Rising experimental artist maq 22 returns today with the premiere of his boldest work yet – MUNINN – a genre-bending project that fuses Electronic Rap and Hyperpop into an immersive sonic world inspired by Norse mythology, personal history, and the shadowed corners of the subconscious.
Known for his shapeshifting sound, maq 22 first flirted with electronic-driven rap back in 2020, when his longtime collaborator and creative director Vernon Hask handed him a hardstyle beat to experiment on. “I never released it on my main account, but it’s out there somewhere for people who want to find it,” maq 22 recalls. “This project feels like coming full circle.”
That full-circle moment crystallized through his recent collaboration with Russian producer Tiresss, who produced five of the tape’s six tracks. “His production is amazing, and it felt very natural for me to freestyle and write to his beats,” says maq 22, describing the organic energy that underpins MUNINN.
The title itself draws on Norse mythology, referencing Muninn, one of Odin’s ravens – a figure symbolizing mind and memory. For maq 22, it’s both a nod to his fascination with ravens and mythology, and a reflection of his own creative resurgence. Importantly, he is quick to clarify his stance on cultural misappropriation: “A lot of it has been taken and used by far-right groups, which I very much oppose and do not associate with, just to put that out there.”
Opening with “Burn The Sigil”, MUNINN invokes the imagery of pagan ritual, a metaphorical release of intention into the universe. Its lead single, “Europa” – produced by Hellnah and Pastelfuneral – takes inspiration from Jupiter’s icy moon, using the metaphor of hidden life to explore themes of self-discovery. This October, maq 22 will bring that same raw energy to stages across China, joined by Pastelfuneral.
Across its six tracks, MUNINN becomes a vessel for maq 22’s meditations on existential fear, desire, love, and mental struggle – all wrapped in dystopian textures, razor-edged beats, and urgent lyricism. It’s a project that doesn’t just blur genre lines, but dissolves them entirely.
With MUNINN, maq 22 cements himself as one of experimental rap’s most fearless new voices – and Music Crowns is proud to bring you its exclusive premiere.
