16 Underground: Without A Trace

With so much new music out there, it’s becoming harder to find something that completely blows your mind. Each weekly release schedule, continuing to grow longer and longer, as one release bleeds into the next and with it your feelings, too.

In some ways, it’s monotonous; in other’s it illuminates the thrill of the chase. And in all things illuminating, 16 Underground are the latest to provide that moment via their second EP, Without A Trace.

These days, it feels like 16 Underground are a rarity. One of those bands that come into your life at the right moment, ultimately remaining in it forever. Led by Hannah Campbell, the singer is backed by Andres Sanchez (guitars), Christian Ramos (drums) and Edward Barraza (bass), and together, they drag trip-hop to thrilling new corners.

Formed in 2022, the Los Angeles four-piece have so far made every post a winner. Their 2024 debut, Drifting Deeper, a wonderful start that failed to reach as many ears as it should have. Without A Trace not only gains new ground on its predecessor but also threatens to catapult the band into wider stratospheres.

Without a Trace begins with Glimpse of You. Socially, 16 Underground provide sparse baggy echoes. The perfect bedding for Campbell’s verses that roll from the speakers like gentle mist. Her performance is effortless, as she has her audience eating from the palm of her hand. “What’s real?” she sings, asking the question, and it’s a fair one, as 16 Underground teleport you to almost-fictitious places.

Angel (On the Run) sees 16 Underground sampling their name – it’s not self-referential but their trademark. The same sample dotted throughout Drifting Deeper, and it’s neat trick, passing off the same green room vibes as Purelink. With Sanchez’s gentle reverb and Barraza’s dub-infused bass lines, the band orbit through the world of 4AD and even Warp and Kranky. Seefeel and Bowery Electric’s most accessible moments, peering through the cracks. Again Campbell is front and centre; her delivery, like a sermon seemingly from the ether.

Elsewhere, and Fate and the title track find the band edging closer to the world of nu-pop. The beautiful melodies reminiscent of HVOB and One Dove. And ending with the droning glider pop of Mystify, it’s the quintessential dopamine rush. But it’s not big, instead, 16 Underground deliver something understated, making it all the purer, as every single note, verse and chorus lines up.

Cross-pollinating styles and generations, 16 Underground genuinely arrive with Without A Trace. The only worry when a band releases something as spellbinding as this is that they will never recapture its energy. Especially in the future as the likelihood of major labels circle. And with it, the risk of wrestling the creative freedom from the band’s grasp.

Whether that happens or not, we should be thankful that new bands like 16 Underground are still emerging. Without A Trace, something to be played on a loop, but even that comes with its own danger. The fear of overplaying it in case these songs lose their magic. However, these songs are too strong and timeless for that to happen. And as far as extended plays in 2026 are concerned, 16 Underground have released one of the best.

Without A Trace is out now via Sunday Drive Records. Purchase from Bandcamp.