EP Review: Psy'Aviah - Sunbird (2021) - Guest Feature by Ilya Yclept

   

Psy’Aviah – Sunbird (feat. Oliviya Nicole)  Release Date: October 1, 2021 Label: Alfa Matrix Format: EP Length: 43:20 Genre: dark electro, dark pop, synthpop, indie pop, dream pop

Yves Schelpe, the mastermind behind Psy’Aviah, is by no means a newbie to the electronic music scene. The Belgian-based act was established in 2003 and since then has been producing diverse, high-quality releases. The latest one is dedicated to the new song, “Sunbird’, and is packed with a dozen remixes of all shapes and forms.

 

Psy’Aviah is signed to Alfa Matrix, an underground electronic label, and seems to always stay a bit below the mainstream radars, but definitely can’t be called obscure - Yves worked with a few famous artists, like Kyoko Baertsoen of Hooverphonic, Jennifer Parkin of AYRIA and Jean-Luc De Meyer of Front 242.

 

And this kind of explains exactly what you are about to hear - a full 45 minutes of sterile 90’s nostalgia worship, wrapped in every style imaginable. From murmuring electropop to darker trip-hoppy version of Faithless kind, Peaches inspired sexiness to acid-jazzy and ethereal trance - literally every option is available. The closing numbers seem to be best to my taste, with a feeling of VNV Nation and homegrown belgian house music.

 

“Sunbird” is a quality release for every fan of electronic music, various keyboards and synthesizers, but don’t expect something unusual - that’s the trademark style of “straight from the book” european dance music.

 

  Text by Ilya Yclept

https://open.spotify.com/album/5Fn7rif91ROLK88CdWZ38J?si=BVQBLax6TBqwxZTEux9xsQ&nd=1

https://alfamatrix.bandcamp.com/album/sunbird-ep