new music: the joyous sounds of electro soul producer demo taped’s ‘heart ep’ #soundcheck

17 year old Atlanta kid genius Adam Alexander’s debut as Demo Taped is the kind of stuff that launches careers. A mix of electro soul, chillwave, and 8-bit, the Heart EP has been getting a lot of attention lately.

By Nathan Leigh, AFROPUNK Contributor

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The 3 song EP opens with “Your Touch,” an electro soul track along the lines of Gordon Voidwell and some early Toro Y Moi. Demo Taped’s hushed voice cuts through the digitally mangled guitars and analog synths. “Cozy” adds chip synths and 8-bit bleeps into the mix, reminding me that the SID chip sounds he’s emulating are now 34 years old. “I Luv U” has a skipping beat that calls to mind the venerable Flying Lotus, with a sweet chorus “I do not despair, cause I luv u.” In an interview with Pigeons and Planes, Demo Taped opens up about making joyous music as a response to dealing with depression. “Though you might not be able to tell from my music, I suffer from depression, which has has taken me to dark places.” For him, music is an important way to confront and engage with his emotions. “Society, in my mind, has raised many flaws in regards to young men and their emotions. We raise boys, telling them to “man up” or “act tough.” Then they grow up, burying their emotions. Once that hole filled with emotion is full, problems arise. As boys, we’re not taught to be open about our feelings, and I don’t believe in this. I love sharing my feelings with those who are open to receiving them; I don’t see a need to hide anything. I think it’s my responsibility as a human being to express my emotions, for the good of myself and for others.”

* https://www.facebook.com/demotaped