The project, which includes focus track ‘All her traits Ft. Tim Atlas’ shows off yxngxr1’s unique musical scope, from dreamy indie pop to dark hip hop and back.
Following a streak of acclaimed singles, DIY artist Yxngxr1 unveils his new EP ‘where has everyone gone.’ Out 26th May on Storm Gvng / Empire.
Ranging in tone from sweet nostalgia to dark and brooding hip hop, ‘where has everyone gone.’ shows off Yxngxr1’s envelope-pushing talents while exploring themes of growing up. Opener ‘Something Else’ (which is currently on Spotify’s ‘Bedroom Pop’ playlist as well as NMF UK and Our Generation), sets the dreamy lofi scene, before ‘Downtown LA’ injects with a signature Yxngxr1 blend of chorus-rich guitars, singalong hooks, and dark lyrics that tug at the heartstrings. The upbeat and nostalgic single ‘my mum told me about u’ (which has garnered support from NME, DMY and Apple Music playlists ‘New In Indie’, ‘indie+chill’, ‘Indie Pop’ and ‘INDIY’) sees Yxngxr1 reminiscing with sunny, lofi guitars and warm melodic bass that evoke the sepia-toned imagery of youth. The EP closes on a darker vibe, as ‘Nikeys’ pairs a more muscular and moody groove with another hooky chorus, with the EP ending on a heavy note with the trap-infused beats and deep bass of ‘I’ve Been Sick’.
“This EP is more sonically driven, less about the lyrics and the flow of the EP,” Yxngxr1 explains. “The songs in here are beautiful, but different. I’ve had a little moment of change where I wanted to try something different. The name ‘where has everyone gone’ is more of a reflection of growing up and realising everyone is doing their own things now, friendship groups don’t really exist as much and people are moving on”.
Also dropping 26th May is the focus single ‘All her traits’, which is described by yxngxr1 as “something to dance to, something to chill to and something to put on at parties or when you’re sat alone”. The track is packed with earworm melodies and sweet chord progressions, as he explains; “I wanted the instrumental to shine more than my vocals. I love the idea of having the hook as a medley of instruments rather than just the vocal.”
The track features the Brooklyn-based artist Tim Atlas, who says of his input “The song felt effortless much in the same way that picking up someone’s traits and habits is. In my verse, I just leaned into that feeling. Sometimes you pick things up that you never intended to inherit. But at the end of the day, if it’s an extension of someone you love, you don’t seem to mind as much.”
A true product of the internet generation, Yxngxr1’s music has gained 300M+ streams across DSPs, national radio support from BBC Radio 1, Radio 2, 6 Music and plaudits at press from the likes of Dork, The Line of Best Fit, TMRW and The Guardian who applauded his “lovable lo-fi indie-rap.” Despite his heady rise to success, he has continued to challenge himself in the studio, pushing the envelope and breaking the boundaries between hip-hop and indie.
Born and raised in Cardiff, UK, Yxngxr1 first stirred up buzz with his DIY record ‘Tyler’ in 2019 whilst holding down a post school day job at Foot Locker. Following its viral explosion, he quickly tallied tens of millions of streams across fan-favourite singles such as ‘Rather Do’, ‘RockStore’, ‘721’, ‘Pigeons’, and more. Simultaneously, he released a flurry of full-length projects, most recently last year’s well-received Teenage Motel, and carried his hot streak into 2023 with the singles ‘you remind me of’, ‘Something Else’ and ‘my mum told me about u’.
An EP full of sweetly nostalgic lofi as well as hard-hitting hip hop beats, ‘where has everyone gone.’ is a perfect encapsulation of Yxngxr1’s unique range as an artist – and a sign of the exciting future he has ahead of him.
Tracklist:
1. Something Else
2. Downtown LA
3. Don’t tell the family
4. my mum told me about u
5. All her traits
6. Nikeys
7. Nikeys Pt. 2 In Mint
8. I’ve been sick
To find out more about Yxngxr1, go to: