Single reviewsThe Other Side Reviews

A Black Rainbow – Hey Kids (2022)

Described as profound, complex, genre-defying and passionate by Rock Magazine, A Black Rainbow is the project of Wilson Gonzalez Ochsenknecht. With over a decade of experience in the music industry, Ochsenknecht has gained a reputation for engaging, entertaining performances. His songs allow him to transform sides of himself into intimate sonic stories, and this is evident in his latest single ‘Hey Kids’.

The follow-up to his well-received debut track ‘The Inbetweener’, A Black Rainbow expresses the darkness of being an outsider but also shows the rich kaleidoscopic layers beneath the dark exterior. In ‘Hey Kids’, he retains this theme in a “mysterious, dark and androgynous way”; however, while there is a mystery in the quagmire, he always brings a “…spark of hope” in his music. Blending elements of rock and metal with dark wave electronica, ‘Hey Kids’ is eerie and hazy but with a powerfully bold clarity.



If I had to describe the style of A Black Rainbow, I would probably categorise it as melodic metal with electronic undertones – the fact is, there is no label to place on ‘Hey Kids’. Not one to be pigeon-holed, the artist attempts to find the delicate balance between angsty aggression and intimate vulnerability. Interestingly enough, the “in your face” melodic arrangement is not one to push an angsty message but rather an empowering one with elegant empowering lyricism.

Bold, dynamic and intriguing, ‘Hey Kids’ explores human fragility and vulnerability with a less than delicate melody. As I mention, the experimental soundscape has an “in your face” sensation that is overwhelmingly powerful, but it is also obscure. Ochsenknecht’s vocal execution sends chills down your spine and leaves your toes tingling, but you love every second.

For more from A Black Rainbow check out his Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.