MINDS, the debut EP from Antwerp-based producer Taska Black, challenges the boundaries of conventional pop and indie-electronic with five introspective genre-bending tracks.
Taska Black‘s 2018 is filled with plenty of highlights, from top-shelf collaborations with vocalists Nevve and Ayelle to his US and festival debut at Bonnaroo this past June. Though these feats are certainly worthy of celebration, the twenty-two year older producer’s debut EP Minds wasn’t inspired by the glamorous moments, but rather by his self-revelation following struggles with his own thoughts and panic attacks. On Minds, Taska Black paves new lanes in the electronic-pop sphere in his pursuit of a more mature, refined sound.
Taska Black’s Minds EP
After drilling up the energy with an illustrious intro, Taska Black follows with “Losing Our Minds” with frequent collaborator Nevve. The music video for the the EP’s first single drives the symbolism home, featuring quirky choreography as Taska Black’s characters “go nuts” before watching it all go up in flames.
The theme continues through “Get Out of My Head“, a collaboration with LA-based singer-songwriter Midoca. Fellow bitbird vocalist The Nicholas carries the bridge between a wave of guitars and blistering leads. The standout instrumental interlude “Fly Free” links the vocal collaborations, with Taska Black serving up an epic guitar solo.
The EP closes with “In The End”, an uplifting collaboration with rising singer-songwriter Aviella. The vocalist reaffirms the sentiment “it’s worth it in the end” above bright vocal chops and playful percussion. On this track, Taska Black reflects on the adversity of the past year, stating:
“It’s been roughly 9 months since my first encounter with panic attacks etc. Now it’s easier to deal with it because I know what’s going on with me and I know it’s all in my head and that I’m in control. This song is about the never ending struggle but also the realization that it’s all in my own head, that it’s all gonna be fine and that you grow stronger because of this in the end.”-Taska Black
With Minds, Taska Black is quickly making his mark in the electronic-pop world. His unique brand of bright, guitar-backed pop is another promising addition to the burgeoning bitbird roster. He’s currently accompanying San Holo on all dates of his album1 tour to close out what has been a noteworthy year.
Check out Minds below and catch Taska Black on San Holo’s North American album1 tour through the end of 2018!
Connect with Taska Black: SoundCloud | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Website
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Featured image courtesy of Taska Black