So Nero, right? This British trio that’s been kicking around since the early 2000s but really hit their stride around 2011 with their debut album Welcome Reality. Dan Stephens and Joe Ray started the whole thing back in 2001 when they were just 17, messing around with electronic music in a bedroom studio. They later brought in Alana Watson for vocals and boom, you got yourself a proper electronic outfit that knows how to make some noise.
Welcome Reality+ is basically their debut album with some extra goodies thrown in. The whole thing is supposedly set in the year 2808, which sounds pretty ridiculous when you say it out loud, but honestly it kinda works with all the sci-fi vibes they’re throwing around. These guys took dubstep when it was still getting its footing and basically said “let’s make this cinematic as hell”, and they weren’t wrong.
The standout tracks here are obviously “Promises”, the one that got them Grammy recognition when Skrillex jumped on the remix. It’s got that massive build-up thing going on that makes you feel like you’re in some epic movie scene. “Innocence” is another banger that showcases how they blend Alana’s vocals with those crushing electronic drops. “Me and You” and “Guilt” are solid too, they’re the kind of tracks that work whether you’re at a festival or just need something to pump you up. The album version of “Guilt” especially builds to something pretty exciting.
Look, this isn’t groundbreaking dubstep for the purists, but that’s kinda the point. Nero took electronic music and made it accessible without completely selling out. It’s cinematic, it’s got hooks, and it hits hard when it needs to. If you’re into stuff like Pendulum or even early Skrillex, this is gonna scratch that itch. Plus the whole concept album thing actually works better than it should. Give it a shot if you want electronic music that feels like a proper adventure rather than just background noise.