.

JANUARY 2026

RÓIS - MO LÉAN
RÓIS is the solo project from the Irish artist Rose Connolly and this EP (2024) contains both new recordings and reinterpretations of old songs and hymns. On MO LÉAN Connolly explores the Pre-Christian Gaelic Celtic tradition of caoineadh, or keening where - predominantly - women would keen a powerful vocal mourning or lamenting during a wake to honour the dead and express deep grief. It’s quite an old, almost died out tradition and there are very few existing recordings of caoineadh. However, Connolly brings these beautiful ethereal melodies back to life by weaving synthesizers, drones and distortion with the samples of ancient recordings and her captivating voice.
folk | drone | electronic | sean nós (Irish)

Kathryn Joseph - WE WERE MADE PREY.
WE WERE MADE PREY. is the fourth album by Scottish artist Kathryn Joseph. Joseph’s music is always dark and her songs are small and subtle, often making use of just vocals and minimalist piano playing. Compared to her prevous work, this album has a much more electronic focus, which makes her music even more penetrating and somehow a bit more accessible. Her characteristic voice is one you might have to get used to. Her voice is raw, fragile, and full of emotion. But it’s the unique voices that stay with you and ultimately touch you deeply.
folk | electronic | experimental pop

Gloria de Oliveira - La Rose De Fer
La Rose De Fer is the debut solo EP (2019) by the German-Brazilian multidisciplinary visual artist and musician Gloria de Oliveira. The title of the EP is named after one of Jean Rollin’s cult horror movies from 1973, which makes sense as the entire EP feels like a dreamy soundtrack from a seventies horror movie. The music is enchanting, nearly mystical - the first track even begins with Ave Maris Stella, a Medieval Marian hymn. This EP is released through de Oliveira’s own record label La Double Vie (another movie reference here), but it easily fits into the roster of 4AD, just like Cocteau Twins or This Mortal Coil.
dream pop | ambient | ethereal wave

Martin Dupont - Hot Paradox
The French group Martin Dupont formed in 1980 and released three albums in the eighties with Hot Paradox (1987) being their third. One year later, the band split up, retaining a cult following. Thanks to the New York record label Minimal Wave, who showed interest in 2009 in rereleasing their discography, their music is being distributed again, although still in limited edition. It’s quite a mystery why this band has remained so unknown. It’s not your usual electronic act - they are definitely a quirky band. The music incorporates clarinets, saxophones and guitars and is quite complex, but their sound is extremely catchy and ready to fill dance floors.
new wave | synth pop | coldwave | electronic

Purrkur Pillnikk - Ekki Enn
The Icelandic band Purrkur Pillnikk didn’t exist for a long time, seventeen months to be precise, but they were highly productive as they released two albums and two EP’s. They formed in 1981 and when they split up eventually, the bandmembers found themselves in Iceland’s biggest band The Sugarcubes, together with Björk. Ekki Enn is Purrkur Pillnikk’s first album and it’s full of short, catchy, static songs inspired by bands like The Fall and Wire - both in terms of musical style and their cynical attitude.
punk | post-punk | new wave

Hala Strana - Hala Strana
Hala Strana is the name of the recording project of American musician Steven R. Smith, which he began in 2002 to discover the traditional folk music of Central and Eastern Europe. Slavic - or even further back North African - sounds serve as a starting point. Hala Strana incorporated the scales and instrumentation (e.g. bouzouki, spike fiddle and the hurdy gurdy) abstracted the melodies and turned this into something unique. The music includes arrangements of traditional songs as well as originals influenced by these regions. This self-titled album (2003) contains purely instrumental music where improvisation and the use of field recordings are crucial.
psychedelic | Slavic Folk | drone | post-rock

There is no “old” music really - only music you have already heard and music you haven’t.

So, 2025 is almost coming to an end. A good time for me to start something new. Something which has been evolving in my head for a long time now. I call it Sonic Nurse - your independent Amsterdam-based guide for new music. With “new” I don’t mean the latest artists the popular music industry is talking about. I mean new discoveries which can either be a this years’ release, or, for example, music from the 80s. Because, there is no old or new music - only music you have already heard and music you haven’t. Sonic Nurse is about undervalued music that deserves a lot more recognition. It’s good music which can be found off the beaten track.

Now is the perfect timing for me. To experiment a bit. To share with you my favourite discoveries from this year including my favourite tracks. And to prepare for 2026, as from that moment I’ll be sending you new music monthly. This newsletter is for adventurous, open-minded music fanatics who are longing for new inspiration. I won’t give you long lists and lots of texts. I’m rather looking for a focus: a curated short list of the music I find most interesting and which I hope you’ll dive into. I wish this can be a central place for you to discover great music, because there’s so much to share!

2025 DISCOVERIES

Blanche Biau - Heartcore
Blanche Biau is a solo project hailing from Zurich and London. Expect sad but dreamy songs with mainly distorted guitars, haunting synths, a steady drum machine and ethereal vocals. Heartcore is a dark, melancholic record, however, it’s a very good one for hazy dance floors. It’s the artist’s sophomore album following her debut Maraudé from 2021.
dark wave | minimal wave | post punk | shoegaze

helen island - silence is priceless
helen island is the solo project of cross-disciplinary artist Léopold Collin, who’s based in Paris. This album is the second physical release on the Amsterdam label Knekelhuis, but there’s much more to find online. Collins voice is always filtered which gives an unique sound. This combined with ripped samples, stripped down beats and a lo-fi production gives the music a relaxed character. Perfect for a laid-back evening.
electronic| lo-fi | alternative pop | triphop

Joanne Robertson - Blurrr
Joanne Robertson is a musician, painter and poet based in Glasgow. She’s known for her work with friend and artist Dean Blunt, but also made a couple of solo records with Blurrr being her sixth. This album - like most of her work - is based on improvisation and sounds very minimalistic. It’s just Robertson’s whisperlike voice in combination with her acoustic guitar alongside contributions from cellist Oliver Coates. The music is emotional, fragile really, and absolutely grows on you after a few spins.
lo-fi | minimal folk | experimental | DIY

james K - Friend
james K is the project of New York vocalist and producer Jamie Krasner. Krasner is an established name in the experimental and club scene of NYC, however, her solo work feels much more esoteric. Friend is her third album and has this very dreamy, almost hypnotic sound. She experiments with 90s electronic styles like trip-hop, jungle and break beat, but in combination with downtempo beats, pop elements and her angelic voice it results in a beautiful, soothing and warm unity. The album brings back this 90s vibe without sounding outdated.
trip-hop | dream pop | downtempo | experimental

Damon Edge - Grand Visions
Damon Edge is best known as the founder and frontman of American post-punk / industrial band Chrome. In 1986, he released his third solo album Grand Visions: a true new wave banger. Some Chrome or Damon Edge albums require a rather patient listener, however, the melodic, danceable Grand Visions is very easy to love.
new wave | post-punk

Opal - Happy Nightmare Baby
Opal is the American band which evolved into Mazzy Star after singer/bassist Kendra Smith left the band. She left the band during the tour of their only album Happy Nightmare Baby (1987) and was replaced by Hope Sandoval. Compared to the ethereal music of Mazzy Star, this album has a rather neo-psychedelic sound, influenced by bands like The Doors and Velvet Underground. Though, the music of both bands have the same dreamy feeling. While Mazzy Star eventually achieved the commercial success that Opal never had; Happy Nightmare Baby is definitely of equal value.
neo-psychedelia | paisley underground | dream pop