On his debut EP, Slow State summons us into the unknown. Crafting dreamscapes that feel alien yet oddly familiar, the artist has managed to capture our current situation with outstanding clarity.
Now, more than ever, music is serving as an escape. In a world raptured by chaos, soundscapes provide the perfect oasis for audiences to rest, recover, and restore. Lucky for us, Slow State (a.k.a Louis Frere-Harvey) has provided such a haven on his self-titled debut EP.
Unlike most ambient releases, SlowState doesn’t simply cascade us in sound, it burns. Resonant synths cast us into a realm above our surroundings while pulsating bass grounds us to earth. It’s a truly formidable release.
Opening with the ethereal The Wing Is Bending, Frere-Harvey scores the digital realm with anticipation. The track feels free, limitless, but also grounded. Whether it’s the metallic trill overlaying the melody or the deep hum of bass, SlowState’s opener gives as much as it conceals.
Any inclination of restriction is both affirmed and cast aside on The Silence We Create. Its sweltering, lo-fi nuance is enough to melt your heart and make you cry all in one. It feels as though the artist is facing an open plain but is too anxious to step across it. That’s until the song’s last 90 seconds rolls in, however. We go from standing idly to sprinting, faster and faster as the song grows louder.
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“In honour of years of parties and raves, used as an escape from the noise, SlowState has created the perfect come-down-collection,” the artist’s bio reads. “Designed to slow you down to an almost stop, listening as sounds pulse and swell around your head. Large sonic landscapes contrast against intimate, dry slow-motion vocal grabs, this musical journey is one to listen right through until you drift away.”
That it certainly does. Frere-Harvey hasn’t just created an album, he has forged a sonic landscape, teaming with lush gardens of melody, vocal grabs, and enough slow-motion for you to sail on. It’s a release that you can close your eyes to and drift away on a scintillating dream.
Check out the SlowState below:
