Apr. 21, 2026
Cleaver Blue
Artist Feature #1:
I’m not sure when I first came across Cleaver Blue. Not that I'm some prideful early listener – I just really couldn’t tell you. It seems maybe I heard his music on an ‘Inadvertant.Index’ Satellite tape, though I’m still quite confused about that project’s origins (maybe someone could tell me).
Anyway, the British-Chinese artist just put out a new EP, titled invessel. Apparently ‘in-vessel’ is some sort of waste treatment method. I’m assuming this was not the point of reference, although maybe it was. To me, invessel is like adjacent to our internal self being carried through time in a physical shell. Although, since that makes me sound annoying as shit, part of me hopes it’s just the garbage thing.
I tried to capture the sound in a few words, to provide a vague idea to new listeners. This is what I got: Neo-folk (a word chosen by him in his artist bio), autotuned lullabies, contained etherealness, & 21st century melancholy. For those seeking a more comprehensive description, keep reading.
A key theme throughout his catalogue is the interaction between organic instrumentation and electronic processing, explaining the tag ‘neo-folk’. While still remaining quite folk-y melodically, the "neo” end of this balance is more often than not reserved for the vocals. This is heard through the intentional use of autotune, and at times robotic processing, however there are occasional manipulations of the vox through chopping, pitching, and/or reversing. Here and there, though infrequent, is what sounds like electronic/MIDI instrumentation and the occasional modern sound effect.
On the more organic, acoustic side, are familiar recorded elements such as guitar, piano, strings, and live drums. While I can’t say for certain that these elements are not programmed, it is clear that the intention is to hold space for more acoustic sounds. There is the occasional “field-recording” sound effect, such as a recording of a chattering crowd.
Melodically, gentle and familiar phrases are articulated through experimental textures, creating an experience reminiscent of half-sleep.
The balance he strikes, between such contrasting elements, is rare for someone this early in their career. Electronic//acoustic, gentle//textural, vulnerable//confident, bare//creative. All seem to strike a perfect equilibrium that is difficult to achieve.
In terms of character, there is a clear authenticity, or more specifically honesty. A certain purity remains unjaded by the pull of trends, and as a result, the music feels genuinely approachable and unpretentious. Through his entire discography, he seems to stay wholly focused on evolving his sound and, in a very rare way for someone this early in their career, really owns it, emitting a sense of confidence that inspires the same.
AI is not a threat to his music.
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