Now streaming exclusively on SoundCloud, My Own Flow marks the definitive evolution of AIKO NOVA — a cinematic dark-pop project where emotion and production collide. Across eleven remastered tracks, the album immerses listeners in a world of shadowed beauty: deep bass beds, live-sounding percussion, analog synth layers, and flashes of Spanish guitar woven through lush electronic textures.

Fronted by AIKO’s unmistakable vocals — warm, raspy, and intimate — the record captures both fragility and strength in the same breath. From the haunting piano and atmospheric pulse of “Fall” and “Dawn,” to the confident momentum of “My Own Flow” and “True Fire,” each track feels alive, cinematic, and emotionally charged. “Silver Flame” and “Drifting” shimmer like midnight reflections, while “Crown Of Stars” and “Between The Smoke” dive into darker, hypnotic grooves anchored by human-sounding beats and layered harmonies. The final trio — “Sugar And Gasoline,” “Hold My Fractures,” and “Let You Be Free” — lands with quiet intensity, closing the album in a whisper of catharsis and rebirth.

AIKO NOVA isn’t a conventional band — it’s a multidisciplinary sound collective built around a single creative vision: to merge the emotional weight of live performance with the precision of electronic art. My Own Flow feels handcrafted and cinematic, blurring the lines between dark-pop, downtempo, and electronica.

Now available on SoundCloud, this album is both confession and confrontation — a late-night journey through heartbreak, healing, and the rediscovery of self. My Own Flow doesn’t just play; it breathes.

This inspiring new release serves as a complete guide for independent musicians navigating today’s digital music industry. Drawing from his personal experience as an independent artist, AlwaysBeSmile breaks down every stage of the modern music journey — from distribution to artist verification — in clear and simple steps.

The book provides essential insights into how artists can publish their music worldwide, manage metadata, claim profiles on streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music, and understand the importance of music databases and lyric publishing platforms. It also sheds light on how digital verification helps establish credibility and build a professional artist presence online.

“When I started my music journey, I had to learn everything by trial and error,” says AlwaysBeSmile. “Now I want to make that path easier for others — to give artists the knowledge and confidence to grow independently and succeed in the digital world.”

Written in a friendly and motivational tone, “The Independent Musician’s Blueprint” encourages emerging artists to take full control of their creative careers. It’s not just a guide — it’s a message of empowerment for every musician dreaming of turning passion into professionalism.