motel void

This time, we’re heading to the UK, Berlin (and South Africa by extension), and the USA for the latest tracks. Folk, dark experimentation, and melancholic lo-fi folk.

RAPT – WHITE SAGE

British folk musician Rapt has been active for several years now, and I’ve followed his work since I first stumbled upon it in 2020. I have a lot of respect for the way he stays committed to his genre instead of chasing fleeting micro-trends. His songs remain rooted in a traditional folk sound, built around outstanding acoustic fingerpicking and a melodic, understated voice. The production on White Sage feels rich and detailed: subtle noises, background vocals, traces of piano. Since his early lo-fi EP Within Trail, Rapt has taken impressive steps forward both in songwriting and production, making his trajectory very much worth following.

LUCY KRUGER & THE LOST BOYS – AMBIENT HEAT

Another strong recommendation is Ambient Heat by Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys. We recently published a new interview with Lucy, which I highly recommend – just as compelling as the music she creates. On first listen, the song carries a slight Nick Cave–like atmosphere, perhaps reminiscent of the Push the Sky Away era: dark, yet undeniably gripping, with a touch of sermon-like intensity. The chorus of Ambient Heat is hypnotic and lingers long after hearing it. The five-minute track shifts halfway through into a calmer passage before distorted guitars arrive, pushing it into a post-rock–tinged, slowcore-dark finale.

AIR MAIL – WIDE AWAKE (A.M.)

For the last track, we head across the Atlantic to the U.S. Air Mail is a completely new discovery for me, and Wide Awake (a.m.) is a gorgeous piece of lo-fi bedroom pop nostalgia – something that recalls the early work of Alex G. Midwest-born artist Niko Francis crafts songs that feel handmade and immediate. He wrote this track last year while reading news from Gaza and following the LA wildfires. There’s sadness here, but also a hopeful, quietly uplifting quality that reminds me of MJ Lenderman’s latest album. Niko has a stunning and distinctive vocal tone, which is essential for this genre – and a big reason why this track stands out so strongly.