Heartbreak, bitterness and alcohol usually doesn’t mix well. For most of us, it leads to poorly phrased text messages, arguments and nights followed by regretful mornings. But somehow, when three particular young artists embraced their broken hearts in a afterparty-turned-studio-session a late night in April, something special happened. Despite the obvious rough edges, off-pitch performances and cracked voices in the initial demo — Bert, Sad Dragon & Inzo , known as hollowgang, quickly realized they had something special going on.

The group proceed to work together under the name “hrtbreakboys” (due to an obviously complete lack of imagination, remind me — why did these three ever figure themselves creatives?) on several ideas and demos, while still keeping a focus on finishing the initial track. After two months of recording, producing, mixing, mastering, drinking & name changes the group now titled hollowgang have finished their debut single, “birthday”.

hollowgang is an emo-trap band formed in April of 2018 by Bert, Sad Dragon and Inzo. Blasting out into the scene with the debut single “Birthday” with their own unique take on the rather odd blending of the emo and trap genres previously pushed by artists such as Lil Lotus, Smrtdeath & Lil Aaron. They went on to form Digital Kärlek Collective with (among others) Hanna Moody and Ricky Sokhi, already established artists on the Swedish R&B/Trap scene, in May of 2018. All singles are released through the independent outfit of Digital Kärlek.

Placing themselves under the label of “emo trap”, and inspired by the 00s emo-wave and modern trap music, the group uniquely (sarcasm) covers previously untouched topics (even more sarcasm) such as heartbreak, self-destructive behaviours, depression, anxiety, melancholy and generally depressing stuff.

But while the topics of the groups lyrics usually stay on the darker side, the music rarely does — with an heavy minor-based four chord progression and pop-influenced melodies the group manages to bring a feeling of “I might be depressed as shit but I’m still lit as f**k” to the previously one-sided genre.