Blxxd - Silk & Velvet

Blxxd - Silk & Velvet

The North Coast’s resident Russian and former Little Arcadia member Syeva Bondarenko has been making waves under his new persona Blxxd. Long gone are the times spent in the Atlantic Bar, however. The ZOOL Records affiliated artist has now committed himself to pushing the limits on ‘established’ music, opting to make stuff that he deems ‘pretty’ regardless of conventional wisdom. So far, it’s worked out just fine. A combination of oblique angles, gorgeous arrangements and suspended, eerie rhythms, his latest is a double single release, Silk and Velvet. Although similar in their differences, both are contrasting enough to warrant examination. In this world, Syeva is your bartender, you are 7 drinks in and you’ve asked him “surprise me.” He does not disappoint.

Silk opens with a high flying vibe, delicately traversing through a landscape of soaring electronic waves. Conjuring images of Aurora Borealis and midnight beaches, ethereal vocals carry you through this tune. Sounding like music you can fly to, Silk’s instrumental makeup is filled with colour, vibrancy and gyrations. Contrastingly, Velvet is far more weighted but equally attractive. A fusion of starry rhythms and magnetically liquid beats, visuals and sonic landscapes are constructed before your eyes by this number. Remarkably collected despite its divergent sound, Velvet is tighter than the free-flowing nature of its predecessor. Orbs of light explode into neon pulses amidst a dark background of bass and synth.


The latest in a series of releases that sees the Soviet ex-pat outline a musical landscape few dare to enter, Silk and Velvet are for the intrepid listeners who enjoy having an explore. Not to be missed.

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