Niko Xidas lights a spark with dreamy new single “Youniverse”

Meet alt-pop, Chicago-based singer-songwriter and producer Niko Xidas—an artist who melds stream-of-consciousness-style writing with vivid sonic textures that refuse to stick to any static formula.

Xidas has contributed to hundreds of releases across singles, albums, commercial campaigns, and TV/film—his work featured on platforms like Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime Video, MTV, Crunchyroll, Adult Swim, and more. His credits include Blade Runner: Black Lotus, The Expanse, El Juego De Las Llaves, Teen Mom, and others.

Now, he returns with a new single, “Youniverse.” From the first note, you’re met with a warm guitar melody that feels both nostalgic and comforting—channeling a kind of early-2000s pop charm that lingers long after the track ends.

At the 15-second mark, Xidas enters with smooth, grounding vocals, singing: “Hello it’s your presence, hello it’s the present”—as if answering a call to awaken, like the high that comes with a rush of inspiration.

Aesthetically, Xidas marries dreamy, reverby vocals with a grounded yet uplifting guitar-and-beat foundation that never overwhelms the mix.

On the meaning behind the track, Xidas shares: “‘Youniverse’ represents a thought. An instantaneous spark in the mind. Immediately a rush and then immediately it’s gone, leaving only a feeling behind. The first minute and 18 seconds are the thought. And then the rest of the song is the feeling: a floating, lyric-less abyss.”

That lyric-less abyss begins around the 1:20 mark, when the track fully lets go—shedding the layered vocals and harmonies built just moments before in favor of airy, ambient textures that carry it to the finish.

At just 1:51, the track is a brief but intentional showcase of Xidas’ ability to craft sonic worlds where melody, mood, and meaning blur. Every element feels essential, each one adding texture without ever doing too much.