brand0 makes his breakthrough into 2021 with “The Clearing”, an abstract, bright, and somewhat nostalgic rendition of what’s typically heard in today’s hyperpop scene. He takes the elements that are found in a contemporary hyperpop track–distortion, heavily auto-tuned vocals, and an overall electric feel–and mixes it all together with clear and bright production to create the perfectly balanced mix of electronic greatness. Rather than focusing on in-your-face bass and pounding drums, he takes a different approach in what’s to be expected from the typical distortions found in today’s electronic pop–and in doing so, creates a lively and warm tone that’s experimental within an already experimental space. Opening with angelic choir-like vocals and a glitched-out guitar instrumental that’s pleasantly surprising, “The Clearing” introduces a new perspective to soundscapes in music. It takes you through different and unexpected turns, whether it be the seemingly random distortions in brand0’s vocals, or the scratchy yet well blended breaks found throughout the track. Even amongst the slight chaos, it all falls into place in a well-balanced way. “The Clearing” is a great example of how music has no boundaries; why stick to a normal or modern sound when creativity sparks an endless amount of possibilities! Ultimately, brand0 has created a euphoric sound in a dystopian movie sort of way–as if the world is falling apart around us, but there’s still a sense of clarity and focus that can be found within it all. Maybe that’s what he means by “The Clearing”?