Artist Spotlight
Lupae Filius – This is (Feat. Just A Random)
This year alone, Lupae Filius – a rapper, singer, producer, and beatmaker from Stavanger, Norway – has attracted a lot of international attention for his impressive performances on tracks like “Run”, “Heard It All” and “On A Vybe”. He was definitely setting the bar high, and met all of the expectations that were set for him. Born Sebastian Jonassen, Lupae Filius has been working his craft for well over a decade. Lupae raps and sings with a cool passion that draws you in and intrigues you. He has a certain smooth swagger when it comes to his approach and his lyrics. On top of everything, apart from demonstrating his vocal skills, Lupae’s self-produced beats also sound fantastic, showing that he’s very well-versed on all fronts.
If there is one track that manages to coalesce the many special elements of this rapper/singer/producer/songwriter’s artistry, that noble title would be given to his latest single release, “This Is”. The track dropped on September 23rd and was premiered on a Norwegian radio station and a TV channel on the same day.
On the track, alongside Lupae Filius, we find singer/rapper Just A Random, who also hails from Stavanger, Norway. Though the two artists are both based in the same city, they never knew each other previously.
“This Is” turns out to be very warm and inviting, with a beautiful slow to mid-tempo groove to it, allowing Lupae Filius and Just A Random to narrate the experiences lived in their city.
As he proved on previous tracks, Lupae can be a very technical and profound lyricist, while at the same time he is able to focus on the vibes and grooves, together with displaying sharp, mellifluous, and high-caliber rap-singing. Lupae Filius manages to find a meaty compromise between “This Is” is a clean pop track, and still infectious in its scope of rap and hip-hop.
Artist Spotlight
personalheartbreaker and ENCASSATOR unpack manipulation, obsession and remorse on “Sorry Eyed”
“Sorry Eyed” is a dark shoegaze and alternative rock ballad by personalheartbreaker and ENCASSATOR that explores the space between obsession, emotional dependence, manipulation, and remorse. The new single slowly reveals how reliance is a form of oppression, not just weakness. The result is a psychologically complex song that pulls you into a relationship where trust and exploitation are not mutually exclusive.
The track takes an unsettling emotional turn through its manipulator’s perspective in “Sorry Eyed.” At first, the narrator seems dependent on another person, as if they need comfort, connection, or support. But as the story progresses, that openness starts to resemble exploitation. The song’s heart is the power imbalance, where regret always clashes with self-interest.
This struggle gives the song its emotional weight, because the narrator knows the damage he’s causing but is still addicted to the perks of manipulation. The accompanying music video arrives September 30th and carries that story further with the angel’s trust, devotion, and sacrifice. What begins with faith in a fellow man ends in destruction and offers visual counterpoint to the song’s themes.
“Sorry Eyed” is a collaboration with ENCASSATOR, who produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered the song and played a major role in its development. That full creative engagement helps shape the single into one cohesive piece, where the track’s dark alternative rock, shoegaze identity doesn’t detract from the story but supports it. “Sorry Eyed” is a strong pick for fans who love exploring manipulation and complicated relationships.
Artist Spotlight
“Hell has frozen over” finds Sarina choosing peace over being understood
Sarina’s new track, “Hell has frozen over,” explores the less dramatic, more complicated moment of reaching the end of the road, being gaslit, ignored, rejected, and painfully lonely. It translates the emotional burnout into a rock-pop context that’s easy to understand.
“Hell has frozen over” focuses on the decision to step away, instead of explaining, defending, or seeking understanding from people who refuse to listen. The rock foundation gives it the right weight, the pop influence makes it accessible, and the focus stays on the emotional message.
Sarina’s art is the struggle of loss and being strong in yourself. It’s about understanding that protecting your peace is more important than being understood. And that’s the emotional balance that gives the release its character so that the subject matter has relevance beyond a particular circumstance.
“Hell has frozen over“ is a relief from the burden of carrying on a debate that will never be resolved. Sarina turns an experience of isolation into a statement about boundaries, resilience, and the choice not to get caught in the same cycle. The result is a record that’s at its best when it’s being true to what it feels like to finally be free from whatever has been holding you down.
Photo Credit: Andrea Hunter
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