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Fans of early ’90s hip-hop are likely to adore Swiss hip-hop project Conscious Presence, who blend their love for ’70s music and ’90s hip-hop with a great flow to result in successes like “Divine”. The track is off the group’s self-titled full-length, released on May 7th. A hypnotic vocal lead and “divine, divine,” sample repetition work around driving percussion and fragmented guitars. “We recorded everything in Satori Records vintage studio onto a tape machine, which means every song was recorded one-take, even with the DJs on cue doing scratches,” the group explains.

Echo Vista, the duo of Tim von Echo and Leo Vista, churn out vibrant electronic music that touches on dream-pop, house, and psychedelia. ” is a piece of effervescent beauty, featuring glistening strings and orchestral hints throughout that remind fondly – at least aesthetically – of The Flaming y reverberation just prior to the two-minute mark makes for pure infectiousness, while the strings and psych-friendly fluttering that follows does well in closing out this bright and airy electronic-pop gem. “Blurs” and other memorable tracks from this month can also be streamed on Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of May 2018’ Spotify playlist.

Kinisi, the project of Atlanta native Speros Kokenes, incorporates a “first true love” (guitar) with a talent for electronic production that’s savvy on warped samples and hazy textures. Kokenes’ vocals emerge during the spacious choruses, serving as an effectively tranquil accompaniment during the arpeggio’s next entry and break-up around 02:06. Although the synth arpeggio serves as the lead, there’s some nice guitar-laden additions in the second half that succeed in showing the project’s cohesion between guitar-driven melodies and electronic beats. Per Kokenes, the track explores “being weird at parties but finding someone to cling onto regardless.

” is a rousing new track from Jake Winstrom, formerly the lead vocalist and songwriter with Knoxville Upon returning to Knoxville after settling in Brooklyn, Winstrom went to work with producer Jeff Bills and others at Arbor Studios, to complete an album that showcases Winstrom’s hook-y songwriting and gripping high tenor vocals. Winstrom’s first solo album – show his emotive vocals work well alongside melodic guitars and keys, centering around a chorus (“heroes … ones and zeroes,”) full of melodic enthusiasm, with a bit of a New Pornographers feel in the general arsenal. If this track is any indication, Winstrom’s debut solo album looks to be a good one.