The sound of underground electronic music is evolving at breakneck speed, and one of the key sub-genres emerging from the early 2020s is digicore. Drawing inspiration from the late 2010s’ spiderweb of interconnected digital sonics, covering hyperpop, trap and emo rap, digicore is characterized by several key elements.
Vocally, digicore operates between singing and rapping, with a lyrical emphasis that leans on emotional and often fraught subject matters, drawing from emo and the darker side of rap music. The style favors a melodic, auto-tuned and high-pitched vocal style, with tactile breathwork and raw, almost blown-out recording techniques. Sonically, digicore aims to be as digital as possible. Taking from rhythmic 808s beats, as well as from trap and drill production, artists fold in elements of maximalist EDM, noise, hyperpop and glitchcore. The overall effect is chaotic on the surface, but melodically taught at its core.
Digicore emerged primarily on SoundCloud in the 2010s thanks to collectives such as Sweden’s Drain Gang — featuring Yung Lean, Bladee, Ecco2K, Whitearmor and Thaiboy Digital — who coined the term “cloud rap” for their emo-inspired ambient rap style, and acts like 100gecs, who blend noisy melodics with rap production techniques. As the sound has percolated online over the last decade, other artists have drawn from rap trends emerging in tandem, like drill and electronic styles like hyperpop, to create boundary-pushing, speaker-blowing tracks.
Pulling forward into its own distinct sub-genre, that digicore crunchiness is expanding its palette. Some artists are drawing from more EDM, dance and rap elements than hyperpop, like 2hollis, Ninajirachi, Machine Girl, umru, ISOxo and horsegiirL. Others, like glaive, kmoe and Jane Remover pull from emo and alternative rock. Elsewhere in the scene, artists are gravitating towards a kind of blown-out, hyperactive style of rap music that’s being termed “rage,” best heard in rapper/producers such as Playboi Carti, Yeat, xaviersobased, midwxst and Ken Carson. Dive into this fresh collection of tracks — featuring Snow Strippers, Nettspend, Lucy Bedroque, Lancey Foux and more — and discover the developing sound of digicore.
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2hollis, “nerve”
A breakthrough artist for a new generation of electronic, rap-inspired music, vocalist and musician 2hollis dropped his latest album, ‘star,’ in 2025.
Ninajirachi, “Fuck My Computer (Frost Children Remix)”
On her debut album ‘I Love My Computer,’ Australian producer and vocalist Ninajirachi explores an overstimulated worldview of electronics, hyperpop, EDM and more.
ISOxo, Brutalismus 3000, “SPIRAL”
Producer ISOxo brings his high energy, punk style to this 2026 collaboration with Berlin hard dance duo Brutalismus 3000.
Playboi Carti, “POP OUT”
The hit-making rapper continues to experiment with digicore and rap styles on his 2025 album, ‘MUSIC.’
Yeat, NGeeYL, “OH I DID”
A rising name in the digicore orbit, breakout rapper Yeat explores rage and electronic styles on his 2025 album, ‘DANGEROUS SUMMER.’
Ken Carson, “Fighting My Demons”
Atlanta rapper Ken Carson brings a rage-filled, noise-driven edge to contemporary rap music. His latest album is 2025’s ‘More Chaos.’
Snow Strippers, “Favorite Lifeline”
Vocalist Tatiana Schwaninger and producer Graham Perez bring EDM melodies into their electropunk sound as Snow Strippers.
midwxst, “waste time”
Influenced by emo melodies and lyrics, Indiana rapper midwxst came through with a digicore sound. His latest project is 2025’s ‘SOLACE’ EP.
Jane Remover, “Flash in the Pan”
Vocalist and musician Jane Remover leans towards an indie pop and emo-inspired digicore sound on 2025’s ‘Revengeseekers.’
Nettspend, xaviersobased, “IMPACT”
Vocalist and songwriter Nettspend works with breakthrough rapper xaviersobased, who started out posting his tracks on SoundCloud as a young teenager.
Lancey Foux, “DAYTONA”
Lancey Foux draws from a distorted digicore sound; the East London rapper dropped this track in late 2025.
ApolloRed1, “EMO Hoes”
Atlanta rapper ApolloRed1 came through on Playboi Carti’s YVL label. This track features on his 2025 EP, ‘Tantrum.’
NOTION, Nate Sib, “UNCONDITIONAL”
UK electronic producer NOTION blends digicore ideas into his melodic dance tracks, including this latest track with vocalist Nate Sib.
umru, underscores, “Poplife”
A key hyperpop producer and collaborator of Charli XCX and A.G. Cook, umru works with vocalist underscores on this energetic track.
horsegiiirL, “YOLO”
Known for her surrealist look, producer and vocalist horsegiiirL blends EDM, hyperpop digicore and trance with impact.
Machine Girl, “Come On Baby, Scrape My Data”
Machine Girl’s 2025 album, ‘PyschoWarrior: MG Ultra X’ is a hyperactive fusion of digicore, glitchcore, hyperpop and electro.
Femtanyl, “BODY THE PISTOL”
A collaborator of glaive, Femtanyl brings elements of IDM into the digicore sound on their February 2026 album, ‘MAN BITES DOG.’
Lucy Bedroque, “ERASE YOUR SOCIAL”
LA-based rapper, producer and songwriter Lucy Bedroque fuses emo songwriting with blown-out 808s and digicore production.
Bassvictim, “Makes you wonder”
UK vocal and production duo Bassvictim dropped their latest album, ‘Basspunk 2,’ in 2025.
yungster jack, yoyou, “gentle glass”
An early producer in the digicore sound, yungster jack dropped this ambient, hyperpop-leaning track in 2025.
xaviersobased, “Party At My Place”
After breaking through on SoundCloud, the digicore rapper dropped his debut album, ‘Xavier,’ in February 2026.
dazegxd, Lucy Bedroque, “angel voice (freestyle)”
Lucy Bedroque links up with Brooklyn-based dance producer and DJ dazegxd for this experimental freestyle.
1oneam, “5G”
Milwaukee-based rapper-producer 1oneam residing came up through the cr3stfallen crew. His latest EP is December 2025’s ‘Sin+.’
ericdoa, “song for when the bar closes”
Moving between hyperpop and digicore, ericdoa (formerly known as killeric) started releasing tracks on SoundCloud in 2017. This track opens his 2024 EP, ‘why suffer for us?’.
Feng, “Teenage Famous”
Leaning into indie pop melodies, rap vocalist Feng dropped his latest album, ‘Weekend Rockstar,’ in February 2026.
glaive, “Asheville”
After posting his tracks on SoundCloud during the pandemic, the North Carolina vocalist and producer signed to Interscope. This track opens his 2025 album, ‘Y’all.’
kmoe, “Thousand yard stare”
Hailing from Vancouver, kmoe pulls an alternative rock melodic sensibility into his electronic tracks. This song features on his June 2025 album, ‘K1.’
damon r., “summer”
LA-based damon r. mixes emo, electropop and digicore. His sonic evolution can be hard on his 2024 EP, ‘re.’
The Hellp, “Country Road”
The duo from LA come from indie sleaze, and bring electro-pop and digicore production elements into their tracks. Their latest is November 2025’s ‘Riviera.’
A.G. Cook, “Dread”
Label boss of PC Music, A.G. Cook reimagines Icona Pop’s hit track “I Love It” for the soundtrack for Charli XCX’s 2026 film, “The Moment.”