BRYANNA RAIN - PETRICHOR

On Rotation: 'Blaming Vedant' by BRYANNA RAIN's 'PETRICHOR' Album

Bryanna Rain’s latest album, Petrichor, is a masterclass in experimental dance music. Through a loose concept involving travel and various social issues, Rain commands the dancefloor with anthemic instrumentals and thick, pounding drums. The Richmond artist and producer utilizes nearly any sound one could think of to help flesh out her universe on the album, from using old audio samples of newscasts to sounds reminiscent of chiptune music and old video game soundtracks. Rain’s voice, at times modulated through filters and other bold effects, hits listeners with a forceful emotiveness so rarely found in dance music, and her lyrics are at once direct and filled with subtleties that will reward listeners eager to find deeper characteristics in her music.

Highlights on the album include “Arcades, Aeroplanes”, where the chiptune sounds mentioned earlier provide a much needed bounce to kick off the album, along with “Blaming Simar”, featuring synths that almost seem straight out of a SOPHIE song, as well as “Pandemica”, whose ominous atmosphere reflects the lingering feelings of how lockdown shaped us during 2020 and 2021. If you’re looking for a new way to appreciate dance music, complete with more ambitious conceptual ideas, Bryanna Rain’s Petrichor must be appreciated.