7 Insanely Underrated “Artists” in the Dark Electronic Music Genre


In this blog I’m going to list 7 artists in the dark electronic music genre that are not hyped enough.

The first artist on this list is Stellardrone. Stellardrone is a solo project of a Lithuanian electronic music producer Vyacheslav Stepanov, who also happens to be an astronomer and works at the Vilnius University Observatory. His music is mostly very relaxing and melodic, with some slower and darker tracks here and there.

Stellardrone’s first EP “Light Years” was released in 2008, and since then he has been releasing one or two albums every year.

The second artist on this list is Blank & Jones. Blank & Jones are two German DJs/producers Piet Blank and Jaspa Jones, who were formed in 1998.

The third artist on this list is Gridlock. Gridlock was formed by Aaron Sims and Chad Hasty (who later left the band) in 1993. The band’s name comes from the term gridlock, used to describe traffic jams in which no movement is possible because all roads are full of cars. Gridlock’s music can be described as industrial techno, with heavy use of samples from other artists’ songs, mostly Nine Inch Nails songs.

The dark electronic music genre is notoriously crowded with artists. The problem is, the crowding is mostly on top. Below the surface are a number of unrecognized and underrated artists who deserve more attention than they get.

The following list names 7 of these underrated “artists” .

1. KX9000

Tommy Vercetti (aka KX9000) has been making music since he was 16. His style combines real instruments and effects with virtual instruments, giving his songs an organic feel.

My favorite track: “The Dreamer”

2. Hita

Hita is a 19-year-old artist from Rotterdam who specializes in producing hip hop beats. In his most recent album, he experiments with combining trap beats with jazz instrumentals, resulting in a unique and nostalgic vibe.

My favorite track: “Lucky”

3. Bonggita

Bonggita is a rapper and producer from one of the suburbs of Chicago. He describes his style as “melodic rap,” though his lyrics tend to be sadder than your average melodic rapper’s. He recently released a single featuring Lil Wayne called “Again.”

My favorite track: “Come Back”

4. Sorsari Xor

I’m a big fan of dark electronic music (or as I like to call it: DEM). The genre is growing, and is poised to explode. Unfortunately, the genres more mainstream appeal has not yet focused on the artists who deserve recognition for their creative genius.

The following is a list of 7 overlooked DEM “artists” that need more love. If you’re a fan of DEM, it’s imperative that you listen to these musicians and share this list with all your friends.

Over the past couple of years, I’ve spent a lot of time listening to dark electronic music. If you’re not familiar with this genre, it’s electronic music that is heavily inspired by the apocalyptic/dystopian aesthetic, as well as the occult (i.e. Satanism/Luciferianism) and other subgenres of metal. You can think of this as the electronic equivalent to black metal (but less “evil”).

Since the genre is quite niche and not really popular or well-known outside of certain circles, there are many great artists and songs that are criminally underrated. Here are my top 7:

Heard of Crystal Castles? Death Grips? How about the Clams Casino?

Probably.

But have you heard of Not Waving, Shifted, Vatican Shadow, or CCO?

Probably not.

Well, you should.

You see, the dark electronic music scene is like the deep web: it’s dark and full of terrors. But it’s also like the deep web in that many people don’t know about it; and it has a lot of quality content that isn’t getting exposure from the mainstream. That’s where this article comes in. I’m going to give you some quick insight into just a few of the crazy talented artists in this exciting genre. So sit back and relax…and enjoy the ride!

Not Waving (UK) – Acid Redux – 2012

1. Ohgr – post-apocalyptic electronic music with a strong industrial aesthetic, a lot of the sounds are reminiscent of machinery/hardware. A good place to start is the song “minus.”

2. Combichrist – known for their raw, angry, chaotic industrial sound and live shows, this band has been tearing up the scene for over 20 years! A must listen to track would be “this shit will fuck you up.”

3. Suicide Commando – similar to combichrist, this band is known for its dark lyrics and aggressive style. A great song to start with would be “see you in hell.”

4. 16volt – a more subtle electronic band that is known for having a calmer sound but still having a dark edge over their music. A good way to get started with them would be by listening to their song “happiness is….”

5. God Module – if you like your electronic music more on the creepy side than this band will satisfy those needs. They have been around since 1997 and have stuck to their roots of keeping their music dark and eerie sounding. The song “doppelganger” is an excellent way to start getting into these guys!

6. Wumpscut – another long time veteran

1. Kontravoid

2. A V A T A R

3. 3TEETH

4. Youth Code

5. Author & Punisher

6. Front Line Assembly

7. Gost


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