CIFIKA - “Hexagon”

SXSW 2022 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 5

Pairs Well With…Aseul, Yoshi Flower, Elohim

Electronic pop artist CIFIKA released her debut full-length HANA in 2020, a dance record that plays mostly in downtempo spaces, creatively and experimentally placing trance melodies throughout the hypnotic release. While there are house-music traditions in bassy backbeats and hi-hat rhythms in CIFIKA’s music, it’s the ghostly, sonic explorations that really show off the Korean artist patient and mysterious songwriting. While most of the songs on HANA are vocal tracks, CIFIKA tends to blend into her music rather than separate and overpower it, a balanced sound that draws in and doesn’t let go. (Kevin McStravick)

2020 Review: Downtempo electronic pop artist CIFIKA released one single since her sophomore EP PRISM, the smoothly funky “now or never” composed alongside collaborators Crush & Woo. While still following CIFIKA’s patterns of chill ambience, “now or never” is one of the poppiest in her catalog versus some of her more psychedelic, experimental material. The lounge-soul melodies fit her sound well and could be a signpost for the next evolution of CIFIKA coming in 2020.