Carya Amara - Carrion Carya Amara

Carya Amara is a long-running project of UK-based producer Kevin Busby, who also runs Earthrid label. His latest album "Carrion Carya Amara" is a collection of ten dark ambient compositions that evoke an eerie energy, as if they were composed for a documentary about a haunted circus site. While the droning synths and moody soundscapes really draw me in, thanks to an underlying thread of hauntology woven into each track, the record occasionally drifts into more abstract, rhythm-driven territories ("Going Home" or "Voices Out of Time"), which sometimes felt a bit out of place on repeated listens. However, the album has enough creepiness to make me come back to it over and over again.

Grab "Carrion Carya Amara" here, and stream all the tracks below.

Endings - Openings

Endings is a solo project by Philly-based musician and producer Douglas Vento. His debut release "Openings" is a four-track window into his experimental electronic universe, built on ambient and drone foundations. The opening track "Hypoxia" offers a glimmer of lushness, led by a playful arpeggio that transitions into a deconstructed synth soundscape called "Blood on Blood". The last two compositions incorporate noisier elements, adding extra texture while still remaining within this hazy, dreamy ecosystem.

Get the album on tape here. Stream below.

Bones - HandbookForTheRecentlyDeceased (Vidchajj Remix)

Vidchajj remixed Bones' "HandbookForTheRecentlyDeceased", from his last year's album "Cadaver", turning the minimal horrorcore track into a banger. Stream on Soundcloud.

Melancholic Crossroads - Plastic Love

New single from Cali-based duo Melancholic Crossroads dropped yesterday. "Plastic Love" delivers an electro punch and then some, with a witchy vibe haunting the composition throughout. Buy here.

Sehseiyah - Paranoid // video

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Sehseiyah is the new alias of LA-based Iranian singer-songwriter Sepehr Mashiahof. While her previous project The Bedroom Witch was firmly set in the realm of synth-pop and hazy indie pop, as Sehseiyah, she weaves elements of industrial rave and acid tek into her productions, moving from the bedroom to the dancefloor. The single promotes the upcoming EP "620" set to come out on March 7th. You can pre-order it here.

Robert Eggplant - Bacterial Wilt

Robert Eggplant is an alias of experimental sound designer and producer Luke Hayhurst from Boise, Idaho. He debuted on Language Instinct at the end of January with the album "Bacterial Wilt", which threads curiously between lo-fi ambient, tape loops and obscure field recordings - all covered in a thick layer of warm hiss.

Get the album here and stream all 14 tracks below.

Ourobonic Plague - G.A.: Zero: Crystallisation

It took me ages to finally sit down to this new EP from Ourobonic Plague, but I'm so glad I did. Following last year's "Slop", "G.A.: Zero: Crystallisation" offers five new compositions that feel more fleshed out and intricate. Listening to the whole release, I can't help but imagine a dystopian microcosm described by industrial beats and ominous sound design. Ourobonic Plague has always been unafraid to experiment with various genres, and here we get a short yet potent dose of drone, hip-hop, witchstep, and dark ambient Ace.

Get the EP here. Stream all the tracks down below.

STRFLL - Wounder feat. Pharmacist

Two of my favourite producers on one track, universe is good! STRFLL on the beat, Pharmacist on vocals, perfection. Buy here.

4nthem - Black Pitch

Anthem is an alias of French producer Luka Bensemoun, who debuted in 2018 on Mind Records with his single "Them". "Black Pitch" is his new cinematic noise/ambient/synth slow burn, something to zone out to after a day of hunting replicants. Stream here.

GrillGrill - Untitled...No Use 2007/2011?

It took me a while to pick my jaw up off the floor after discovering that the legendary GrillGrill is back with a new project! "Untitled...No Use 2007/2011?" gathers eight unreleased and rare nuggets of his outsider downtempo-folk, serving an elegy to a bygone era. Fans of his original Disaro record, Goaty Tapes and all kids of lo-fi oddities will love this! Can't miss this!

Buy the album here, and stream all the songs below.

Mong Tong - Terracotta (Liars Remix)

Mong Tong's "Terracotta", from their last year's album "銘 Epigraphy", got remixed by experimental rockers Liars, turning the chill psych-folk jam into a noise-rock shredder. Buy here.

Sad Madona - Char

"Char" is a new coldwave cut from the Parisian icon Sad Madona. Immaculate, dark dancefloor vibes. Cannot wait for a full release.

Giselle - Best View Of An Angel

Giselle, fka 37735i6, is an ambient and drone composer and producer from Omaha, Nebraska. I discovered her work thanks to her affiliation with Language Instinct, where she released one collaborative project with Kept Netted. "Best View Of An Angel" is her latest album, a hypnotising and equally haunting ambient-drone epic that sways between sound design, field recordings, faded club and zen music. The way Giselle processes her vocals makes me think of ghostly Julianna Barwick - the whole vibe of the album is on the edge of a dream - a lush ethereal trip. Fantastic stuff.

Download the album here (or here). Stream below.

Spike - Werewolves Of London // video

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"Werewolves Of London" is the lead cut from Spike, a new signee to Gob Nation label. A cover of the 1978 single by Warren Zevon, the track is shrouded in warm, fuzzy darkwave and goth-pop influences. Love it. Spike's debut EP will be out on February 25th, and can be pre-ordered here.

Dancing In Slow Motion - B-Sides & Rarities

Dancing In Slow Motion dropped this massive compilation filled with b-sides, remixes, edits and rarities on Bandcamp, and it's almost two hours of sick music. Boasting only one featuring (with the equally amazing Three Wishes), the whole things sounds incredibly high quality for a collection of offcuts. 100% recommended! Make sure to also check out his previous EP "Severed".

Download it here, and stream all 32 tracks down below.

1797071 - 可視光線

Surprise remix EP from 1797071! "可視光線" features four edits of "Ka 4 Ko Sen", off her debut EP "D1$4PP34R1NG" - two witchy reimaginations from Mako herself, a surprising euro-trance raver from LSTNGT and a deconstructed witchgaze track from the newcomer Defaced Screen.

Grab all the tracks here, and stream the EP after the jump.

STRFLL - Valentines Drag

I'm a bit late here, but STRFLL dropped this dope mixtape for Valentine's Day. As always, her drags are second to none, slowed to perfection with a solid dose of grime and grit. The mix can be streamed on Soundcloud at the moment, hopefully it will make its way to Bandcamp at some point.

E_Death - TR1LL

E_Death is on a grind right now, dropping projects left, right and centre, with "TR1LL" being her latest offering. Ten tracks fully committed to screwed witchhouse sound, returning to back-to-basics vibe executed to dragged perfection - something that should be appreciated by fans of those 2008-era SALEM and Aids-3D remixes.

Download the mixtape here and stream it down below.

Ivonne Van Cleef & The Implicit Order - Good Guys?

Blog favourite The Implicit Order joins forces with a one-person band Ivonne Van Cleef for this two-track, self-described mini album "Good Guys?". Based in San José, IVC creates "lo fi rural psychedelia", a sound that, when combined with Anthony's keen ear for experimentation, results in a smokey, desert-Americana, the kind one could expect from a signature David Lynch outsider flick. Released on Wholeness Recordings, the project can be downloaded here.

Greenhouse - Sacrifice Zones

Greenhouse is an alias of Curran Faris - guitarist and sound designer from Winnipeg, Manitoba. His most recent album "Sacrifice Zones", released by Belgian label Audio. Visuals. Atmosphere., refuses to leave my rotation and has been on repeat for many months now, so it's only fitting to finally write about it. Slow-burn created for empty, industrial spaces is probably the best way I could describe it, it's both calm and meditative while being packed with details, and captivating as a continous listening experience. Digest in one sitting!

Grab the tape here, and stream the album below.

PADO - Dive (1797071 Rmx)

Wonderful return of Mako's 1797071 project, remixing "Dive" from PADO's last year album "Gazook". Turning slacker post-punk joint into a lo-fi witchhouse jam, she cements herself as the leading figure on the Japanese witch scene. Love it. Download here.

Kept Netted & Giselle - Causes And Cures I

Giselle, fka 37735i6, is an ambient and drone composer and producer from Omaha, Nebraska. Kept Netted is yet another side project of the amazing Texas-based artist Greg Nunn. Together, they dropped this collaborative release on Greg's Language Instinct label, pairing multi-layered sound design, drone recordings, spoken word, and other more obscure vocal samples, combining them into two intricate sound collages. Each piece, 11 minute long, should keep you hypnotized with its unsettling tone and whispered incantations.

Download "Causes And Cures I" here, and stream both tracks below.

Ritualz - Falling Away From Me

Fourth and final maxi-single from Ritualz, released ahead of his new album "Mimic" that will come out on February 21 via Re:mission Ent. "Falling Away From Me" is one of Korn's most recognisable singles, and turning it into even more badass joint. As usual with his releases, JC provides a slowed down and sped up versions, as well as an instrumental. Cop it while it's hot!

You can order the CD of the single here, and check out all the tracks down below.

Chayn Sloth & Pale Palace - Skrilla (Bootleg)

Chayn Sloth & Pale Palace join forces once again for this ethernal hardstyle remix of Kodak Black's "Skrilla". Can't go wrong with this. Stream here.

STRFLL - Ache

"Ache" is a new single from STRFLL's upcoming album "In Memoriam" that should see the light of the day a bit later this year. The track, inspired by raw black metal and Depressed040 growl-fi, is just a perfect blend of witch house and the harshness of metal vocals. Alongside the album version, we also get a demo track that is shorter and more stripped-down in the second half, giving it a more hip-hop beatstrumental vibe. Aces. Buy here.

Pharmacist - Ankh

How can one person consistently record timeless songs over and over again. Collin just does, his new single "Ankh" is eternally dreamy and beautiful. Drag pop wonder. Stream here.

Arkia - Remnant (Air Sculptures Vol.2)

Part two in Arkia's "Air Sculptures" series comes in the shape of "Remnant". Minimal and textured ambient compositions are expertly mixed into this 40-minute serene odyssey. A great follow up to the previous volume. Buy this release here.

J.T. Gladysz - Lush Vegetation

Canadian composer J.T. Gladysz's album "Lush Vegetation" does what it says on the box, love it. Second release from the newly minted Isohyet tape label, the record is a 40-minute lush sonic journey into soft and tranquil ambient soundscapes, occasionally sprinkled with flora and fauna field recordings, designed to resemble postcards from nature's backyard.

Get your tape here, and stream the album after the jump.

Yunam - Weightless

Isohyet is a new independent label founded by Montreal-based couple Frédérique Duval and Christian Richer (the latter best known for his Élément Kuuda project and for founding Kinnta Records). Their first release comes from Yunam - electronic producer Emmanuel Cameron. Known for his work in the techno realm, Cameron composed his new LP "Weightless" as a dare - to embrace the ambient genre and incorporate its elements into his signature style. He took it a step further and delivered this zoned out, cosmic ambient slow burner, that will take you on a Milky Way exploration journey from the comfort of your armchair. Headphones are recommended to fully appreciate album's rich textures.

You can order the "Weightless" tape here, and stream the whole album below.

Sidewalks and Skeletons X Suffer Ring - Abandon

The S&S and Suffer Ring collabroation video single, edited by E_DEATH, is as good as one may expect. Chiptune electro sound brings to mind CC productions, while the vocals sprinkle some of that Crim3s-like magic. Salem's VHS fuckery makes the whole thing 10x better. You can cop this single from Re:mission Entertainment here.

Cotton Crown - Perfect Angel

Readers of this blog may remember Cotton Crown - he was one of my fav discoveries back in 2021, and among the first entries on this site. Owen came back with a new cassingle Perfect Angel in June last year, and only today I did realise I never blogged about it. The signature autotuned vocals are back, paired with melodic, slowcore shoegaze sound. Both tracks are total vibes. Once again, the Gob Nation label is behind the tape release, and these little babies won't last long.

Grab the tape here, and stream both tracks below.

Sofia Reta - Omen (Spellbook Version)

Xavier released this stripped down version of "Omen" a couple of weeks ago, and it's been on my rotation ever since. The original version came out back in September on "Quiet's Helm", but this new minimal "spellbook" edit has something special going for it. Love it. Stream here.

Dirk Kitterlin - Tempus Novare

Dirk Kitterlin is a composer and musician based in Memphis. His new album "Tempus Novare" came out toward the end of last year via American Grapefruit and offers a unique blend of lounge electronica sounds. From 1960s-style library music grooves and quasi-vaporwave soundscapes to minimal synth and downtempo beats, the album manages to capture a vast range of influences and, in return, delivers a capsule that sounds retro-futuristic. Twin Peaks fans should vibe with "Twilight Canyon". Special shout-out to the cover artwork that captures that 80s National Geo magazine vibe, and perfectly fits the music behind it.

You can buy the album here, and stream it in full down below.

Mater Suspiria Vision - La Rose du Diable feat. Violette de Lestrange // video

Due to NSFW content, Youtube declines to play this on my blog. You can stream the video here. Visualizer promoting the upcoming album "∞ [Infinity]" from Mater Suspiria Vision. Featuring Violette de Lestrange on vocals. The album will be out on February 3rd via Phantasma Disques. Pre-order here.

Inersha - Missing Person(s) ft. Outcast

Gravedigger rap from Inersha and Outcast. Dope evil shit. Stream here.

Monomorte - Blue Dreamers

"Blue Dreamers" is one of Monomorte's recent singles that I missed back in November. Wavey slow burner for sleepless nights. Very moody, love it. Buy it here.

Montoya † - Sober (Prod. Left) // video

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Montoya has just released this new video single on his YT channel, rapping over an ethereal ambient meets trap instrumental from Left, that feels like a post-Lil Peep cloud rap track. Really digging this.

Aranoë - Aranoë

Aranoë is a new dungeon metal project from the mind of JC Lobo aka Ritualz. The self-titled EP consists of five tracks that blend black metal rawness with dungeon synth sensibilities. Dust off your dracula capes, this one's for the dark fantasy fans. The EP was released by Maligna, and marks the reboot of the label.

Get a limited edition CD here, and stream the whole thing down below.

Nathan Micay - Industry Season 2 OST

While Nathan's soundtrack to the second season of HBO's Industry (one of the best series in recent years btw) came out in 2022, Luckyme decided to put it out on vinyl just last year. I somehow missed that announcement, so it was a huge surprise to see it out in the world today. It's an incredible album on its own terms, and I cannot recommend enough to check out all three volumes.

Get your copy here, and stream it all below.

Montoya & Pale Palace - The Mirror

After July's "Face First", and September's "Ever Since", Montoya and Pale Palace released today the next volume in their collaborative triptych, entitled "The Mirror". Produced by both of them (using almost unrecognisable sample from Kye Kye's Reach") and with vocals by Montoya, the single will 100% appeal to the fans of their previous works. Solid as always, and free download too! Get it here.

Stay Healthy - Hold My Dress Down

Gutter pop and witch house icons Stay Healthy are back with a new, incredible single "Hold My Dress Down". Ella and Tommy are on vocals, delivering perfect union between singing and rap, while the beat heralds the end of times. Melting. Stream here, you can cop it on iTunes.

Modernist - Alpine Holiday Camp

Multilayered ambient soundcapes from Modernist landed on Language Instinct a few days ago. The opening track on his new release "Alpine Holiday Camp" feels like communicating with aliens through glitchy and fragmented radio signals. Constantly morphing, as if emitted from a cosmic kaleidoscope, "Theres Always Room At The Top" sets the tone for the rest of the project, with tracks oscillating between organic and textural ambience, nature-inspired field recordings, droning tones, and desolate synths. Enigmatic and intricate music.

Get "Alpine Holiday Camp" here, and stream it in full down below.

Gan!Gan!Gao! - Wrecked Mixtape // video

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Gan!Gan!Gao! is the new alias of Fooly Cooly aka For Lunar Dust. "Wrecked" is his latest mix full of dragged joints that will take you back to 2010/2011 era of internet (been there). Recommended stuff. Download the mixtape here.c

Arkia - Bloom (Air Sculptures Vol.1)

Arkia Jahani returns to his first-name project, and starts 2025 with "Bloom (Air Sculptures Vol.1)", a 30-minute sound sculpture that effortlessly flows between the airy ambient, lo-fi synth and cinematic drone crates. Smooth tones from the outerworld. Support and buy here.

Mutant Zones // best of 2024

Being late with this list seems like a yearly tradition now, but here we go, a list of my favourite releases from 2024. I've posted about and reviewed all of these albums and EPs on this blog, so if you want to read more thoughts about any of them, please use the search bar (if you're on mobile switch to web view). Oh, and also there's no order to this list.

Coffin Division - Ad Infernum

London-based label Whipped Bound Records has released Coffin Division's latest track "Ad Infernum". Coffin Division, also known as O.O.O. and The Haunters, is the a label-head of Aetheric-Records, and has been creating sinister sounds reminiscent of Implicit Order and The (O)thers for many years. This new single is an almost six-minute journey into the world of moody dark ambient abruptly eroded by waves of noise. Hard. Buy here.

Gift Exchange - Gift Exchange

Sydney alt-goths Gift Exchange dropped a new, self-titled EP a couple of days, that further delves into their guitar-heavy, ethereal rock. This project is definitely closer to 4AD catalogue rather than Disaro, also brings to mind Sleep Over and Zola Jesus.

Get the EP here, stream it all down below.

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.

Bow Church - Logical

Bow Church announced his new album, that will see the light of day at some point in the first half of 2025, while premiering this one-off cover of Supertramp's "The Logical Song", turning the pop rock classic into a witchy synth-pop single. Stream his version here.