How To Dress Well - I Am Toward You

"I Am Toward You" is How To Dress Well's sixth album, announced way back in March 2024. The promo singles, "New Confusion" and "No Light", hinted at a record that’s still daring but less experimental compared to 2018's "The Anteroom", and that prediction turned out to be spot on. Tom shines on instrumentals that sit in the hazy territory between pop and avant-garde, perhaps best exemplified by my favourite track "Crypt Sustain". The guitar crescendo at the end hits all the right spots and acts as the perfect lead-in to the lo-fi chillwave banger "No Light" that follows. The album has grown on me exponentially since I first streamed it - though I'll admit I wasn’t really a fan at first. With each listen, I keep discovering new details that lure me in and excite me even more. "The Only True Joy on Earth" practically transports me back to the blogspot era. Great album that's well worth your time.

You can order the digital version on Bandcamp here, where you'll also find links to buy vinyl, depending on your region. Stream the LP below.

Montoya † - Scattered

New Montoya drops, have to blog it, one of the most consistent artists out there right now. You can watch video for "IDK" here. Download the mini-EP here.

Elipropperr, Boysinblush - All I Wanna Do

Trashrave hip-hop from producers Elipropperr and Boysinblush (of Suzy Sheer fame), remixing Kodak Black's "Senseless". On the same tip that Beauty's Gucci Mane edits. Stream here.

Väsnet - En Dag I Taget

Väsnet is Swedish rapper also known as Zouls, known from Pale Palace's mixtapes and collaborations. While his Zouls alias is used for dropping bars in English, Väsnet focuses exclusively on Swedish lyrics - always with Pale Palace on the beats, as always. "En Dag I Taget" is his debut release that collects four tracks, some of which premiered on this blog. The EP delivers a mix of club vs car friendly tunes, contrasting PP's ethereal hardstyle beats with Zouls' super melodic flow and vocal tone. I have no idea what the rap is about, but the way he eats the productions makes that irrelevant. Pale Palace is on top of his game, with his epic Enya remix finally finding a home. You and stream and download all the tracks here.

STRFLL - Was It All Worth It Pt. VI

Volume six of STRFLL's witchy sludge series "Was It All Worth It" came out towards the end of December, but only today I had a proper chance to delve into it. Ace as always, filled with a ton of unreleased stuff and previews for the upcoming album. Dope. Support here.

Chaos Doll - Veins

Chaos Doll is a musician/vocalist/performance artist and an enigma based in Washington, D.C., and this is her second longplay, following "Sexpot Robot" from 2021. While the first LP was set more firmly in the minimal synth/electro territory, "Veins" on the other hand delivers an eclectic, genre-fusing epic. It's anchored at the industrial coast but doesn’t shy away from embracing cold EBM beats, gothic darkwave, dark ambient tones, and cinematic droning synths. Chaos Doll's lyrics are deeply rooted in bleak, often misanthropic lore, serving as a series of warnings and accusations against self-centred humanity in the post-internet era. The songwriting and execution of these lyrics are incredible - from softly whispered almost-rap, to punk-flavoured raspy shouts, to electronically processed melodic singing. Honestly, this is easily one of my favourite albums of 2024, and it makes me wish I'd discovered it earlier! Don't sleep on this one!

Buy this album here, and stream in full down below.

Dött Ljus - F​ö​rr

Dött Ljus is the result of a collaboration between two Stockholm-based producers and musicians, Johan Kisro and Petter Lindhagen. The former should be well known to Mutant Zones readers, as he is one half of Old Amica, while Petter records under the solo guise of Tired Tape Machine. "Förr" is their debut single, introducing the project's dancefloor-ready minimal tech-ambient sound and pairing it with an equally captivating remix from Anders Enge. Both tracks herald the arrival of the duo's first album entitled "Bottna" that will be released via Slowcraft Records on tape and digital formats on 5th February. Can't wait!

Get the single here, stream both tracks below.