Brand new EP from RIOT SON

Based in North Carolina, RIOT SON creates fiercely original music that sees beauty and turbulence, isolation and catharsis, rebellion and emotion all collide within a sound that draws equally from post punk intensity, indie rock emotion and dream pop atmosphere. His songs feel tethered to a sense of place, carrying the aura of the Appalachian region while transforming personal reflection into music capable of connecting with listeners around the world.

The name itself captures much of that spirit; RIOT SON suggests unrest and release, emotional chaos channelled into something expressive more so than destructive. Across his work, feelings of heartbreak and uncertainty are never hidden beneath abstraction, they’re confronted directly, filtered into songs that feel at once intimate and powerful. That emotional context sits at the centre of what RIOT SON describes as “Appalachian Gloom,” a self-coined sonic sphere blending post punk, dream pop and emotional exposure.

Vocally, traces of Gerard Way and Robert Smith echo through the project, while atmospheric influences from Beach House, Cigarettes After Sex and Sparklehorse drift through the surrounding textures. Part of that sound has come through a collaborative network stretching far beyond North Carolina itself and while working alongside producer Manget$u, known for work with Ekkstacy and The Kid Laroi at Universal Music, as well as Quebec-based mixing engineer VE Beats and London mentor Philip Spalding, a protégé of legendary producer Martin Rushent, RIOT SON has gradually brought together local emotional landscapes and wider underground alternative scenes.

Since first emerging in September 2023 with the debut single “Friday,” RIOT SON has earned a reputation as one of the more compelling rising voices operating within modern alternative indie music. Now his vision crystallises in My Love Is A Promise That I Can’t Keep, a brand new three-track EP penned during a period marked by profound personal loss. The EP transforms grief, heartbreak and solitude into something unexpectedly restorative, inspired in part by reflective moments spent at Price Lake along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

“Loneliest At Best” sets up the release, filtering in with the hurried patter of drums and jangly plucks of guitar before landing with warm vocal leads which glides over the energising indie rock arrangement. With storytelling lyrics carried by smooth vocal delivery, the steady rustle of percussion, pulsing bass tones and intricate guitar work keeps the energy up before the track simmers in a stripped back breakdown before gently building towards an anthemic conclusion of lively vocal layers spinning memorable melodic leads.

With “What Makes You Think,” he presents an emotive outing that recounts a tale of heartbreak, RIOT SON offsets the melancholic inspiration of the song with a subtly buoyant soundscape that bubbles with invigorating energy and catchy hooks. With flickering guitar notes dancing alongside his compelling vocals, the uptempo shuffle of drums and immersive instrumentation layers forms a stellar showcase of his pop-tinged songwriting and performance talent.

The closing track, “Slowly Without You,” sees RIOT SON lean into his slowcore influences to reveal the range of his sound on a moving, downtempo song. Born from a late-night drive through the Appalachian Mountains, the song uses a distinctive dual-microphone recording technique involving a vintage 1974 Shere O Dyne 533SA and an AKG C214 condenser microphone. Soft plucks of guitar set a mellow sound before the laid back taps of drums usher in RIOT SON’s hushed vocals to cast a dreamy, intimate and highly affecting finale to his incredible new EP.

With My Love Is A Promise That I Can’t Keep, RIOT SON stakes his claim as a visionary artist putting his Appalachian Gloom style on the map. As he continues to win over more fans across the USA and beyond, we can’t wait to see what comes next from this talented singer-songwriter with a unique and truly engaging musical offering.

Listen to My Love Is A Promise That I Can’t Keep below