Van Horton returns with a marked tonal shift, stepping into a darker, retro-tinged world of his own creation in gripping new single "the bottomless pit.” The song offers a glimpse into his upcoming "dark EP". It heralds his confident embrace of shadowy synth-wave textures and brooding house rhythms, complete with bodies in motion zipping across a street that's enveloped by darkness. This evolution may seem surprising at first glance, but it makes perfect sense for the up-and-coming electronic artist.
“the bottomless pit” brims with striking memories, a club-friendly heartbeat, and an undercurrent of tension that slowly hits. Horton fully leans into the darker aspects of his sound design, allowing each layer to unfold in its own space. It unfolds as a slide, exhilarating, atmospheric, and emotional, yet still sculpted for movement. All of which, in its premieres here, gives Horton’s works a particular retro kind of dance energy, complementing a contemporary sort of drama that suddenly becomes the source material for an essential body of work.
"The dark EP", which drops on November 28th, features four dance tracks and a collaboration, “The Other Side,” featuring vocalist Rachael Leah. If “the bottomless pit” serves as any indication, listeners can anticipate a richer, darker, and more enveloping sonosphere than what Horton produced in his prior synthwave release. It’s a project designed not only for late-night speakers, but also for the emotional corners where dance music and introspection intersect.
Apart from a North Carolina tour that extends through 2026, Horton is clearly poised for a highly active next chapter. “the bottomless pit” doesn’t just tease the EP, it announces it with a brooding, thrilling glow.