:3LON is quite literally the sound of the future. When they fell to Earth just over two decades ago, they graciously found their feet in one of the planet’s most alien spaces—Baltimore. With the sound of the city’s breakbeats, 808s and ratchet-tech club music influencing their young ears, they set to creating their own cyberspace oasis from early on.

They found their voice through their mother, who introduced them to some of Earth’s best—Anita Baker and Sade—the control, soul and cadence of whom can be heard in :3LON’s voice today. They found their friends in Anime, The internet and RPGs, the celestial music of which still seeps into their art. Most importantly, they found their future in music. With an unprecedented mix of post-internet afrofuturism, :3LON’s music isn’t merely composed of songs, but of worlds and alternative cyberpunk realities to escape into. Now that they’ve played the legendary Club Quarantine, had their track placed on the catwalk for Coach’s SS21 Line, dropped the huge Flex with Scratchclart for Hyperdub, shot with Juergen Teller, picked up fans in Dance System, Skream, LSDXOXO and JLo their visions for the future could well be taking hold.

Photo by Lemary