Emerging from the underground electronic scenes of Los Angeles and San Diego, UNTER STRØM arrives as a new collaborative force blending industrial intensity, cinematic atmosphere, and melodic dancefloor sophistication. The duo, led by Alex Gonzales of Matte Blvck and John Kunkel of The New Division and John Grand, represents the convergence of two artists whose histories within dark electronic and alternative music have been years in the making.
Built from a longtime creative partnership forged through multiple bands, studio collaborations, and shared musical influences, UNTER STRØM was born from a mutual desire to push the boundaries between techno, melodic house, and industrial sonics. The result is a project that feels equally suited for warehouse spaces and widescreen cinematic experiences, balancing brooding tension with moments of euphoric release.
Their debut single, “Orynth,” released through Breathing Records, serves as a powerful introduction to the duo’s evolving sonic identity. Driven by hypnotic rhythms, immersive atmospheres, and carefully layered melodic textures, the track captures the emotional and physical duality at the center of the project’s vision.
The creative process behind “Orynth” reflects the deeply collaborative dynamic between both artists. The track initially began with Alex Gonzales sketching out its opening framework before John Kunkel expanded the idea into a fully realized composition, introducing time-stretched ambience, intricate melodic detail, and cinematic depth. Together, the pair shaped the song into something that constantly shifts between pressure and release while maintaining relentless forward momentum.
Written during an especially prolific creative stretch that saw the duo generate a large body of material in a short period of time, “Orynth” captures the immediacy and chemistry that define the project. The single was later mixed by Aaron Short, known for his work with Madison Beer, The Naked and Famous, and So Below, adding a polished and expansive finish to the track’s already immersive production.
Both artists arrive at UNTER STRØM carrying significant momentum from their respective solo projects. Over the last several years, Alex Gonzales has steadily built Matte Blvck into one of darkwave and post-punk electronic music’s fastest-growing acts, developing an international audience through relentless touring and sold-out performances across the United States. Meanwhile, John Kunkel’s melodic house project John Grand has earned support from major figures within progressive dance music, including Armin van Buuren, alongside appearances on platforms such as A State of Trance and Group Therapy Radio.
With decades of combined experience across electronic, alternative, and underground club culture, UNTER STRØM feels less like a side project and more like the natural evolution of two artists refining their shared creative instincts into something entirely new. “Orynth” establishes that foundation clearly — dark yet melodic, polished yet uncompromising, and deeply rooted in both underground intensity and emotional atmosphere.
As the duo continues unveiling more material, UNTER STRØM appears poised to carve out a distinct space between industrial electronic music, melodic techno, and cinematic dancefloor storytelling.