From emotional gut punches to rebellious anthems, this lineup of tracks from rising Asian artists dives deep into the raw, restless, and often chaotic world of youth. Whether it’s longing, heartbreak, social defiance, or bittersweet nostalgia, each song hits a nerve with unfiltered honesty, wrapped in sounds that range from alt and indie rock to classic emo and gritty punk. We've curated a playlist so you can experience the stories, screams, and confessions behind the music.
(e)motion engine - Boy
‘boy’ starts off slow, as the bruising drums and addictive guitar line crash in to capture the intensity of yearning for love that the narrative of the song aims to put across, with lyrics that cut deep into the overwhelming feeling such as, “I don’t want to change you, I don't even want, but I can’t stop thinking about your face.”
Any Name’s Ok - Cake
‘Cake’ gives an edgy perspective on the phrase "have your cake and eat it too" as it explores themes of breaking up with someone, and them wanting you back even though things aren’t the way they used to be. The lyrics provide a stabbing reality check with lines such as, “Don’t you stare, you know the way you used to look at me, but things are not the same.”
Irrevocable - Night Shift
‘Night Shift’ tackles a deeper theme of feeling trapped within the mundane routine of life, and feeling the overwhelming need to break out of the same boring cycle washing over them constantly. The lyrics perfectly capture this sentiment with hard-hitting lines such as, “I’m wasting my days barely breathing and lose all my nights make-believing, get out, get out, while you can.”
Save Me Hollywood - Everybody Wants You
‘Everybody Wants You’ captures the feeling of wanting to pursue a relationship with someone, as it comes off as an outward promise to be the person that they need in their moments of joy and melancholy, with lyrics that say, “I could be the one to make it all ok, I could be the one you choose to love someday.”
Ilayà - Midsummer Confessions
‘Midsummer Confessions’ paints a picture of wanting to be with someone that you believe you are not feeling good enough for. The shredding guitar and bruising drums really express the intensity of the emotion, while shouting out a confession, with lines that say, “If you stay with me, your eyes would glisten in glee, with words never empty, if you’d only choose me.”
Hilera - Kuro
‘Kuro’ represents the quiet pleading for someone to stay—being unable to bear the thought of them slipping away from being in your life every day. The track starts off with a slow rock vibe that perfectly captures the softness in pleading—striking a contrast with the immense desperation of the lyrics that say, “In sadness and in joy, I can’t bear to lose you, whether asleep or awake, I can’t control these feelings, I can’t be alone, I can’t live without you, I can’t be alone.”
The Male Gaze - Someday
‘Someday’ is an unapologetic punk anthem that screams out its agenda for gender equality as it expresses the need to abolish inequality ‘Someday’. The overlapped vocals perfectly capture the chaos of the matter and put across the message loud and clear.
CHNDTR - Martyr
‘Martyr’ is a track that captures the irrationality behind being hurt by someone constantly, but always seeking to be with them and in their presence. The track uses a slowed-down chorus to describe the helplessness of the whole ordeal, with angrier and quicker-paced verses that seethe with rage through the lyrics that say, “All my feelings come back, what is the reason, why don't I know? Why am I so happy to be hurt?”
Drive Me to Juliet - System Chaos
A classic emo track, ‘System Chaos’ covers the uncertainty and harshness that engulfs the world, with its brutal beat and slicing guitar line accompanied by the lyrics that express the bitter truth saying, “Stars they shine so bright, but they're not what you think they are, behind it all they're controlled.”
THIRDS - Downside 2
The most unique part of this track is the contrast between the messy yet perfectly cohesive rhythm of the song, that uses the choppy drum beat to put emphasis on the lyrics that convey the theme of the track. The song builds up and bursts into a tight and melodic explosion, breaking free from the confused yet constant beats of the verses before.
Snakefight - Wednesday
The melody and beat of 'Wednesday' are strongly reminiscent of early 2000s pop-punk bangers we all danced around in our rooms to. The track follows the story of dreaming about the moments when two people have just met for the first time, when in reality, the relationship is on its last legs and nearly falling apart. The lyrics really cement this idea, saying, "Please don’t leave me now, wanna stay, wanna stay, wanna stay, I’ll keep you around, it’s a Wednesday I’ll be dreaming about.”
Anthem For Maria - I Wish I Have Them Now
‘I Wish I Have Them Now’ captures the consequences of being carefree in youth, and how those wayward choices can manifest later in life as regret. The music style captures the looming disorientation of wishing everything could have been different, with lines such as, “Coz I remember all the shots we've taken, all the choices we've mistaken, thought that we would always be this young.”
Bita and the Botflies - Guillotine Drops
Born from the dark allure of Alias Grace and The Witch, ‘Guillotine Drops’ takes the voice of a woman branded a witch by her town. Standing at the edge of execution, she weaves one final plea—a spell of words to prove her innocence. The haunting melody is mixed with the low and groovy bassline to create a spellbinding sonic style. The lyrics coat the song in a thick fog of eeriness with lyrics that follow the narrative such as, “A witch begging for salvation, I’m still not sure what my sorry is for.” The track closes as it bursts into an alluring melody with a more hardcore drum and guitar pattern capturing the rage that comes with unwarrented persecution in the case of the story of the witches.
Philia - Condemned
‘Philia’ captures the anguish of being forgiven for hurting someone else, as the vocals literally scream out an apology that blends with the crashing drums and scarring melody with lines that say, “I never meant to be a reason for your suffering.”
Luncheon - Decoy
‘Decoy’ presents as the perfect track to feature in a coming-of-age movie, with themes talking about experiences that come with growing up and breaking out of youth. Shedding the skin of playing in the sun and the carefree energy that took us across the waves of life, moulting to develop an outer layer that helps to push through the realities of life as an adult. The lyrics capture this flawlessly as they say, “Oh how are things changing, are we slowly fading, will you make or break this part?, profanities wearing, to all words we're saying, oh how time changes fact.”
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