EDEN

What started as the dance-oriented Eden Project morphed into something different for Irish singer/songwriter Jonathon Ng, who shifted into more song-based indie electronic territory under the name EDEN during the latter half of the 2010s. With his 2018 album Vertigo, he earned acclaim and a notable amount of chart success on both sides of the Atlantic. Likewise, his next LP, 2020′s No Future, hit number 26 on the Billboard 200. EDEN returned in 2022 with ICYMI, a pensive album wrought with themes of loss and ephemerality.
In 2014, after the Eden Project’s last effort, Final Call, Ng changed his professional moniker to EDEN. A shift in sonics also accompanied the switch. The classically trained musician — who, as a teen, grew tired of school band and orchestra and opted to learn other instruments — began incorporating more organic instrumentation, unveiling his new direction on 2015′s End Credits EP (Seeking Blue Records/MCMXCV). While the Eden Project channeled Ng’s love of EDM, the new material mirrored atmospheric soundscapes similar to Crywolf or M83. After releasing a digitized cover of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” in early 2016, EDEN issued the propulsive single “Sex.” His EP I Think You Think Too Much of Me arrived later that year.
He spent much of 2017 touring before the release of “Start//End,” the first single from his official studio full-length debut. Vertigo arrived in early 2018, which he promoted on a tour with Verite. EDEN returned in April 2019 with the single “909” and spent the remainder of the year teasing singles from his next full-length project. Released in February 2020, the dreamy, introspective No Future consisted of 19 tracks, several of which act as brief transitional pieces between lengthier songs. The album was a chart success in North America and a major tour was planned, but it was later canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the front half of 2022, EDEN began issuing singles like “Modern Warfare” and “Sci-Fi,” showcasing an anxious, glitchy sound. These were later featured on ICYMI (In Case You Missed It), his third album, which was released in September of that year. ~ Neil Z. Yeung