Alright, let’s do a fun thought experiment. I want you to close your eyes and picture an artist you remember listening to as an early teen that you still listen to now. Go on, I’ll wait. Got it? Great! For many of us, we’d think of a band or an artist that’s been around longer than even ourselves. That said, did you think about someone who’s been growing with you? Someone who’s gone through their own dark age, eras, phases, and issues? I sure did and that talent is none other than Irish artist EDEN! Let’s get into it.
Early Years:
Jonathon Ng has been a musician since the age of 7. Well, more so that he started playing music at the age of 7. So what did he do with that upbringing? Easy. He started sharing music and made his very own album as a teenager under a theoretical name: “The Eden Project.” Then, he set out into the world. Coming up at just the right time, EDEN distributed his music through a variety of YouTube channels. Stuff like “MrSuicideSheep,” “NoCopyrightSounds” and “Koala Control” all featured the music from “Kairos.”
At that point his sound stood out among a sea of electronic music because of his focus on vulnerability and lyrics. Looking at things now, the best example of that would be “Lost.”
Eventually, The Eden Project ended. Thankfully, this didn’t mean that we’d never receive any more music from him. I mean, I wouldn’t be talking about him now if that happened. Next came…
The Introspective and Passionate EDEN:
Adopting the name and going head first into it, EDEN released what would be his last independent album (for now): End Credits. Now that was an era! When I say I lived it, I sincerely mean it! I was there on the release for the album, I listened to “02:09” at least a dozen times, alongside the rest of the tracks. I even went to see him live during his Futurebound Tour! That small venue was packed with people, all singing along to the songs that I listened to alone in my room while sad. That’s what made EDEN so special. He always felt close and like one of us. Hell, he recorded a crowd chant and later used it in a track from his debut studio album, but that’ll be for later.
End Credits was the beginning of something special, and what came next was like a sky full of stars. What came next was…
The Studio Debut and Follow Up; “vertigo” & “no future”
At the very beginning of 2018, EDEN came back! While I was at a different point in my life; at that point in college, he had remained about the same. Still searching for answers about himself and love. Putting on “vertigo” on my drives to school was something else. EDEN and his music has the ability to evoke such a sense of nostalgia and connection. I’d wager it’s through the use of simple chords, heartfelt singing, and his various uses of film samples. Going through each of the tracks, there was a story of love and falling out. Then “love; not wrong (brave)” came on.
When I heard my crowd in a song about trying again and being hopeful about making things better. I just- thank you, man! With this and his extremely meticulous emotional capacity, his fan base just kept growing. That was in the before times. The time before the world ended and it seemed like we had… no future.
In 2020 EDEN released what many would argue is his most experimental project thus far. Dealing with newfound success and all that comes with it, this one’s as interesting as the rest. My personal favorites are “isohel” and “projector.” Of course they’re introspective and story driven tracks.
So if that’s been going on, what about the here and now. Well I got you covered…
“In Case You Missed It”
Next week we’ll be receiving a new album! And with that, we got more and more music from EDEN, baby! It’s like Christmas but for existential dread! Speaking of which, check out the absolute banger known as “Balling” below.
This kind of vibe alongside some bombastic vibes with stuff like “Sci-Fi” really excite me for what’s to come. Hopefully you are too!
And that’s a wrap on today’s Featured Artist. Make sure to check out our article diving into “Sci-Fi” and check back here when the album drops! We’ll be covering it as soon as possible! For more on your favorites and unknown check out our Word and Drops sections.
