Rising Arp: Meet vylt, A Darksynth & Synthwave Witch Who’ll Have You Under Her Spell

Witching hour has now begun (Credit: vexed.vulpes [artwork], Falling Islands & hazel.lenut [photo])

Double double toil and trouble; there’s something in the local scene that’s ready to bubble. Forging a distinctive identity is integral in standing out amongst the pool of composers and producers, and where that’s concerned, vylt is standing tall. Here we have a rising musician who identifies as a “violet-tinted witch of the wilds”, and she reinforces the alias vividly with fitting performance garb and songcraft that prolong the fascination. Dressed in black, gothic magic-caster apparel with an aura of mystery, vylt has conjured a repertoire that’s both brutal and delicate, all simmering together in a musical cauldron that’s cooked up quite an impact.

The nascent catalogue of vylt is derived from a hodgepodge of influences, emerging from the realms of darksynth, synthwave and even metal. On the analog horror-inspired “&nvy”, she tackles one of the seven deadly sins with a gnarly, fanged chomper that bites down with low-end dagger synths and crunchy beats, festooned unapologetically with divine pipe organ riffs. Meanwhile, she addresses vivisection as a social evil on “VYVYSECTION”, an overblown, sci-fi pounder that would fit well in the cyberpunk genre, pummelling with supernova percussions and old-school Sega synth hooks.

vylt even received international traction when “VYLLAINOUS” was released on Synths Without Borders, a Halloween charity album all the way from Glasgow. Raising funds for Doctors Without Borders, she engineered an elaborate and headbanging escapade – inspired by classic Hollywood horros like Dr. Jekyll and Frankenstein – that fuses her electronic witchery with organic instrumentation. Alongside ’80s synthwave textures that showcase vylt’s affection for retro illusions, the song features a tough armour of metal guitars that give it a theatrical rock edge, as well as the menacing and athletic violin trails of guest act, M DRAKO.

Aside from being an adroit electronic producer, vylt is also a talented rock guitarist (Credit: Falling Islands & hazel.lenut)

Despite her enigmatic presence, the stirring movements of vylt have not gone unnoticed in the local scene. She’s shown her prowess as a live musician, playing at the pre-show for Japanese experimental metal band, Sigh, when they performed in Singapore earlier this year. Yet she’s just as dexterous on the DJ decks, delivering her brand of dark and aggressive soundtracks for pop-up parties like Blacklight Raves and Endless Return.

Through her enchanting electronic incantations, vylt is about to have the local scene under her spell. One hex at a time.