WholesomeRadio Album Feature: ARENA by Pixel Grip

It's been more than a year since Chicago natives, Pixel Grip, released their intense second full-length album, ARENA, and it remains one that we continue to come back to. Upon first listening to ARENA, it’s abundantly clear that this project isn’t nostalgic for the past. Instead, ARENA sounds straight out of the future, and if Pixel Grip is predicting the future with their music, then we can picture it taking place in dimly lit clubs, draped in latex and leather.

Simply put, ARENA is one of those albums that provides pure escapism. The album opens with one of the strongest tracks, ALPHAPUSSY- a rolling, industrial, venomous anthem. Lukea sets the tone early on this song, warning, "Don't waste my time," and continues to showcase their esoteric songwriting ability throughout the album, with lyricism that ranges from confident and fun to dark and harsh.

A highlight from the album embodying a sultry, inky tone is the deeply sexy DEMON CHASER, a collaboration with MONAE. On this track, Lukea’s attitude shines (in an extremely catchy fashion), and you get the feeling that nobody else is doing it quite like them right now.

It would be a disservice to the future of music if Pixel Grip did not continue to curate the sound of the future. ARENA is a dark yet bright, techno infused album that leaves a mark on its listeners with sleek darkwave soundscapes and bold songwriting. Whether you're walking down the street to explosive banger, CLUB MANIA, or swaying to one of the breezier tracks like ALIBI, Pixel Grip offers a sense of self-assuredness, an escape from the mundane, and a urge to get to the nearest and darkest nightclub ASAP, things we could all stand to experience right now. We cannot wait to see what they do next!

3 out of 3 Legfish

You can find this album, and more work from Pixel Grip on their Bandcamp, website, Spotify, Apple Music.