Introducing… Vilde

Thomas Vilde, known by his surname Vilde on stage, hails from Melbourne, Australia, and is gearing up for his forthcoming album ‘Qualia at Odds’ in 2026. I’d categorise Vilde as indietronica. Vilde merges guitars into electronic music, and whilst he has folk elements in his music, it is more rock-focused and has a bit of grit behind it. If anything, it’s Vilde’s voice that’s the softest, calmest part of his music, reminding me a tiny bit of Jonsi (Sigur Rós) at times. Thomas describes his style as “music for hypnagogia” (the transition from awake to sleep), and I love this description as it nails his sound perfectly.

‘Barren still’ is the second single from the forthcoming album, but the first to have a music video. It channels tape-faded synths and a high-frequency filtered drum loop to cement a soft groove to jam over. Enter disparate guitars, layered vocals, and gliding keyboards to fill out a track that pedals forward with purpose, yet also feels barren and empty like its title. The music video also reminds me of abstract, pretentious perfume ads that try to sell you the 70s hippy dream. Vilde’s tone and delivery nod towards that aesthetic, but thankfully, he steers well clear of being as cringeworthy as those adverts. It was Vilde’s previous single, ‘Isle,’ that I initially discovered. ‘Isle‘ is poppier and more beat-driven, but keeps the vintage-fade style intact beautifully.

Whilst no official date for ‘Qualia at Odds’ has been announced yet, the album is expected in early 2026. For more information about the album and other releases, follow Vilde on Instagram.

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