[GALLERY] FUTURE UTOPIA @ TGE BEACH STAGE, THE GREAT ESCAPE - 11.05.23

OCULATE UK
May 12, 2023
0 min read

LATEST FEATURES

We caught up with Emily to talk about the making of Worlds Apart, the quiet therapy behind her lyrics, and how collaboration can feel like instinct when the chemistry is right. She reflects on finding her place in a male-dominated scene, the importance of camaraderie, and why the rave, in all its grit and euphoria, remains at the heart of what she does…

GET TO KNOW: ELLE SHIMADA

Elle Shimada is a boundary-blurring producer, a violinist who bends sound into emotion, a soulful vocalist, and, effortlessly, a magnetic DJ. A distinctive creative force whose talent pulses through every layer of her sound as she creates emotionally charged, genre-defying soundscapes. Born in Tokyo and now based in London, after living in Melbourne, Elle Shimada’s artistic journey mirrors her geographic one, rich, evolving and rooted in transformation.

GET TO KNOW: OLYMPIA VITALIS

Moving through the world with intense curiosity and delicate observation is how London soul artist Olympia Vitalis has approached not only her life, but also her debut EP, People Watching. As its name suggests, People Watching finds this unique talent gauging the dynamics of those around her, from narcissists and complex family ties to substance abuse and love. It’s throughout the project and her commanding songwriting that she reveals a sensitivity and empathy for the world that we’re often only fortunate enough to witness in the greats.

WE F*CK WITH: GEE LEE

It can be argued that nighttime is when the best ideas arrive. Maybe some kind of divine intervention? More often though it feels like the brain is just refusing to switch off, flooding us with half-formed ideas and wild schemes that feel more like an inconvenience at that time of the day than a gift. But that isn’t the case for London-raised producer GEE LEE. He immerses himself in the late-night creative downpour, calling on both the quiet solace of his bedroom and the fast-paced energy of the city that raised him and shaped his love for dance music. And the result? A sound that captures the intoxicating atmosphere of London’s after hours.

DIGITAL COVER 005: NECTAR WOODE

Nectar Woode is all you’d expect her to be from listening to her music. She brings a wonderful bright energy to her interactions. We sit across from each other at a nice restaurant-bar in Kings Cross’ bustling Coal Drops Yard, a pint for her, a prosecco for me. Not my usual, but I was feeling decadent. The waitress gives the pint to the man and the champagne coupe to Nectar without asking, earning a laugh from us both. Still? In 2025? I assume we both are thinking.

ALL EYES ON: ARTHUR HILL

Right from the release of his 2022 debut track ‘Tiny Room’, Arthur Hill has been demonstrating his magnetising vocal ability through a collection of punchy pop hits and slower, melancholic ballads. He adamantly writes all his own music, revealing to us the personal process that led him to his latest single, ‘Man In The Middle’. Excelling as both a content creator and performer, Hill’s playful and fun-loving personality shines through both. Now in his newest track, he boasts a more profound exploration, delving into the gut-wrenching experience of being torn between strong feelings for two people. Snowballing off the success of his last track ‘Appetite’, this latest release is arguably his best yet.

GET TO KNOW: ARCY DRIVE

Already boasting more than 600,000 monthly Spotify listeners. Arcy Drive have quickly established themselves in the indie-rock scene. The Long Island four-piece, who self-describe their sound as “attic rock”, combine a DIY approach with an exceptional talent for anthemic storytelling. Their music blends sun-soaked melodies with an underlying rawness, creating a sound that feels comfortingly familiar, yet distinctively fresh.

DIGITAL COVER 004: P-RALLEL

OCULATE UK - DIGITAL COVER 004 - JUNE 2025
P-RALLEL: " I WANT TO CONSTANTLY BE RELEASING AND DJING, HAVING FUN WITH WHAT I’M DOING."
MONDAY 2ND JUNE 2025

WORDS BY BEN BROYD

PHOTOGRAPHY BY HARRY MCCULLOCH

One of the most exciting forces in the new wave of British electronic music, west-London born-and-bred p-rallel has been tearing it up for years. With his unique approach to production, and live sets that are fire from start to finish, he has been channeling London’s spirit in everything he does. Recently bringing this spirit to a global scale, there is a magic to p-rallel. Dance music runs through his blood, and everything else that runs through him is a passion to keep driving the scene forward.

WE F*CK WITH: SAIMING

Having first arrived on the scene in 2022, South-London native Saiming has been romancing with the genres that raised him amongst a community of like minded individuals looking to reimagine the sounds of grime. Splicing and fusing the genre’s dextrous flows with soulful neo-jazz production, Saiming is the poster-child for how community and collaboration are driving the UK underground scene, which he showcases through his sophomore project, ‘what’s the alternative?’

When I first got off my call with Saiming, a warm and gentle presence at the other end of the zoom, there was one phrase that had begun running laps around my mind; it was that Saiming has made ‘a house a home’ with his music and most recent project what’s the alternative?. While this phrase is more likely to muster images of a wooden pyrocraft sign from TK Maxx or kitschy ‘Gin O’Clock’ memorabilia, than it is a rapper who’s creating music inspired by the sounds of grime, drill and neo-jazz; it fits. Through music, community, and collaboration Saiming is an artist reshaping the architecture of his corner of the scene. Not just building a name for himself, but building something others can step into. He tells me candidly, “there's so much more that you can make when people are putting their minds together”.

GET TO KNOW: JERUB

It’s been hard to miss the passion and depth of rising star JERUB, with his effortlessly soulful vocals paired with poetically powerful lyricism, he has cemented himself as an artist to watch over the last few years.

Amassing over 65 million streams across two EP’s, JERUB has gained major support and recognition from BBC Radio 1’s Greg James, Madonna, Tom Grennan and a plethora of magazines and radio stations across the globe. Beyond his social presence, JERUB has proved his musical craft and experience through jaw-dropping performances, supporting respected artists including JP Cooper, Gavin James, and Victory Ray whilst also selling out countless headline shows.

His new single Deeper gives us an authentic and raw insight into JERUB’s emotional world, an undeniably powerful song about “Showing up for someone, not just when things are good, but when they’re at their lowest. Loving without conditions—through the mess, the doubt, the days when they don’t even feel worthy of it”. Produced by the industry-renowned Edd Holloway (Tom Grennan, Lewis Capaldi) the two found a spark of passion and interest from a voice note on JERUB’s phone, leading to the song’s creation.

We recently caught up with JERUB to hear more about his journey to get here, his new single Deeper, Nottingham, his upcoming headline tour & more…

GET TO KNOW: KOJ

When we think of the UK rap scene, we might assume that our attention is best left exclusively to the genre’s nucleus, London. But, we would argue that only having eyes for this portion of the scene is like watching just the first five minutes of your favorite film on its 50th rewatch; you know it's great, but can you really say you've experienced the whole thing?
While there’s been a steady stream of names rising from the North over the last few years, notably Nemzzz, Aitch, Meekz, and Aystar, it’s been left to a few legacy names - think Bugzy Malone - to switch the full beams on their cities rather than on their output alone.
While rap fans are gradually evolving, and their priorities with them, it doesn’t change the fact that, at its core, rap has always been about rebellion and highlighting the gritty realities of UK cities. Now enter Liverpool-hailing rapper KOJ, an artist wearing his city like the proudest of sportsmen and on a mission to tell both his own story and that of his hometown. On his ascent, KOJ has brandished a stark and slick pen, one that allows him to blend deep emotional storytelling with a level of lyrical dexterity fit for the UK’s main stage.
Now, releasing his debut EP, Villain With A Conscience, we caught up with KOJ to discuss the story behind the project, the importance of emotional vulnerability in LY, and the rising Liverpool rap scene he’s hoping to spearhead.

DIGITAL COVER 003: LEGZDINA

On a crisp morning in Shoreditch, Legzdina brought the bold energy that defines her music and style. She discussed her debut EP, Celestial Girl and Her Milky Way, a fearless mix of drum’n’bass, sung-rap, and poetic storytelling. The project captures her journey as an artist forging her own path. In conversation, she reflected on the personal stories shaping her music, her community-focused open-mic series Say It Back, and her drive to inspire through art. With ethereal vocals and experimental production, she’s pushing boundaries while eyeing her next milestone - representing Latvia at Eurovision -all while staying true to her belief in individuality and connection.

GET TO KNOW: HUMANE THE MOON

Rising East London artist Humane The Moon returned with Debris Joice, his eagerly awaited second EP, showcasing the new singles “The Curb” and “Humane Error.” This project marked a milestone in Humane The Moon's journey, pushing his genre-blurring sound into fresh sonic landscapes while retaining the intense, alternative energy that fans love. From raw, angsty grunge elements to pop-infused beats, Debris Joice balances familiarity with bold innovation

GET TO KNOW: MACKWOOD

Mackwood, the multifaceted drummer, producer, and bandleader, is making waves in the UK jazz scene with the release of his debut album, Master Changes. His genre-blurring sound merges modern electronic production with live instrumentation, creating a dynamic and unpredictable listening experience. Having already captivated audiences at festivals like Cross The Tracks and Wilderness, Mackwood is set to bring his vision to life with a headline show at Peckham Audio on October 22nd. This marks a significant moment in his career as he steps into the spotlight with his unique approach to jazz and electronic fusion.

GET TO KNOW: NIINA

With tracks like the tongue-in-cheek garage banger "Limousine," co-produced by Kornél Kovács and DJ Carli, niina blends alt-pop with dance music, creating an empowering, confessional record that reflects her journey through mental health struggles and self-acceptance. Having crafted her sound in a London bedroom over nearly a decade, niina's unfiltered creativity has already made waves in the UK tastemaker circuit, with remixes for notable artists and a growing reputation in underground circles.

We caught up with niina to find out more about her debut album, her creative process, who 'Patrick' is, and more...

GET TO KNOW: ATRIP

Once cultivating his current sound during the 2020 lockdown, ATRIP has gained recognition with high-profile collaborations and remixes, including work with Disclosure and Poté. Fostering community through pub meet-ups before gigs, with a busy tour schedule, ATRIP is set to become a dancefloor staple.

We caught up with ATRIP to delve deeper into his influences, his musical career, and more...

GET TO KNOW: ELLE SHIMADA

GET TO KNOW: OLYMPIA VITALIS

WE F*CK WITH: GEE LEE

DIGITAL COVER 005: NECTAR WOODE

ALL EYES ON: ARTHUR HILL

GET TO KNOW: ARCY DRIVE

DIGITAL COVER 004: P-RALLEL

WE F*CK WITH: SAIMING

GET TO KNOW: JERUB

GET TO KNOW: KOJ

DIGITAL COVER 003: LEGZDINA

GET TO KNOW: HUMANE THE MOON

GET TO KNOW: MACKWOOD

GET TO KNOW: NIINA

GET TO KNOW: ATRIP

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