CATCHING UP ON 2023: JACKIE EXTREME, MICHAEL MEDRANO, NAMASENDA, & MORE!
Highlighting a selection of projects from 2023 that we missed.
June 2023 saw the official relaunch of Homobyte after more than a year of dormancy with a brand new look and on a brand new site as well. For seven years now, the creator of Homobyte, Oliver, has worked tirelessly to spotlight rising Queer musical talent, and I am extremely grateful to be aiding him in doing so. It has been my absolute pleasure to cover some of the top artists that the underground pop music scene has to offer, and I will continue to do just that in 2024, however, before we close out 2023, there is some unfinished business that must be attended to. While I did my best to cover as many releases from this year as possible, there were a handful of notable projects that I missed, and it just wouldn’t be right if I didn’t cover them, so let’s catch up on 2023!
JACKIE EXTREME - ONYX
JACKIE EXTREME is an American experimental electronic music project headed anonymously by the mysterious singer-songwriter and producer of the same name. The project’s concept centers around the eponymous character (an AI pop princess) as she navigates gaining sentience as well as what it means to be a pop star in the digital age. Since her debut in 2019, EXTREME has been an enigmatic figure on the underground pop scene known for her hyper-surreal electronic pop sound and heavily distorted vocals, and after teasing it for nearly three years, she finally dropped her long-awaited fourth studio album, ONYX, this past March.
An acronym for “Offering Nothing Yet Xenial”, ONYX is a 23-track behemoth that takes the listener on a surrealist pop odyssey through a diverse variety of soundscapes, including noisy and chaotic (“CREAM” and “PLANET JACKIE”), ambient and ethereal (“CLEAR WATER” and “HEAD”), upbeat and danceable (“LOCKS” and “DROP”), and emotional and sincere (“THIN ICE” and “GONE TOO SOON”). Lyrically, ONYX covers EXTREME’s usual territory from socio-political topics like consumerism (“BUY ME NOW” and “MORE MORE MORE”) and overreliance on technology (“CELLPHONE” and “ETERNALLY ONLINE”) to more personal ones like relationships (“CHERRYBLOSSOMING” and “TRAPPED OUTSIDE”) and mental health (“SPIRAL” and “PANIC!”). There’s also an instrumental bop (“BUMPS”) and cunty interludes (“DISTRESS” and “XOXO”), but my personal favorite tracks are “THE MINES”, “ONYX”, and “SIREN SONG”. “UNFREEZE” is the only song that didn’t do much for me, but the rest is absolutely out of this world!
JACKIE EXTREME is a mad genius, and as dizzying and hard to swallow as her music can be at times, she has a unique presence on the scene and is the kind of artist who’s not easy to forget!
Stream ONYX across all online and streaming platforms!
BOY VIRGO - SLAYER
New Zealand singer-songwriter and producer Boy Virgo made his debut in 2019 with a series of singles that were very much in line with the PC Music-inspired/Y2K revivalist style that was popular within the underground pop space at the time. After dropping his debut EP, VILLAIN, in May 2022, he put out his debut mixtape, SLAYER, in early April of this year, and while his first singles were a bit rough around the edges, SLAYER features a refined and much more polished execution of the overall direction of his early work, as did VILLAIN — a soft precursor to SLAYER that sports similar industrial hyper pop production (“slayer”) with elements of rock (“blonde…”) and horror-esque visuals that are just as sexy as they are scary.
Lyrically, SLAYER sees Boy Virgo scorned after leaving a toxic and manipulative ex that he describes as having been sent by the devil on the rock and UK garage-infused “apologise” with New Zealand singer-songwriter Danica Bryant and British producer and singer Tobre and compares to a ruthless killer on the pop rock banger “murderer” with Tobre. On the emotional “nineteen”, Boy Virgo laments the depths of his heartbreak, and on the poptastic “courtney” with American singer-songwriter and producer Tyler Ashton, he attempts to find escape through music and pop culture icons like Courtney Love and Whitney Houston before ultimately liberating himself on tracks like “ghost2me” with British singer-songwriter wxrldprince and British producer OLD PUP; “i wanna go home”; and “ugly” with OLD PUP — coming to terms with the fact that the relationship is over and that he is finally free.
Boy Virgo is a fresh face on the scene who continues to hone his craft and improve his sound with each new release!
Stream SLAYER across all online and streaming platforms!
MICHAEL MEDRANO - LOVESEXDRUGS
American singer-songwriter and self-proclaimed “Disco Dad” Michael Medrano has been a mainstay on the underground pop scene ever since going viral in 2019 for his smash hit, “Fluids”, but he initially debuted in 2016 and has dropped numerous singles over the years before finally releasing his highly-anticipated debut studio album, LoveSexDrugs, in early April.
LoveSexDrugs is a culmination of the funk and disco sound that Medrano’s become known for on the scene and sports eight tracks all centered around the titular topics of love, sex, and drugs — subjects that are featured prominently on the title track, setting the tone for the record with a groovy beat and smooth vocals that continue on tracks like the catchy and addictive “Fluids” and the suave and sexy “NAKED”, which I consider to be a sister song to “Fluids” on account of its similarly-sounding production and melody.
In addition to other debaucherous bangers like the standout “where it don’t shine” and the club-ready “DISCO SLEAZE”, songs like the dreamy “Personal Heaven” and the deeply emotional “i know it’s hell, i’m sorry” reveal a softer, more vulnerable side of Medrano that’s largely absent from the rest of the tracklist. The latter is actually a new version of an earlier single of his called “Easier”, but while this rework is a much-appreciated update of an already wonderful track, “Do Your Thing, Babe!” with American producer and DJ Funk LeBlanc — a remix of Medrano’s 2020 single “Do Your Thing” — doesn’t have the same impact. It’s also a shame that other singles like “i don’t wanna talk about love” and “Hands On U” were left off the project, but regardless, Michael Medrano has crafted an excellent album that surveys his disco era whilst simultaneously retiring it as he moves on to a more electronic direction for his next era.
Stream LoveSexDrugs across all online and streaming platforms!
FILLY - WATCHING STRANGERS SMILE
German singer-songwriter FILLY is a relatively new artist on the underground pop scene. They made their debut in the summer of 2022, and in April of this year, released their debut EP, Watching Strangers Smile — a very impressive first project with six polished bubblegum and indie pop tracks with fantastic replay value in addition to two lovely acoustic arrangements that highlight their warm and soothing androgynous voice.
The stellar “Motorola” opens the record with classic PC Music-esque hyper pop melodies and an earworm of a hook that’s quite simple but could not be more effective, and “Carousel” follows with bouncy drum & bass production and a more melancholic atmosphere that continues on tracks like “Best Friend” and “Safe With Me” with Australian singer-songwriter and producer Golden Vessels. The former two depict love affairs made complicated by FILLY’s inconsistent life circumstances (“Motorola”) and emotional insecurities (“Carousel”) while the latter two see FILLY expressing gratitude toward a friend who’s always there to support them (“Best Friend”) and a partner who they feel right at home with (“Safe With Me”).
Other standout tracks include the catchy “Spinning” — a synth pop banger with a new wave flavor and an alluring darkness — and the ethereal “Piece of Art” — a trancey electro pop number with a hypnotic beat and a killer saxophone sample that really drives the record home.
I’ve not seen much talk about FILLY — I only recently discovered them when “Motorola” was recommended to me on Spotify — but everybody on the scene definitely needs to check them out because their music is so fun and refreshing and just what we need as we enter 2024.
Stream Watching Strangers Smile across all online and streaming platforms!
OLD PUP - PUPPY
Since his debut in 2020, British producer OLD PUP has been slowly but surely making a name for himself on the underground pop scene, putting out a handful of EPs whilst producing tracks for other rising hyper pop stars like Irish singer-songwriter Apollo Monroe and New Zealand singer-songwriter Boy Virgo before dropping his first full album, PUPPY, in early September.
PUPPY boasts all of the solo music that OLD PUP has released thus far and features eleven remastered tracks — such as bubblegum bass bangers like “HEAVY” and “PARTY MONSTER”, Eurodance numbers like “D.I.L.Y.” and “HEAR ME OUT!”, and industrial R&B bops like “WANNA KNO” and “ANTITODE”— six bonus tracks — including a tribute to PC Music, which will no longer be issuing new releases after 2023, (“RIP PC MUSIC”) and a remix of “HEAVY” (“HEAVIER”) — and a brand new song — an atmospheric trap-esque moment called “TWINKLE”.
OLD PUP is what I call a “hyper pop purist”, as his take on electronic music is directly inspired by the work of founding members of PC Music like British producer and DJ Danny L Harle (“LIFELESS”) and British singer-songwriter and producer EASYFUN (“BAD BOI”), but especially that of late English producer, songwriter, and forever icon SOPHIE (“HIGH DIVE” and “DO ME RIGHT”) — but OLD PUP is much more than a PC Music tribute act, and he showcases his versatility on PUPPY as well, dipping into genres like electro-rock (“THESE TIMES”), UK garage (“FUNGI”), Y2K-tinged electro pop (“MISS YOU MORE”), and even hip-hop (“BITCH”).
OLD PUP has mastered all the production elements that make hyper pop so thrilling, and with a full-length project under his belt, I hope to see him get more attention from the scene in 2024!
Stream PUPPY across all online and streaming platforms!
LEMON - CITRUSSY
After gaining international recognition for competing on the premiere seasons of Canada’s Drag Race (2020) and RuPaul’s Drag Race: UK vs the World (2022), Canadian drag queen Lemon has become a favorite among the Drag Race fanbase. She received praise for her lyrical work and rapping abilities on Drag Race (“Sweet and Sour”), she went viral for her now-iconic verse on fellow Canada’s Drag Race star Priyanka’s hit song “Come Through” (2021), and in late September, she continued to give the people what they want with the arrival of her highly anticipated debut EP, CITRUSSY.
Sporting seven, sharp-tongued trap and hip-hop bops, CITRUSSY sees Lemon living up to her self-proclaimed status as a “straight-up rapstress” as she spits bar after bar with total ease and killer confidence. “PILLOW PRINCESS” opens the project by exuding unabashed sexual energy that carries on into dirty rap bangers like the bouncy “DEAD LAST” and the wonderfully vulgar “BIG BANK”, and on tracks like the reggaeton-esque “WOOHOO” and electro pop-infused “567 ATE”, Lemon unapologetically boasts her many successes and accomplishments as a world-famous drag queen with a drop dead gorgeous face and an electrifying stage presence.
Other standout tracks from the EP include “DON’T FORGET IT”, which samples “Come Through”, and “WISH I WAS YOU” — a masterclass in rap that demonstrates Lemon’s ferocious pen and phenomenal flow. This is seriously one of the most outstanding hip-hop projects of the year, and you can quote me on that. Out of all the Drag Race alumni worldwide who have ventured out into music, Lemon is definitely one of the most exciting, and with CITRUSSY, she’s proved that she is exactly who she says she is: “A straight-up muthafuckin’ rapstress!” Do not underestimate her because her citrussy is on fire!
Stream CITRUSSY across all online and streaming platforms!
NAMASENDA - AMBROSIA
Swedish singer-songwriter and hyper pop trailblazer Namasenda is one of the coolest people on the underground pop scene. After making her initial debut in 2016 and dropping her debut EP, hot_babe_93, the following year, she quickly positioned herself as an exciting new presence on the Swedish music scene for her experimental electronic and bubblegum pop sound that was heavily influenced by the (then-largely unknown) PC Music label before actually joining PC Music in late 2019 — becoming the first Black artist to be signed by the label — and putting out her incredible debut mixtape, Unlimited Ammo, in October 2021. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and in May of this year, she announced her departure from PC Music, going on to sign with YEAR0001 and releasing her sophomore EP, Ambrosia, in early October.
Ambrosia is a short and sweet collection of four tracks that expand the bubblegum bass and hyper pop sound of Unlimited Ammo with just enough swag and energy to leave the listener feeling more than satisfied despite its brief runtime. The glossy intro, “north star”, thrusts us into a shimmering world of glitter and chrome before the hard-hitting “maserati” draws us back in with a thumping bass and melodic vocals that give the track endless replay value.
In addition to her usual soundscapes, Ambrosia sees Namasenda trying new things. On the anthemic “rosa”, she sings in Swedish for the entire duration of the song — a first for her discography — and the Unlimited Ammo-esque “deathrow baby” explores genres like baile funk and Eurodance, making Ambrosia quite adventurous for such a short project.
Namasenda is unstoppable, and I can’t wait to see what she does next with YEAR0001!
Stream Ambrosia across all online and streaming platforms!
HOLLIDAY HOWE - GOD IN MAINE
Australian singer-songwriter and producer Holliday Howe has lurked within the underground pop scene ever since making her initial debut as “Bubbles” all the way back in 2016 with a sound and image that was heavily inspired by that of English singer-songwriter and PC Music co-founder Hannah Diamond. In 2019, she rebranded into “Holliday Howe” and put out numerous singles that expanded her sonic palette from exclusively bubblegum bass to indie pop, electro pop, and even pop rock before dropping her debut mixtape, My Friends Live In My Pocket, in November 2022, and her debut EP, god in maine, arrived in early October of this year.
While her earlier singles sported a variety of genres, god in maine sticks to a more grounded and cohesive drum & bass (“1 2 3 4 (i just want my stuff back)”) and indie rock (“...so this is it”) sound that is much softer and laid back than the high energy My Friends Live In My Pocket. Howe has described the EP’s sound as “hyper-emo” — a fitting label given its combination of electronic hyper pop beats with more acoustic rock elements and highly emotional lyrics, as demonstrated by tracks like the dramatic title track and the dreamy “never meant”.
Lyrically, god in maine depicts the struggle of being a starving artist through the lens of strained relationships. “scarz” compares the desire to continue making art despite receiving negative criticism from the public to being in a toxic relationship, and on “kamakarmic”, Howe calls out rich kids posing as indie artists by personifying them into someone who, despite claiming to be on the same level as her, only keeps her at arm’s length — reflecting the disparity in both class and access to resources between these rich kids and actual indie artists like Howe. Both are brilliant metaphors, and it’s absolutely criminal that Holliday Howe isn’t bigger on the scene!
Stream god in maine across all online and streaming platforms!
SLAYYYTER - STARFUCKER (DELUXE)
Hot off the heels of her third headlining tour, Club Valentine, American singer-songwriter and rising pop icon Slayyyter finally dropped the much-anticipated deluxe version of her electrifying sophomore album, STARFUCKER, earlier this month — and I have thoughts.
The deluxe edition of STARFUCKER boasts alternative album artwork and three brand new tracks: A previously unheard title track; a new version of leaked fan favorite “Makeup” with French-American singer-songwriter Lolo Zouaï; and “James Dean”, which Slayyyter debuted live on tour. “Starfucker” is a venomous electro pop banger that sees Slayyyter bidding adieu to a selfish lover who was only after fame; “Makeup” is a sultry R&B-pop ode to toxic love and makeup sex; and “James Dean” is an abrasive and chaotic electro-thrash explosion that is truly an assault on the ears in the best way possible — however, while these tracks are all really great, I and many fans alike have mixed feelings about STARFUCKER (Deluxe) as a whole.
Clocking in at just 35 minutes, it was clear that STARFUCKER could’ve benefited from an extension, and a series of leaks that occurred prior to the album’s arrival revealed an additional 50+ songs — many of which were perfect contenders for a deluxe. Notable tracks that fans (me included) were hoping would appear on STARFUCKER (Deluxe) aside from “Makeup” included the French house-esque “Tommy”, the new wave-inspired “Happy Forever”, the killer techno bop “Pyscho Lover”, and the Eurodance lament “Twist the Knife” — among others — but in the end, we only got three. Slayyyter stated that she only wanted to include material that hadn’t leaked, but with so many fantastic tracks that deserve an official release, I was hoping for at least 5 or 6. I guess we’ll just have to manifest STARFUCKER: Side B for 2024!
Stream STARFUCKER (Deluxe) across all online and streaming platforms!
2023 has been such a fantastic year for both mainstream and underground pop music, and there’s no better platform for Queer indie talent than Homobyte. I’d like to take a moment to thank Gameboi, Mel 4Ever, and Jas for so graciously taking time out of their busy schedules to allow me to pick their brains about their work, which I admire so very much. I’d also like to thank Moistbreezy, RYL0, and Guard for their enthusiasm and kind words about my reviews of their projects from this year. I am endlessly appreciative of all the incredibly talented, hardworking, and generous artists who have made this scene so wonderful and who have been so supportive of everything that we do here at Homobyte — but most of all — I want to thank Oliver for not only his dedication to the scene, but for giving me a place to express my own love for this community through my writing. At the end of the day, none of this would be possible without him, so thank you, Oliver, for all that you do for the community, and I can’t wait to continue building this platform with you in 2024!
On behalf of both Oliver and I, Homobyte wishes you all a Happy New Year!