INTERVIEW: Maze Cricket returns with new single

Coming out of Thessaloniki in Greece, Maze Cricket is an independent electronic artist whose music lands in an intriguing space between atmospheric pop, darkwave and the surreal. Working under the self-described banner of ‘space pop,’ she creates haunting, emotionally charged soundscapes that find beauty in the unsettling, drawing listeners towards the strange familiarity of empty corridors, solitary journeys and the quieter corners of the internet.

Entirely self-produced from her bedroom studio, her work reflects a highly personal take on electronic music, influenced by an extensive classical background and an interest with the emotional opportunities of sound. With over two decades of classical piano training behind her, Maze Cricket brings an accomplished musical ability to productions that frequently venture towards cinematic spheres. Intricate synth arrangements provide the setting for soft, expressive vocal performances, creating a contrast between delicate melodies and darker electronic textures.

Her music is designed to capture a particular atmosphere, drawing on dreamcore aesthetics to create an alternative electronic world that feels at once intimate and otherworldly. Taking cues from artists such as Lana Del Rey, Boy Harsher and Pastel Ghost, Maze Cricket uses these influences as a starting point for something altogether more elusive. Eschewing familiar pop or club stylings, she distorts their boundaries, allowing emotional songwriting and experimental production to coalesce in an entirely new way.

First making her artistic entrance in 2022, she unveiled the Maze Cricket sound with the debut single “Blink,” which she followed up with the sophomore outing “Mind The Gap” before her debut record, Blue Orange, landed the next year. After two further single in 2024, she took a brief hiatus from sharing her sound but now Maze Cricket returns with her new singl titled “Stranger.”

Born from a dream and informed by the dissociative emotions that can follow heartbreak, “Stranger” explores the unnerving experience of alienation. Its central inspiration comes from the entity known as The Stranger in the horror fiction podcast The Magnus Archives, drawing on the fear of something that appears almost human but never completely convincing, distilling the tension in the unknown to capture the sense that something is wrong without being able to identify precisely what has changed.

“Stranger” avoids the predictable structure of a conventional club track by letting repetition and texture create a trance-like sense of movement. Brought in by the flicker of airy synth notes and click of percussion, warm bass tones glide in to inject a laid back groove as Maze Cricket’s breathy vocals are set against the pulsing, disquieting arrangement. Flowing with steady rhythmic march and wrapped in a hazy sonic aesthetic, the track reframes danceable energy in a minimal setting, casting an utterly spellbinding listening experience from start to finish.

Dashed with memorable melodic leads and shifting vocal elements where stuttered lines give way to overlapping layers, “Stranger” sees Maze Cricket lay down a dark and wholly absorbing soundscape. Brimming with her alluring vocal style, instilled with grooving flow and flutters of bright synth tones, the track crafts a brooding sound that perfectly captures Maze Cricket’s space pop style.

With “Stranger,” Maze Cricket returns to the alternative electronic landscape by finding a deft balance between emotional context and intricate sound design, presenting a stunning musical moment that’s sure to impress new and existing listeners alike. We caught up with Maze Cricket to find out more about her musical journey so far, her new single “Stranger” and what she’s got lined up for the future. Check out our interview with Maze Cricket below.

Hey Maze Cricket, how’s things?

Things are dark, busy and beautifully chaotic. Right now I’m deep inside a world-building phase for my multimedia universe. Most of my days I’m trapped in my room mapping out horror fiction timelines, doing some 3D animation and creating gloomy soundtracks. It feels like scoring a nightmare and I love every minute of it.

What’s your earliest memory of making music?

My earliest memory goes back to 2004 when I was eight years old. I had just started classical piano, but all my parents could afford for home practice was a cheap synthesizer. Naturally, I didn’t just stick with the sheet music, I started experimenting. I figured out how to record melodies, loop them, and layer textures on top of each other. My uncle-a total music nut, caught me doing this and convinced my parents to get me a formal music education, which launched me into years of conservatory training.

Which artists do you draw most inspiration from?

My foundation is definitely built on the dark, melancholic alternative music I grew up with – bands like Muse, Placebo, and Archive taught me how to appreciate scale, tension, and atmosphere. That, combined with my classical piano background, completely shaped how I structure melodies and compose.

How else do you find inspiration for your music?

I’m incredibly inspired by horror cinema and dark soundtracks – that’s where the visual and fictional lore of my project comes from. Aside from that, inspiration usually hits me at the most irrelevant times. I could be washing dishes or walking down the street when a sudden mood or concept just pops into my head. It’s like my subconscious is always working in the background.

What do you love about your local music scene?

I live in Thessaloniki, Greece. While we don’t have a huge, established synth-pop or cinematic electronic ecosystem, what we do have is a fierce DIY underground culture. You have to actively search for basement shows or gigs in industrial venues to find these hidden gems. There’s an incredibly raw, dark energy to these spaces. Greece has so much untapped creative talent to offer in this realm, I’m really hoping to see more electronic and dark pop artists push forward and demand the attention they deserve.

What would you say is the perfect setting for listeners to enjoy your sound?

To fully experience it, you need a pair of noise-canceling headphones with a heavy bass enhancement. Beyond that, it’s all about the environment. I love the idea of listeners taking the music into spaces that feel completely detached from reality – whether that’s a pitch-black room at 2 AM, a late-night beach sleepover under a massive canopy of stars, a lonely, eerie alleyway, or an actual séance in a haunted, abandoned building. Ultimately, my music is designed for any space or room that feels entirely warped in space and time, where the boundaries of the real world start to blur.

How has your own style and sound evolved since you started out?

I started out writing anti-pop and very raw, gritty witchcore songs. The shift to experimental electronic and cinematic dark pop happened almost overnight, and it felt like a massive creative breakthrough. I stopped just writing ‘songs’ and started approaching my music as deeply immersive soundtracks for movies that don’t exist yet—or never existed. That transition is exactly what sparked my multimedia universe.

Who would be your dream artist to collaborate with?

My absolute dream collab would be Thomas Azier and Emika. I hold a deep appreciation for their art and consider them pioneers honestly. When I first listened to Thomas Azier, I was taken aback, it was devastatingly beautiful. And what can I say about Emika honestly, she is a sonic wizard. I feel like I could learn a lot from them.

How did you find making your new single “Stranger”?

I was honestly really tired when I started writing this song. I had my DAW open and I was trying to find a good kick and snare, when the fatigue of the day just completely took over. I fell asleep and I kind of dreamt the final result, the whole song felt entirely effortless in the dream. I woke up maybe 10 minutes later and started the composition. The initial inspiration was how alienating my relationship at the time felt. I had this song sitting for around 3 years before I finally released it now.

What message did you want to get across with this release?

To be honest, I never write music to get a specific message across. I always feel a bit strange when people ask what a song is ‘about,’ as if there’s a binary code attached to the track that someone needs to decipher. I didn’t sit down to write a love song, a horror-themed song, or anything in between. It started purely with a raw, alienating feeling, and the lyrics just naturally spilled out at the exact same time as the music. For me, lyrics have to fit musically and phonetically with the soundscapes I’m building. I don’t start with a premade concept – I just take an ounce of instinctual inspiration and let it mutate into something atmospheric. The track is an open canvas; I want the listener to feel the atmosphere, not decipher a lesson.

What artist have you been listening to most recently?

Lately, my heavy rotation has been split into two very distinct worlds. On the darker, more electronic side, Emika, Scratch Massive, and La Femme have been dominating my playlists. But completely outside of what I actually write, I’ve developed a huge obsession with modern French indie pop. I listen to artists like thefrenchkris and BLOWSOM constantly. Even though I don’t write music in that lane, I have a major soft spot for this genre.

What’s the main thing you want people to get out of listening to your music?

I want them to get an absolute escape from reality and maybe create a new meaning outside of my original intentions. If my music becomes a part of someone’s world in any way shape or form, that’s already success for me.

What’s been your favourite live performance so far?

If we’re talking about a performance I’ve witnessed, it would have to be Sivert Høyem – honestly, practically every single live show of his I’ve ever attended. The first time I saw him live back in 2015 was life-changing; I encountered a feeling I had never experienced before, realizing that a single voice has the power to completely warp your mind and consciousness. His recent show in Athens was equally profound for a completely different reason. I’ve been following his music since I was 13 years old, and standing there now as a 30-year-old woman, it hit me that I’ve been part of this massive journey – and that my own musical path has been shaped around it, too. It’s an entirely ineffable bond.

Do you have any advice for a new artist wanting to follow your footsteps?

I would honestly be very honored if I ever reached a level where anyone wanted to follow in my footsteps. But if I had to pass along any advice right now, it would be to fall deeply in love with your craft, but treat it like a business. At the end of the day, music is a relationship you commit to. You have to show up for it every single day, even when it’s messy or uninspired. Treating it like a business forces you to zoom out, distance your ego, and look at your work more objectively. It protects the art, and you as an artist.

Finally, what do you have lined up next?

I’m currently putting the final touches on my next few singles, and I officially have a full-length album in the works. My ultimate goal is to transition to the stage with a live gig around 2027. I want to take my time to design a live setup that feels truly immersive, so I’m quietly plotting that out in the background.

Listen to Stranger below