VINSON Drops Debut Vaporwave Album
Detroit-based artist VINSON announced his debut album *RAW HONEY*, dropping April 24th with the title track already available. The album blends classic vaporwave textures with contemporary production, aiming to capture both nostalgia and forward-looking energy for 2026's electronic music landscape.
A Detroit native, VINSON's musical roots are deeply embedded in the city's history. He is related to members of legendary Motown groups The Four Tops and The Contours, influences that predate Detroit's famous techno and hip-hop scenes. Before his debut LP, VINSON released a series of projects including *SoftSweetRadical* and *Rhythmic Pool*. After moving to Los Angeles in 2019, he immersed himself in the city's underground scene, opening for acts like Ghostface Killah and DUCKWRTH. *RAW HONEY* was mixed and mastered by Jake Viator at the influential Stones Throw Studios. The title track is described as having a "clattering J Dilla-style shuffle," connecting VINSON's sound directly to another Detroit music icon. The album features a number of collaborations, including guest spots from fellow Detroit rapper Bruiser Wolf, as well as Nappy Nina, Enjonu, and Kesswa. Vaporwave as a genre first emerged online in the early 2010s. It's characterized by its use of slowed-down and manipulated samples from 1980s and 1990s smooth jazz, R&B, and lounge music, often paired with visuals that critique or satirize consumer culture. The genre's pioneers, such as Daniel Lopatin and Ramona Xavier (under aliases like Chuck Person and Macintosh Plus, respectively), created its blueprint by distorting corporate and pop culture sounds. This created a nostalgic and surrealist atmosphere that became a hallmark of the style.
