By: Michelle Young, Editor-in-Chief
It’s 2023, and it feels like the world is ending at all times! Between the pandemic, climate change, and the increasing use of AI, sometimes I just want to be thrown into a digital black hole and never come out. These tracks are a glitchy mix of apocalyptic sounds so I can live out my pixel dreams and brace for a meteorite to hit the earth.
Listen to the full playlist on The Peak’s Spotify profile.
“Perfect Blue ft. Tohji” by yeule
Photo Credit: Bayonet Records
Off the album Glitch Princess, distorted vocals mix with echoey synths, lulling your ears into cyberspace. A blend of soft and gritty, yeule sings about their woes, comparing themself to “A broken link, a 404.” yeule’s entire discography deserves to be on this playlist, as their other projects focus on “virtual escapism” and internet identity.
“Hollow Season ft. INE, C JAMM, YUNHWAY” by Nochang
Photo Credit: Linchpin Music Corp.
Heavy electric guitar pairs with off-beat rap for a stripped-back track. At times it feels unfinished, but is also overloaded with sound. Nochang layers screaming and yelling as a haunting background to his exploration of loneliness and judgement. The song spans seven minutes but with the plethora of features, it transitions into several segments seamlessly. A harmony of “Would you look at your own self of now and punish your sins?” fades out the track.
“Heterocetera” by Lotic
Photo Credit: Tri Angle Records
Wanna feel like you’re a rotting cyborg? This atmospheric track embodies an empty, metal wasteland — reminiscent of technology left behind. It uses a heavy beat and unsettling synths to set the tone for a scene that feels like humanity is already gone.
“PIETA” by CIFIKA
Photo Credit: Third Culture Kids
Likely the smoothest piece on this playlist, “PIETA” is filled with textured synths and layered vocals. It starts out simple enough, with a techno beat backing the melody. Percussion is added in, with harmonies overlapping onto each other, gradually becoming more sonically complex. As someone who “always wanted to look like a future person,” CIFIKA successfully creates a futuristic vibe in both the sonic and visual aspects of her releases.
“Day One” by Lights
Photo Credit: Universal Music Canada
Experimental and distorted — “Day One” provided the framework for Lights’ grainiest album Siberia. The piece creates the “lo-fi electro sound through analog equipment,” and spans nearly nine minutes. It ebbs and flows, but feels slow and endless, reminding me of a desert. Off-beat and fuzzy, this track provides an odd comfort to the human condition.
