Modern Relics by Casha Mour is the kind of project that immediately establishes a very specific, signature sound and a deeply distinct melancholic atmosphere. The synth arpeggios carry this inviting retro, almost synthwave edge. The chord progressions keep things simple yet effective, relying on patterns like the VI-I motif that appear throughout the EP. Meanwhile, every layer in the arrangement is heavily filtered, resulting in a soundscape that embraces a deliberate, beautiful lack of clarity. On top of that, the heavy use of numerous time based effects creates a very creative dynamic where the reverb tails blend together into a single mass, creating this moody sense of space. In the end, the ultimate goal here is the ambience itself and the perceived “analogue-ness,” if we can even use that term.
Even though the tracks actually contain vocals, they still feel entirely instrumental. The vocal layers, sometimes pitch shifted lower, follow the exact same rules, serving the dreamy atmosphere without ever trying to steal the spotlight. Meanwhile, a layer of white noise, makes the music sounds like it comes from a very old dusty vinyl while it works as a glue holding all the elements together, adding that necessary warmth to the mix. Underneath it all, the beats feature heavy, compressed, trip-hop-infused grooves.
The most striking production choice, though, is saved for last: the use of the guitar as a machine that generates echoed arpeggios. Passed through an expected mountain of effects, it transforms into an electronic element that somehow ends up being the most organic sounding thing you can image.
If we had to sum up the EP in three words, we would probably land on something like guitar-centric lofi trip-hop beats? Or maybe you could call it what a producer from the 1980s would produce if you asked them to imagine how lofi will sound in the future. Retro-futuristic lofi? That might actually do it justice. Needless to say, this is a project that needs to be heard from start to finish to fully experience what the artist intended.
Modern Relics is out on October 7, 2026. Most of its singles are already out there, so you can get a taste of it. But as mentioned, make sure to listen to it as a whole when it finally drops. And if you’re quick, there is also a limited release of just 30 cassettes available on Bandcamp to grab!
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