What happens when an artist stops worrying about fitting into a particular genre? For Florida-based Music Cult, the answer is an ever-expanding catalog of songs inspired by just about everywhere. From progressive rock and pop to hip hop, funk, and darker alternative influences, the project has developed an identity rooted in experimentation, with its upcoming second album, Psychedelic Shift, poised to take that approach even further.
Led by producer Lee Johnson, Music Cult launched in 2024 as an outlet for creative freedom. Rather than building everything around one recognizable formula, Johnson wanted to explore the different styles, production techniques, and musical ideas that had interested him throughout his career.
That philosophy has already resulted in an impressive amount of material.
In less than two years, Johnson has written and produced more than 80 tracks, working alongside a growing group of collaborators to bring those ideas to life. Vocalist Leanaxxah joined the project in 2025, while bassist Rick Hollander has also contributed to its developing sound.
The result is a catalog that can change direction considerably between releases.
Songs including “A Day in the Sun,” “Resistance,” “Deadnames,” “Neon Skin,” and “Bag of Tricks” demonstrate the variety within Music Cult’s output, while “Slow-Burning Fire” and “Sweet Secret Sin” add further depth to the collection. More recently, “The Shoals” has continued that momentum, offering listeners another introduction to the project’s ever-evolving musical world.
The response has been encouraging. “Resistance,” “Deadnames,” and “A Day in the Sun” have each attracted more than 13,000 Spotify streams, while “Bag of Tricks” has passed 11,000. These releases have helped establish an audience for a project that deliberately avoids being predictable.
Now, that same willingness to experiment sits at the center of Psychedelic Shift.
Music Cult’s second album has been developed around the idea of transformation, bringing together different moods, textures and influences without forcing them into a conventional sound. With songs such as “Smoke & Whiskey” adding to the anticipation surrounding the project, listeners are gradually getting a clearer picture of what’s to come.
The track joins the growing selection of music associated with this next chapter, while “The Black and White” offers another insight into the album’s wider themes. Exploring the grey areas between apparent opposites, the song reflects Music Cult’s interest in contrast, whether that’s light and darkness, clarity and confusion, or control and chaos.
Rather than making every track follow the same structure, Johnson has approached the record as an opportunity to explore what happens when different musical ideas are allowed to coexist.
There’s a sense that Psychedelic Shift isn’t simply about experimenting for the sake of being different. Instead, it’s about allowing each idea to develop into whatever feels most appropriate, whether that means something atmospheric, energetic, nostalgic, or unexpected.
With a growing catalog already behind them, Music Cult is approaching their next album with plenty of creative possibilities.
And if their releases so far are anything to go by, Psychedelic Shift won’t be an album interested in staying within the lines.
