NEW LEASE MUSIC regular Awir Leon, J.Kid and Tismé aka – UNNO (The UNexpected NOte) – have just released their latest pop/avant-garde piece Sirens via French label Nowadays Records.
The latest release is the first single of their second EP Silence, which draws up in a swirl where the shooting melody and the trip hop/synth beat seizes the mind, and Awir Leon’s vocals dives into a universe made of mirages.
The band released their first EP As We Land and As We Land (Take Off Edition EP) – which includes a bonus new track and a remix by fellow Nowadays Records recruit BRNFKD. With the forthcoming release of their second EP, UNNO continues to explore and experiment with layers of electronic/pop/trip-hop textures; a unique sound that only exists through the chemistry between the three personalities.
AWIR LEON reveals Falls, the last of a trio of single visuals illustrating the debut LP Giants, out now via pioneering label of the burgeoning Parisian beat-scene Nowadays Records.
The singer and composer follows on from the truly unique Maybe We Land video, shot on skateboard and the completely immersive lead single Sitting So High. The self-directed video sees Awir undertaking a journey through the woods. As he progresses on his journey he sheds his skin of clothes in an environment both old and new, changing and questioning colours.
Also a member of collaborative electro-pop trio UNNO, AWIR LEON‘s latest single draws comparisons to the most avant-garde elements of acclaimed works by James Blake or Nicolas Jaar through his immersive production and vocal style.
Minimalist electronic composer and singer AWIR LEON reveals Maybe We Land, the second of a trio of single and video packages in the lead up to his forthcoming debut LP Giants. Set to drop on 14th October, the album will be released on the pioneering label of the burgeoning Parisian beat-scene Nowadays Records.
The latest offering relates to the artist’s move from Amsterdam (where he was part of the experimental trio UNNO) to Paris, and how the period of transition often felt destructive and chaotic. AWIR LEON’s roller coaster journey is reflected in Ian Robinson’s mesmerising visuals. Footage of dancing silhouettes set against the late night city back drop of Tel Aviv was captured by a camera attached to a moving skateboard.
Building on the success of Sitting So High, once named Song of the Week by NEW LEASE MUSIC, AWIR LEON’s latest single draws comparisons to the most avant-garde elements of acclaimed works by James Blake or Nicolas Jaar.
Rising electronic star AWIR LEON hypnotise us with his new single Sitting So High, released via French label Nowadays Records.
Best known as one-third of the Indie Shuffle-approved electro outfit UNNO (featured on NEW LEASE MUSIC with track Blue Leaf,) AWIR LEON conjures up charming R&B vocals, lo-fi production and a flurry of glitchy tones. Gently nodding in the post-dubstep direction of artists like James Blake and Jamie Isaac, it also finds a dark yet playful line between the spacious sounds of Airhead and the husky tones of Nicolas Jaar.
Following in the footsteps of recent Nowadays successes like Sekuoia, Clement Bazin and Jumo, Sitting So High introduces Leon as another prime example of the label’s cutting edge talent. An artist for whom mood and texture is just as important as substance, the engine behind his new track is the sheer nostalgia that it draws out, which is aptly reflected in its accompanying visuals.
The track will form the first episode of a three-part video series of Leon’s upcoming debut solo album Giants, set to drop next autumn. Self-directed and choreographed, the visuals signify the producer’s most personal work to date and depict him dancing around on top of a coal mountain in the North of France; his movements erratic and unpredictable, yet fluid and graceful. Shot next to the house where the French artist grew up, Leon describes the video as representing the “starting point of his life”.
Laced with rumbling bass lines, moody synths and smooth vocals that wander freely between provocative trip-hop and melancholy jazz, Sitting So High clearly sets him apart from his successes as a collaborator and band member. With his solo nuance of new-wave vibes and broody tones, he is surely well on his way to becoming Nowadays Records’ most exciting export of the year so far.
Sitting So High is now available for purchase here.
Of late, Nowadays Records have been signing up a string of hot properties. Last Thursday, BRNFKD slammed their epic upcoming masterpiece, Shining here on NEW LEASE MUSIC. Now it’s French trio UNNO‘s turn to show what they’re made of…
The group’s name, UNNO – which stands for ‘the UNexpected NOte’ – exemplifies the group’s individual approach to creating music and this is definitely reflected their track Blue Leaf. Produced by fellow Nowadays signees BRNFKD, the four-minute production showcases the group’s distinctive style; constantly prompting the listener to expect the unexpected with dreamlike synths, droning bass and erratic percussion. With hugely varied influences, the trio display an insolent freedom in the way they create their music.
Since forming in 2011, UNNO – consisting of Awir Leon, J.Kid and Tismé, who are all members of the prolific Dunkirk-based Jayfly collective – have been making a name for themselves in the French music scene. Following their first ever live performance on a French TV show, the group have since been delivering unforgettable performances bursting with an energy that is both dreamy and explosive, which led to them being named ‘The Discovery of Printemps de Bourges’.
Blue Leaf is coming from their EP, As We Land (Take Off Edition)…so expect the unexpected and have a listen to the single.
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