Cosmic Anxiety – Rise Up (2026)
Two months shy of being one year old, Cosmic Anxiety formed in October 2025 by humanoids Eli (vocals) and Gasher (synths). With the idea of creating songs for political social commentary and darkwave vibes, Cosmic Anxiety began sauntering through the realm of dark and alternative pop. To date, the band have released mostly demos, a tribute to Garbage’s ‘Only Happy When It Rains’, and their debut single, ‘The Crack In My Heart’. Today, we take a gander and listen to their most recent release, ‘Rise Up’.
If you grew up as a “90s music consumer”, you’ll immediately hear the influence of Rage Against The Machine in ‘Rise Up’. Self-recorded and produced at Berlin’s Studio Greenskull, ‘Rise Up’ uses the repeated line, “Fuck them, we won’t do what they tell us”, directly pointing to the influence of RATM’s ‘Killing In The Name’. It tackles existential instability, discrimination, isolation, inequality, and the following of world leaders who want nothing more than to line their wallets rather than democracy.
The theme and concept are ageless, timeless and universal, with the lyrics being just as relevant today as they were 30 years ago. Melodically, ‘Rise Up’ doesn’t highlight the RATM influence. Instead of hip-hop meets metal, the single is a high-powered mix of Gasher’s synths layered across a pulsating backbeat. Not necessarily toe-tapping, but definitely a song that will have you shouting along, pumping your fists in the air with conviction.
For me, it is not only the instrumental arrangement that captivates, but Eli’s vocals. A degree of disconnect exists with Eli’s voice taking one lane and Gasher’s electronica another. It’s powerful, exciting and inspiring – clarity with each note, but in a united rush of “rise up against the powers that be”. The final moments have Eli and Gasher’s friends singing, “eat the rich”, which every individual recorded outside of a studio. It inserts a sense of haunting, but also gives a sense of camaraderie.
Find out more about Cosmic Anxiety on their official website, Instagram, YouTube, SoundCloud, Bandcamp and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustianablecurator
Listen to more electronic pop music on The Other Side Reviews Electronic Pop playlist:
