Electric Sun
By
Immune
It’s been nearly three years since Immune first entered the
scene with their debut release Sub-Atomic Boom Bap and a Fistful of Rap But,
now the intercontinental duo of Psykoid (aka Remark, UK) and Cylas (aka Silas,
Switzerland) are back with their sophomore album Electric Sun.
Their debut release took us beyond the three dimensional
reality into a digital reality where boom bap Hip Hop was merged with a myriad
of other musical influences and raw, no nonsense lyrics. Since that time the
world has changed little, and if anything has become more of troubled place for
all of us. So, what does this mean for Immune and how will they reflect this or
where will they take us under the gaze of the Electric Sun?
A nerve shredding electrical sound greats us as the opening
of Stay Immune, and you can almost feel yourself being separated into
your component parts as you begin the journey into a new digital reality where
you see what happens from a brand new viewpoint. The beat kicks in with a heavy
electronic vibe which sees Cylas shaking the very atoms that make up your body.
Remark brings a simple but important massage here which is to stay true to who
you are and the natural world around you, and to stay immune to a world full of
doom. Wise words indeed, because if you slip for a moment the darkness in this
world will consume you. Piercing electronic notes draw us into Sooner or
Later before a heavy bassline pounds the very air around us and a high
speed electronic ticking tests your nerves and wonder if you’re whole or still
separated into a billion pieces. The message here permeates every atom of your
being, reflecting the sad reality that money is given more importance that our
health and the population of the planet is kept in a perpetual state of fear,
one that makes them easier to control as you believe that the powers-that-be
are helping, when what they are doing is controlling and becoming rich of the
pain and suffering. Next up, is Cynicalside a heavy electronic storm of
a track that invades your awareness and holds your attention. This one might
have a cynical view of the world around us but, is it really that far from the
truth? This is a world where self-interest is rife, and people’s sincerity and
integrity are drawn into question on so many levels. This is a world where commercialism
and labels rule, keeping our focus from the very real issues we face every day.
As long as you are paying the price and being kept happy by the things you own
and the way you present yourself to the world, you will always be kept in line
and slave to the system.
PSYKOiD brings a heavy beat with a more downbeat
electronic vibe which is pierced by more electronic ticking. Pounding your
awareness into submission PSYKOiD gives us a deep look at the persona he brings
to the mic. Many might consider him a psycho because he is not you, him or her,
but sometimes you have to be cold and calculating to be able to take a stand
against those who seek to keep people as ‘sheeple’. PSYKOiD is a revolutionary
for a new era, where purity, a knowledge of self, and an understanding of the
true nature of nature is key to the ushering in of a new age. Devil on the
Shoulder drop with a sound that seems to have some influence from John
Carpenter mixed in with its weirdly head nod electronic sound. Listening to
this one, you might think it is just an attack on the idea of a minimum wage;
while it does have that edge to it, it goes deeper to because it looks at how
the idea that people in power can actually think they can calculate what is the
minimum amount a person or family can live on is ludicrous. The cost of living
changes day-to-day and yet income does not, benefits are cut, and it is those
most at risk that are made to pay the price. The more you struggle with this,
the more that devil on your shoulder will get a voice that will make you kick
back and say, ‘fuck that’. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly sees Cylas
morph into Silas who steps up to the mic alongside PSYKOiD. The beat has a vibe
that has shades of Kraftwerk alongside its pounding sound, giving it a subtle
head nod vibe. This one has a more venomous edge to it as it looks at the
different types of people, we have around us and their characters. I’m not
going to try and comment on what Silas speaks on in his native tongue, but
there is that edge to the vocals that says there are no ‘fucks given’ here.
It’s time to look at yourself here and decide just where you fit on the scale.
Sermon of the Dead has this sonic vibe that floats
though your awareness, like smoke that has a razor sharp edge, while the bridge
has an eerie vibe that tweaks your nerves. What would the dead say if they
could talk to you? How would they tell you view life and what is most important
to help you negotiate the hurdles that are placed in front of you? Perhaps they
would tell you to listen to the universe, have knowledge of the self, don’t
believe all you are told, and be the change you wish to see? Perhaps they would
say this and much more, just listen to the sermon and what it says to you. From
the dead, we move to the views of The Seer. The beat pounds here as
sonic sounds abound, spinning you mind out of control. Here the seer is PSYKOiD
who brings us a bleak look at the world around us but, he also gives us some
cryptic insights into how we can move forward in a positive way, one that will give
us all an equal standing and an equal voice.
The penultimate track on the album is Logan’s Run,
here the sonic, electric vibes twist the very limits of what your mind can
handle, taking you into a very distressing view of the future; but is it that
far into the future. This one looks at how society is run, like the movie and
TV series of the same name, it looks at how the old are cast out and the young
take their place. Those who chose to stand against this way of living are
hunted and find there is nowhere to run or to hide. In our society, it seems that
it is not just the old who are cast aside but, the infirm, the physically and
mentally challenged, are all looked on as a drain on society and should be
treated with contempt and not the respect they so often deserve. The album ends
with The Sun Is Dark, which was originally released as a single in March
2024. A pounding beat is backed by electronic vibes and a vocal bridge with a
darker edge, giving you the sense of a bleak outlook for the future. This one
looks at the rise of the digital world that keeps people in a controlled state,
where all you do is covertly monitored under the guise of giving you a better
digital experience. There is a way to buck the system and beat the algorithms,
that is not to give your soul to the digital age but, know it has its place and
that you are in control of that. Don’t let sun and the skies darken, keep the
sun shining upon us, don’t let them win…
What is apparent here is that with Electric Sun, Cylas has
stepped a little further away from the Hip Hop foundations of the debut album,
although there are still glimpses of it throughout. Now, the sound as a more
alternative, electronic, and sonic sound, and what that does is to git it that
digital vibe that fits with how our current society is heading, towards a
future where digital and AI may control most aspects of our lives. Could it be
that the world that was portrayed in the Matrix movies is not that far away?
But, by giving the album that futuristic edge to the sound makes it a potent
message.
Remark still gives us vocals where we can hear every line,
which is vital for the album as it helps us understand the bigger picture. His
lyrics have a huge impact on you as they are politically and spiritually
charged, often speaking directly to your higher self, although you might not
realise that. You can feel the emotive edge in every word he says, using bars
that are intelligently crafted and flows that twist and weave their way through
your psyche.
It has to be said that Electric Sun might not be to
everyone’s taste with its futuristic rap sound and the fact that there are
elements of the kind of genres that are very niche, but there are elements of
sounds that were influential in the rise of the early Hip Hop sound, you just
have to catch them. So, this one might have a unique sound but, the core
messages held within those ten tracks are very important right now, because if
society keeps going the way it is, then perhaps your grandchildren might look
at films like the Matrix as far more prophetic.
Electric Sun is definitely one to check out and get you own
take on. It was released on April 21st and is available for you to
check out now. I also had the pleasure to help PSYKOiD film some of the visuals for the video to Cynicalside, so check the videos below.
My humble thanks to Remark and Silas for the chance to bring
you my take on this.
On that note,
I’ll see ya next time.
Steve.
LINKS
Grab your copy here:
https://immunemusic.bandcamp.com/album/electric-sun
Immune Socials:
https://www.instagram.com/psykoid_immune/
https://www.instagram.com/cylas_dnb/
https://www.youtube.com/@immunevideos
VIDEOS
Stay Immune
