Cinematic melodic bass artist NURKO enters a defining new chapter with the release of Solstice, his 19-track debut album and most ambitious body of work to date. Built around emotional songwriting, melodic production, and pop-driven bass music, the album brings together an expansive roster of collaborators including Kiesza, iann dior, Micah Martin, Casey Cook, Crystal Skies, Amidy, Monika Santucci, VNDETTA, Stefan PVDS, and more.
More than a collection of melodic bass tracks, Solstice represents the culmination of years spent developing a sound rooted in emotional vulnerability and cinematic scale. Across 19 songs, NURKO explores the tension between light and darkness, moving through themes of healing, heartbreak, grief, hope, resilience, and personal growth.
At the heart of the album is the idea of turning toward the light. For NURKO, that concept reflects both his own experiences and the emotional connection he has developed with listeners throughout his career. The album traces the complicated process of moving through difficult periods while recognizing the people, memories, and moments that can help guide someone back toward hope.
“I made ‘Solstice’ because I wanted to create something that felt bigger than just a collection of songs,” NURKO explains. “This album came from a really personal place — the ups, the lows, the moments where you’re trying to find light again, and the people who help you get through it.”
That emotional foundation has been central to NURKO’s rise within melodic bass. The producer has established himself as one of the genre’s most technically accomplished artists while maintaining a strong focus on the human stories behind his music.
One of his biggest milestones came through his collaboration with ILLENIUM and Valerie Broussard on “Sideways.” The track reached the Top 10 of Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart and has accumulated more than 40 million streams, helping cement NURKO’s position within the global melodic bass community.
His 2022 debut EP, Arrival, pushed that momentum further, eventually leading to his first headlining tour. The run included performances at major venues such as Webster Hall in New York City and the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, demonstrating the growing connection between his emotionally charged productions and audiences in live settings.
That connection has only deepened as his catalog has expanded. Fans have repeatedly shared stories with NURKO about how his music has helped them through difficult periods, an experience that became a major influence on the direction of Solstice and the project surrounding it.
“Over the years, fans have told me that these songs helped them through some of the hardest moments in their lives, and that’s something I don’t take lightly,” he says.
That sentiment has now become the foundation for Thrive Together, a new mental health initiative launched by NURKO alongside the album. Designed to extend the emotional connection created through his music into tangible support, the initiative will focus on community, awareness, resources, and access to support.
For NURKO, the relationship between Solstice and Thrive Together is intentional. If the album represents the process of turning toward the light, the initiative aims to help listeners find practical pathways toward that same sense of connection.
“‘Solstice’ is about turning toward the light, and the initiative is a way to take the emotional connection people feel through the music and turn it into something real — community, awareness, resources, and support,” NURKO says. “At the end of the day, the mission is simple: I want people to feel less alone.”
The album will also launch an expansive new era for NURKO on the road. A full Solstice-themed tour will be unveiled in October 2026, with the tour officially beginning in March 2027. Confirmed stops include Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Toronto, Montreal, Dallas, New York, Chicago, Minneapolis, Atlanta, and additional cities.
The live campaign promises to bring the emotional world of Solstice into a larger performance setting, translating its cinematic sound and themes of transformation into an immersive experience for fans.
Ultimately, Solstice is about more than darkness giving way to light. It is about acknowledging the difficult moments in between — the heartbreak, uncertainty, grief, and setbacks that shape personal growth — while recognizing that healing rarely happens alone.
With his debut album, NURKO turns that philosophy into both music and action. Through Solstice and Thrive Together, he is creating a larger conversation around mental health and emotional connection while continuing to push the melodic bass genre toward increasingly personal and cinematic territory.
“If the album can give someone language for what they’re feeling, and the initiative can help connect them to support or community, then that’s the bigger purpose behind all of this,” NURKO says.
NURKO: Facebook | Instagram | Website | Spotify
Thrive Together: Website