Imperial Triumphant
New York City, avant-garde jazz, black metal, Expressionism, Futurism… What if a band combined all of the above into a cohesive style that most of the planet’s population found bewildering, but which a select few — as crazy as the artists themselves — would call ingenious? That, more or less, is the concept behind Imperial Triumphant: a visionary trio of virtuosos that have pushed the limits of extreme music. Their latest album, Spirit of Ecstasy, is a masterpiece that’s worth repeated listens as you prepare for this one-of-a-kind concert experience.
Clavish
Released in January 2023, Clavish’s full-length mixtape Rap Game Awful catapulted him out of the seedy streets of north London and into the upper echelons of the British rap scene. He brought with him a story of the intricacies of street life, gangs, drugs, violence, good friends who lead you down the wrong path, and bad women you can’t live without. The artist’s follow-up singles, including his latest, “Top 2,” prove that what we’re witnessing here isn’t a one-hit wonder — it’s the birth of a star.
Hotline TNT
Make Shoegaze Great Again. William Anderson, leader of the New-York outfit Hotline TNT, muses out loud (and we mean loud) about a future era of meandering melodies, distorted guitars, and intense colors. Supporting him in his dreams is Jack White, who released Cartwheel, Hotline TNT’s latest effort, on his label Third Man.
Alice Longyu Gao
A Chinese-born American singer, producer, DJ, performer, and activist. Her 2023 LP Let’s Hope Heteros Fail, Learn and Retire is a hyper-pop firecracker that sparks with every imaginable genre of music, from teen pop through rap, techno, and polka to extreme metal. Lady Gaga calls herself a fan and Oli Sykes of Bring Me The Horizon contributes on the track “Believe the Hype,” so yeah, this is the real deal. The future belongs to Alice Longyu Gao.
