After experiencing breakout success on SoundCloud with 2024’s “Meant It,” DXRKNOVA is back with new music. In this exclusive commentary, the Nashville-based artist talks about his blend of indie pop and alternative R&B, offering a glimpse into the making of recent tracks. Following the release of his July 2025 album, ‘crush,’ DXRKNOVA dropped “mission,” sharing that he wrote this track after taking a two-month break and moving to Tennessee. “Sometimes you write a song that you don’t even know what it means until after you listen back to the lyrics and analyze it yourself,” he explains. Elsewhere, DXRKNOVA shares that the track “go far” (from ‘crush’) represents the first time he experimented with pitch, while “missed calls,” which was recorded entirely on his phone, was written during a down period “when I was feeling pretty stuck in my ways.” Hear more from DXRKNOVA, only on SoundCloud.


Voice Notes: DXRKNOVA on "go far"

Voice Notes: DXRKNOVA on "bobby valentino"

Voice Notes: DXRKNOVA on "rundown"

Voice Notes: DXRKNOVA on "mission"

Voice Notes: DXRKNOVA on "missed calls (6) interlude"

California-based, Maryland-raised rapper and songwriter redveil named his latest release ‘sankofa.’ In this exclusive commentary, he talks about the making of key tracks from the project, which he shares was inspired by the titular Ghanaian interconnected heart symbol and its relation to the Akan proverb that translates as “It’s not taboo to go back for what you forgot (or left behind).” He had one goal for the song “brown sugar,” explaining how he asked himself, “How can I bring this beautiful soul production and combine it with a really sticky melody, raw hip-hop, and make something new?” Elsewhere, the track “mini me” is the first song he played live drums on (“It’s really exhilarating to me”) while “pray 4 me” focuses on his exploration of “something larger than myself.” Hear more from redveil, only on SoundCloud.

Voice Notes: redveil on "brown sugar"

Voice Notes: redveil on "lone star"

Voice Notes: redveil on "pray 4 me"

Voice Notes: redveil on "mini me"

Voice Notes: redveil on "buzzerbeater / black christmas"

SoundCloud Stories elevates artists’ creative journeys, spotlights vibrant music communities and gives a behind-the-scenes look at the defining sounds of today and tomorrow. Original content includes the Sound Advice interview series, exclusive track-by-track artist commentary on Voice Notes, and the Weekly Download playlist, which highlights essential scenes and groundbreaking artists.

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