Over the past couple of years, Alienobserver has been a quietly rising star on the horizon of the area’s electronic music scene. Across only a stream of small releases and live performances, the picture that’s already emerged from this solo project is that Orlando’s Meg Campbell is a distinctive figure of clear vision.
“I take inspiration from many things,” says Campbell. “Artists such as Grimes, iamamiwhoami and Sextile influence my sound and aesthetic a lot. I’ve also taken inspiration from Japanese video games and anime such as Nier: Automata and the 2008 anime Kaiba.”
In Alienobserver, it all amounts to a sleek, otherworldly electro-pop sound that’s very much of the underground, on a frequency that’s neither cloyingly commercial nor esoterically experimental. On the new Metamorphosis EP, her first extended release since her 2022 debut (the Ethereal Dreams EP), Campbell offers the fullest, most crafted snapshot of Alienobserver to date.
From late-night synth throbs (“Kerosene Autonomy”) to pixie house music (“You Got Me”) to planetarium lullabies (“Never Be the Same” and “Heart Beats”), it’s a four-song set that encompasses a tight and tasteful spectrum of electronic idioms. Accessible but not pandering, Metamorphosis is a work of style and restraint that proves that minimalism need not be stark.
“Metamorphosis is about the transformation that happened to me when I found my people,” Campbell says. “Love entered my life at full force and I had to express that in my art. Each song expresses how that transformation manifests for me.”
The Metamorphosis EP now streams everywhere, sits atop TLU’s Spotify playlist and is about to see physical cassette release via Orlando label Popnihil. The tape release show is next week, where Alienobserver will perform along with Kissa Death, Pup Rocky, Spectral Body and Strawberry Girl. (8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, The Dust, 431 E. Central Blvd., $10)
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This article appears in Feb 19-25, 2025.
