Ethereal

Ethereal is a producer and recording artist from Atlanta, Georgia, who emerged from the city's underground scene in the early 2010s. He became a core member of the Awful Records collective, a loose crew of rappers and producers known for pushing an experimental, DIY sound outside the traditional Atlanta trap mold. His production style draws heavily on video game and anime soundtracks, giving his beats a synth-heavy, atmospheric quality that stood apart from the more stripped-down trap production common at the time.

Ethereal's biggest impact on the genre came through his early work with Playboi Carti, whom he began producing for around 2014. Tracks like «Beef» and «Fetti» helped define Carti's ad-lib-driven, minimalist aesthetic before Carti signed to a major label, and Ethereal is widely credited as one of the architects of that early sound. He also built a close creative partnership with fellow Awful Records artist Alexandria, contributing beats across her catalog.

Beyond his placements, Ethereal has released his own projects as a rapper and vocalist, blending his production sensibilities with introspective, melodic songwriting. He remains a respected figure in Atlanta's alternative rap underground, valued for an ear that helped shape the sound of a generation of SoundCloud-era artists.