Kumiko25 Rejects the Mundane with Escapist Synthwave LP SkyCityDeluxe

One bout of pneumonia is a lot to contend with. Now imagine seven. Add on top of that numerous physical and mental health diagnoses, and you are quickly left with what seem to be insurmountable odds. That result was not good enough for electronic artist Kumiko25.

Kumiko25 is set to release its debut album SkyCityDeluxe on 30th September 2022, and it’s lead single Flight on 19th September. The 10-track project is a neon-dripping, Synthwave record with an escapist heart.

Dealt with an impossibly difficult hand, Kumiko25 battled through persistent health problems from childhood. By the age of 14, he had wracked up four counts of pneumonia, and to date, that has increased to seven. Since then, the artist has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and dissociative identity disorder.

Rather than succumb to his ails, however, Kumiko25 has taken all of life’s challenges as motivation to prove to himself and others that they can achieve their goals in the face of adversity.

The result is SkyCityDeluxe – an endlessly optimistic record that conjures a retro-futuristic world through a sound equal parts dreamlike and bass-ridden. Its singles introduce vocals making for a feel-good track that conjures 80s nostalgia, laden with cutting-edge production. This is the soundtrack for riding off into that neon orange sunset.

Based out of Leicestershire, Kumiko25 derives influence from a smorgasbord of influences, ranging from Aphex Twin, Napalm Death, Chvrches, and Beach Boys. His brand of feel-good music is characteristically laid back but with heavily visual themes, often featuring sonic landscapes that depict futuristic, neon-infused backdrops and sunset horizons.

SkyCityDeluxe was mastered by Dave Sanderson (Arctic Monkeys, 65 Days of Static) and will be released under Kumiko25’s own Mute City Records label on 30th September.