Music producer Holo has delighted the avid electronica listener once again with his charismatic and laidback energy on his latest song offering ‘In Limbo’. A true connoisseur of electronics, the music producer crafts his sound around his feelings rather than feeling tied down to one key sound. To many people’s surprise, the producer has also admitted he is not strictly inspired by traditionally electronic musicians, citing names like alternative band Radiohead and The Beatles as some of his key inspirations. If you want to hear more from this fresh talent, stay tuned as he plans to release an EP also titled In Limbo next month via Houseum.
In an interview with Chill Music, the producer shared: “I think the common thread within my music is an emphasis on texture, melody, and harmony primarily. I really care about which sounds I pick, as I want to create a distinct atmosphere for the track to live in… almost like decorating a room. Other signatures I think of are simple drum parts, live guitar, bass playing, the use of unusual samples, and lots of reverb.”
Certainly a quirky and imaginative fellow as his response above suggests, Holo continues to impress us with every single release he shares with us. ‘In Limbo’ shares the producer’s versatility with panache and an “effortlessly” spaced out sound that blurs genre expectations and is an overall wholesomely mellow track for the stressed or elated to enjoy simultaneously.
London multi-hyphenate KESH releases third sonic installment “Mind Maze”.
“Mind Maze is a song about getting in your own way. Knowing you have so much to give. So much to live for and contribute to things bigger than yourself. Yet being consistently drained by emotions and trapped in the narratives of past traumas. Stuck in the never-ending cycles of negative thought patterns. Sinking deeper and deeper. Lost within the mind maze.” KESH says.
The third instalment to complete the body of work entitled ~ Throes, was made with the intention to be listened to loud – the outcome, an otherworldly immersive experience. The complex soundscapes of “Mind Maze” encapsulates KESH’s pain and hope beautifully, slowly building towards a climactic end of electronic euphoria. The heavy hitting expression invites the listener to release. Take “Jadine’s Escape” for example, with it’s opening made up of towering sounds of static and distorted vocals, the reverberating beat is intense and uniquely meditative at the same time. The brutalist architecture of this song is then shattered with ethereal and melodic tones and sees KESH take flight with her soaring, softly sung words. “not gaan out” is comprised of dynamic, industrial sounds that transcend the listener to the darkest depths of the club. It is unconventional, adding a complexity that’s riveting and radical and the sonics are juxtaposed by airy, feather light vocals which explore internal conflicts. It recalls the unorthodox sound design of Richard D. James as much as the raw lyricism of Björk.
An acclaimed visual artist, designer and DJ, KESH’s music is the next chapter in a creative career that has always pushed boundaries. Driving every aspect of the songwriting, she writes, directs and co-produces all of her music from concept to master. Her music has been championed by the likes of Channel 4 News, Dazed, Clash, The Face, Purple, Flaunt and more, firmly placing her at the forefront of experimental music making.
This year, KESH’s originality was celebrated in 8 commissioned self portraits that she produced for the Moschino Picasso collection. She photographed and creative directed 8 images starring herself for the brand which were released via their socials and website. Her work was displayed in the critically acclaimed Christie’s exhibition ‘Say It Loud’ and her debut NFT was successfully sold at Auction with Christies New York in June of this year. Channel 4 News interviewed KESH earlier the year as one of the most relevant digital artists of today and played Jadines Escape to accompany the interview piece. This was broadcasted on National television. Kim Kardashian’s underwear brand SKIMS commissioned KESH to apply one of her continuing artwork concepts to a ten image campaign which was photographed, creative directed and cast by KESH which was released in October 2020 before she dropped her own limited edition “Jadine’s Escape” T-Shirt modelled by actor and long-time collector of her work, Samuel L Jackson.
Faroese folk electronica artist Eivør releases a music video and new live version of ‘Gulspunnin’, lifted from her latest album ‘Segl’, out now. Produced by Lana Del Rey collaborator Dan Heath, ‘Gulspunnin’ is Copenhagen-based Eivør’s love letter to her childhood home on the remote Faroe Islands. ‘Segl’ – featuring appearances from Ásgeir and Einar Selvik of Wardruna – is the follow-up to Eivør’s widely-praised 2017 UK commercial debut, ‘Slør’, which triggered her debut on Later….With Jools Holland. Eivør soundtracked the latest series of Netflix/BBC flagship The Last Kingdom, and her music has previously been synched on Homeland &Game Of Thrones.The new video for ‘Gulspunnin’ is now streaming fromhere, with a new live version of the track also included on DSPs here.
With a title that translates from Faroese as ‘cocooned in gold’, the lyrics for ‘Gulspunnin’ were created as a poem written by Faroese poet Marjun Syderbø Kjelnæs. Speaking about the track – which arrived alongside a music video directed by Icelandic visual artist Anna Maggy – Eivør says; The main inspiration behind ‘Gullspunnin’ came from a certain feeling I often get when I am back at home on the Faroe Islands. There is something intriguing about the light and foggy landscapes that creates some sort of nostalgic in between state of happiness and sadness – a longing for something intangible. I wanted to reflect this feeling and a certain timeless state of mind in this song. The poem written by Marjun tells a story about the soul, forever travelling alone but cocooned in shimmering gold. I have been fascinated by Anna Maggy for quite some time. In her work I could sense this same mood that I was in when I created the song. For me she really gave ‘Gullspunnin’ a visual home. It was a very deep and empowering experience to create this piece alongside these amazingly talented women.
Eivør is an artist perfectly attuned to the savage vicissitudes of nature. Born & raised in Syðrugøta, a tiny community of just over 400 people on one of the northerly Faroe Islands, Eivør grew up surrounded by the windswept landscape of the North Atlantic, a backdrop that has deeply influenced the elemental electronica she creates. ‘Segl’ –Eivør’s ninth album, since releasing her debut at just 17 – builds on these motifs, exploring the journeys we undertake, both metaphorically and physically. The title – meaning ‘sail’ in Faroese – alludes to our desire for growth and direction, and the role of fate.
Eivør immersed herself in music from 13, fronting a trip-hop band after discovering albums by Massive Attack and Portishead. Gigs soon followed, held afloat in rowing boats, in a huge cave on the island of Hestur. At 16 Eivør quit school, moving alone to Reykjavik to release her debut album and pursue classical singing training. She has since won the Icelandic Music Prize, twice – the first non-Icelandic artist to do so. Such itinerant tendencies have bled into her music, ‘Segl’ no exception. “My creative process can be very chaotic and abstract, so I need to find the space to dive deeper into it and sculpt it,” she says. “After sitting on songs for a year or more, I’d go in and edit the melody or the lyrics. Sometimes the production too. The whole album is very much about change, so it’s quite apt.” Working closely again with composer/producer Tróndur Bogason (also her husband), the extra space allowed Eivør to explore programming and production more thoroughly than ever before, focussed on a free flow of ideas, and enriching collaborations.
Dramatic is an understatement when describing Douran’s music as his latest single ‘Inertia’ puts on a whole production of sound waves within the span of just over three minutes. Released via Allo Floride Records, this single will feature on the young Parisian composer’s upcoming EP release Avalanche next Spring.
The producer shared his excitement about the release & additional nuggets of information about this latest release with his fans on socials, “The 1st single of my upcoming EP Avalanche will be out this Friday, with a remix by Joachim Pastor and a live session!”
Hopping between organic & ambient textures Douran creates a daring build-up of sound that feels like it was performed by a complete orchestra. The producer has also shared the stage with renowned electronica acts (such as Solumun and Tale Of Us). That being said, we can tell that this composer works like a loose cannon in the best sense. He takes risks and he is getting noticed in the process – it can only go up from here for this dynamic act.
