From The Corners: Ayumiko’s “Dancing Darkness”

Ayumiko has popped up on several songs by electronic artists that we’ve covered in recent times, but “Dancing Darkness” seems like a good entry point into her own sound. The melancholy atmosphere and her use of anime visuals puts her in similar territory to young artists such as Sleet Mage and Gokou Kuyt, but she doesn’t really rap here, but rather sings in a whispery style that reminds me of an artist like Canopies And Drapes. Yet let’s not get too caught up in comparisons, because Ayumiko’s greatest skill here — besides creating a tense mood — is matching music with vocal delivery, her muffled singing sliding just right alongside the beat. Listen above.