Entertainment

Raybot Explores Existential Questions in Upcoming EP ‘Cosmic Purpose’

Published

6 months ago

June 5, 2025

Behind a signature mask in the underground electronic scene, an artist known simply as Raybot is preparing to release something quite different from the typical EDM fare. His upcoming four-track instrumental EP “Cosmic Purpose,” set to drop June 27th, tackles weighty philosophical questions without saying a single word.

Raybot’s journey into electronic music began in 2009 during a pivotal moment in his teenage years. He was frustrated with mainstream music’s focus on negativity and found himself searching for something more meaningful. That search led him to a fateful encounter with Daft Punk’s “Harder Better Faster Stronger” music video, which initially confused him until he realized it was part of a larger story.

“I saw the movie right then and there, the music was amazing,” Raybot recalls, referring to Daft Punk’s animated film “Interstella 5555.” “I started to do a deep dive on Daft Punk, and went down a rabbit hole of electronic music artists like Deadmau5, Justice, Cassius, Madeon, Porter Robinson.” The discovery was transformative. He immediately downloaded Virtual DJ and FL Studio, beginning what would become a 16-year exploration of electronic music production.

What’s interesting about Raybot is his deliberate rejection of EDM’s established formulas. When asked to describe his music, he’s refreshingly honest: “DIFFERENT, only because I don’t use a formula to structure my songs honestly. You know in EDM music there’s a certain structure to it, I don’t do that and probably will never do that.”

His influences read like a who’s who of electronic music innovation. Daft Punk remains his biggest inspiration, not just for their sound but for their approach to the industry – letting the music speak for itself rather than playing celebrity games. Deadmau5’s unapologetic attitude resonates with him, while Justice’s evolution from the gritty distortion of “Cross” to the disco influences of “Woman” shows him the power of artistic growth.

More recent influences include Madeon, whom Raybot actually met and describes as “so down to earth,” and Porter Robinson, whose album “Nurture” served as his therapist during a difficult period. “I relate so much to the record that it’s my favorite of the 3 albums,” he explains. Even Michael Jackson’s legacy of emotional connection and social consciousness shaped his artistic vision – he remembers dancing in his kitchen at night as a teenager, imagining he was performing for crowds until his mother caught him and questioned why he wasn’t sleeping.

The concept for “Cosmic Purpose” emerged from a simple nighttime walk. Sitting on a bench near his home, Raybot looked up at the night sky and found himself wrestling with fundamental questions: What’s my purpose in life? Is my life meaningless without one? Can I live the way I want even without finding a clear purpose?

“All of that, so with that on my mind, I went straight to work and tried to convey that feeling into a song, then I kept going and the next thing I knew, 4 songs were made,” he says. There’s something compelling about how spontaneous the creation process was – no elaborate planning or corporate strategy, just raw inspiration translated into sound.

The EP’s four tracks – “Spacewalk,” “Who Am I?,” “Cosmic Purpose,” and “I Hope You Find Yourself” – form what Raybot describes as a journey through existentialism and self-discovery. Each track tackles a different aspect of the human experience, creating a cohesive narrative about finding yourself.

“Spacewalk” opens the EP with what Raybot calls a “cosmic adventure.” “It starts slow but quickly throws you in a cosmic adventure as you start your journey to figure out who you are,” he explains. “It’s long, it’s scary but in the end it’s fun as you venture deeper and deeper to find bits and pieces about yourself.” The track serves as both an introduction and a metaphor for the introspective journey ahead.

The second track, “Who Am I?,” explores more complex psychological territory. Raybot reveals it was inspired by the mental condition known as depersonalization/derealization. “The song explores what it’s like looking at yourself from the outside, not being able to reel yourself in, questioning who are you, maybe even what are you?” It’s a deeply personal exploration of identity crisis that many listeners will likely find relatable, especially in today’s disconnected world.

The title track “Cosmic Purpose,” released as a single on April 25th, captures that pivotal moment on the bench. “While I was walking at night, I took a break and sat at a bench, I look up in the night sky and I had a moment of existential panic,” Raybot recalls. “Questioning what my purpose in life is, is my life complete knowing this purpose? What if I’ll never find my purpose? Or even… do I need one to live life how I see fit?”

The EP concludes with “I Hope You Find Yourself,” which offers a sense of acceptance rather than resolution. “As this journey ends, I hope you all find yourself, at least… maybe bits and pieces of yourselves,” Raybot explains. “The journey is never truly over, forever be ongoing, and you know what? That’s ok.” It’s a mature perspective that acknowledges the ongoing nature of self-discovery.

Having had the chance to preview several tracks from the upcoming EP, I can confidently say Raybot has found something special here. The music feels genuinely fresh – there’s an atmospheric quality that draws you in immediately, with layers that reveal themselves on repeated listens. It’s contemplative without being slow, electronic without being harsh. There’s something about the production that feels distinctly cinematic and immersive, reminiscent of the kind of emotional storytelling you’d find in other types of media. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if video game studios start reaching out to him for soundtrack work. The already-released “Cosmic Purpose” single gives a taste of what’s coming, and if the rest of the EP maintains this level of depth and production quality, it should be worth checking out.

Raybot’s ultimate goal isn’t commercial success or festival bookings – it’s emotional connection. “A strong emotional connection is all I ever want,” he explains. “If there’s any strong attachment you feel towards my songs that you can relate to, then I accomplished my goal, even if it’s one person.” That’s a rare perspective in today’s streaming-focused industry.

This philosophy extends to how he wants people to experience “Cosmic Purpose.” Rather than casual listening, he invites fans to engage with the EP while contemplating their own existence and purpose. “I invite you all to listen to the EP while you think about your own existence, your own purpose and find yourself,” he says. It’s an ambitious ask in an age of playlist culture, but one that reflects his commitment to meaningful artistic expression.

What sets Raybot apart is his commitment to authenticity over commercial appeal. He doesn’t use profanity, avoids typical EDM formulas, and openly admits he’s “still learning much about music.” While many electronic artists chase viral moments and festival slots, Raybot focuses on creating emotional journeys that build gradually and give space for reflection. It’s an approach that probably won’t land him on main stages anytime soon, but it might just create the deep connections he’s after.

Those looking to dive deeper into Raybot’s world can follow him on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook, stream his music on Spotify and SoundCloud, or catch his mixes on Mixcloud.

Fans can pre-save the EP through DistroKid ahead of its June 27th release.

For an artist who describes himself as “just an android who likes to make music,” Raybot is proving that sometimes the most human questions come from the most unexpected sources. In a genre often criticized for being formulaic, he’s carving out space for genuine introspection – and that’s exactly what electronic music needs right now.

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Entertainment

The Quarantined Release ‘Aversion To Normalcy,’ An Album Born From War and Survival

Published

1 week ago

November 13, 2025

Popular Hustle Staff

Sean Martin // The Quarantined (Image credit: Alexx Calise)

The Quarantined are released their third studio EP, “Aversion to Normalcy,” today, and it’s not the kind of record you put on for background music. Created by Sean Martin, a former airborne infantryman and Iraq War veteran, the album confronts trauma head-on, pulling from his experiences in combat and the disorienting aftermath of trying to rebuild a life once you’re home. It’s grunge-heavy, emotionally direct, and built around the idea that “normal” is just a polite lie we tell ourselves. What makes it work is that Martin isn’t trying to package his experience into something digestible. He’s just refusing to look away.

The album arrives with momentum that’s hard to ignore. The Quarantined have racked up over 30 million views across TikTok, with one clip of “Skeleton Chair” alone hitting 1.1 million+ views. On Spotify, they’ve pulled in 500,000 streams, and their viral reach has sparked conversations about trauma, forgiveness, and what it actually means to heal. For a band working outside the traditional industry machine, those numbers say something about how their message is connecting.

‘Aversion to Normalcy’ by The Quarantined

Martin doesn’t soften his subject matter. Tracks like “Skeleton Chair,” “Shadow (on my back),” and “Nemesis (friend of mine)” trace a path through chaos, self-destruction, and the slow, unglamorous work of choosing to survive. He’s not writing from a place of having figured it all out. He’s writing from the middle of it, which is what makes the record feel urgent rather than reflective. There’s no tidy resolution here, just the raw acknowledgment that some battles don’t end when you come home.

The album was recorded at Blackbird Studios and Sound Emporium in Nashville, two facilities known for handling heavyweight rock projects. Producer Nathan Yarborough, who’s worked with Alice in Chains, Korn, Halestorm, and Evanescence, handled engineering and production. The lineup includes Jerry Roe on drums, Luis Espalliat on bass, and Zack Rapp from Dream Theater on lead guitar and violins, with Martin covering vocals and guitar. It’s a setup that balances aggression with precision, letting the songs hit hard without losing their emotional core.

In a Veterans Day post on Facebook, Martin didn’t hold back about what this album means and what it cost. “You know, the things you thank us for today, have lifetime consequences for those who carry the burden,” he wrote. “I always thought if you’re gonna thank someone, better be specific about what and why, otherwise it has no meaning except as a false absolution for yourself.” It’s a pointed critique of performative gratitude, and it underscores what “Aversion to Normalcy” is actually about: rejecting easy answers and comfortable narratives in favor of something messier and more honest.

Martin pulls from punk rock, grunge, and metal, but what ties it together is his refusal to romanticize any of it. This isn’t protest music in the traditional sense. There are no slogans, no clear villains. Instead, it’s an invitation to sit with discomfort, to look at the parts of life that don’t fit into neat categories, and to find meaning in survival itself.

The Quarantined also support the Free2Luv movement, working on anti-bullying efforts, mental health advocacy, and music education for veterans and their families. It tracks with what the album’s already doing: making room for people who are still figuring it out, still fighting through it.

“Aversion to Normalcy” doesn’t offer answers. It offers witness, which might be more valuable anyway. In a culture that constantly demands we move on, heal up, and get back to normal, Martin’s album asks a better question: what if normal was never the goal in the first place?

“Aversion to Normalcy” is available now on all streaming platforms. You can follow The Quarantined on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook at @thequarantined, visit their website here, or stream their projects on Spotify.

Entertainment

Meet Kaziboii, the Afrobeats Artist Mixing Drill Energy With Vibrant Soul

Published

2 weeks ago

November 10, 2025

Popular Hustle Staff

There’s a tension in Kaziboii’s music that most artists spend years trying to figure out. How do you make something hit hard enough for the club while still carrying real weight? How do you blend the aggressive punch of drill with the kind of soul that actually means something? For the Nigerian artist now based in the UK, that balance isn’t something he’s chasing. It’s just how he hears music.

Raised between Lagos and Port Harcourt with a mother who kept music constantly playing, Kaziboii didn’t just grow up around sound. He studied it. As a kid, he bought Michael Jackson lyric sheets just to understand how songs worked. That early obsession turned into high school bands, homemade beats, and eventually his first studio track “Carolina” in 2018. That session confirmed what he already knew.

By 2020, he was performing at beer carnivals when Mc Concept (aka Oga Boss) saw him and started booking more shows. He went by Kazola back then, but switched to Kaziboii in 2021, the same year he moved to the UK to study Music Production and Performance at the University of Chester. He wanted to understand the technical side of what he’d been doing instinctively for years.

His sound pulls from Wizkid’s melodies, Timaya’s street energy, and Burna Boy’s fusion approach, but what comes out is distinctly his. Afrobeats meets Afro Drill meets Afro Hip-Hop in a way that refuses to pick a lane. His seven-track EP “BODY TO BODY” dropped on August 19, 2025, running just under 20 minutes with standout tracks “Jemimah” and “Wetin Day Do Me.” The project featured Duncan Mighty and Fiokee, and it showed exactly what happens when you stop treating genres like borders.

Right now he’s working on “Too Late” featuring Qx The Great and “Sideways” featuring Faceless, both international collaborations that continue his approach of turning real experiences into tracks that work on the dance floor without losing their emotional core. For Kaziboii, the goal has always been simple: make people feel something while they move.

That’s the thing about blending drill’s intensity with genuine soul. It only works if both sides are real. Kaziboii isn’t softening the edges or adding emotion as an afterthought. He’s proving that energy and feeling don’t cancel each other out. They make each other stronger.

Follow Kaziboii on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and stream his music on Spotify.

Entertainment

LBE Scar on His Two EPs, Loyalty, Fatherhood, and Opening for Bone Thugs-N-Harmony

Published

2 weeks ago

November 8, 2025

Popular Hustle Staff

LBE Scar just released two EPs in the same week, handled all the engineering and production himself, and he’s set to open for Bone Thugs-N-Harmony on November 29 at Cleveland’s Agora Theater. For the Canton, Ohio artist born Skyler Lewis, those three letters in his name carry weight. Loyalty Before Everything isn’t a tagline. It’s the code he lives by, and it’s what’s pushed him this far.

Fresh off releasing “The Chronicles of Scar, Vol. 1” and “The Chronicles of Scar, Vol. 2,” the 29-year-old father of two sat down to talk about what’s driving him, the upcoming Bone Thugs show, and why he refuses to take handouts.

What does LBE stand for, and why does it matter so much to you?

LBE stands for Loyalty Before Everything. This whole process is personal. It ain’t got nothing to do with music anymore. It’s about staying true to the people who’ve been real with me and cutting off anyone who wasn’t.

You dropped two EPs in the same week. What was the inspiration behind that?

My kids. That’s it. Plain and simple. My daughter Zalaya and my son Junior are the reason I keep going strong. That’s why I gave the world these projects. I wanted y’all to feel me in these songs, like really feel me, without any visuals even needed. I just wanted to paint a picture inside the mind of my audience and fans, and release something that everyone can relate to. My past traumas are what molded me into who I am today. After I did my performance in Cleveland, Ohio, I knew this is what I was destined to be. I’m here to stay. I’m here to make music and give it to the world.

“The Chronicles of Scar Vol. 1” by LBE Scar

“The Chronicles of Scar Vol. 2” by LBE Scar

Let’s talk about “Karma” & “Choose You” from Vol. 1. What’s these tracks about?

“Karma” about betrayal and learning who’s really loyal. I tried to uplift people, invest my time and energy, and got burned. The song’s about cutting ties with people who switched up and realizing I had to build everything on my own. I wrote “Choose You” on my 29th birthday back in May after someone I thought was loyal betrayed me. I had to force myself to finish that song. I took that inner pain and turned it into motivation. We can respect the truth, but we can’t respect a liar.

You’ve got some major shows coming up. What’s happening?

In the upcoming weeks, we’ll be in New York doing interviews and performing our set with YBL SINATRA. Then at the end of the month, we’ll be back in Cleveland, Ohio again, opening up for all five members of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (tickets here). I just want to give a special shoutout to my brother SINATRA for staying loyal, plugging me in, and making all this happen.

YBL Sinatra and LBE Scar are set to open for all five members of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony on November 29 at the Agora Theater in Cleveland

How’d you connect with YBL SINATRA?

We grew up around the corner from each other when I lived in Cleveland. His real name is Leon McCane aka Young Bone Luxurii Sinatra, and he’s Bizzy Bone’s son. The connection runs deep. These upcoming shows we’ve got together are gonna be huge.

What’s next after these shows?

My tour begins in February 2026. All the dates are dropping on New Year’s Day. I’m also working on a new project with SINATRA and my third EP. Dee Dee Vision’s gonna be capturing everything. He’s a goat with the camera, and he’s gonna be doing a couple visuals for me soon.

Right now, LBE Scar’s focused on proving that building from the ground up, with no handouts, is the only way that matters. The message is simple: stay loyal, stay consistent, and the rest will follow.

Keep up to date with LBE Scar on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, Spotify, and SoundCloud.