Song of the Day: And I’m Gone – Leon Seti

Italian born, Amsterdam based LEON SETI is the creative brainchild of Leo Baldi. Producing and singing throughout his discography, the enigmatic artist shared his single ‘And I’m Gone’.

His nostalgic yet experimental electro-pop has been played by the BBC Introducing and featured on Billboard Italy. He’s also received support from CLASH, and his album COBALT reached #1 on the iTunes Electronic Chart in Italy, earning him comparisons to the likes of Björk, Peter Gabriel and The Pet Shop Boys. Seti’s second album was equally impressive, released to rave reviews it reached #1 on the iTunes Electronic Chart in Italy and the Netherlands, while simultaneously cementing itself in the iTunes Top 10 of general sales in both countries. In addition to this, Leon Seti has appeared at venues such as The O2 Academy Islington and The Spice of Life in London, historic clubs like Spin Time Labs in Rome and Il Cassero in Bologna and at festivals such as Mengo Fest and Pride in Amsterdam.

Inspired by the artists he watched as a kid on TV, Leon Seti has always lived and breathed music. Growing up in a small town in Italy, he started singing late in his teens, joining various rock bands before eventually gravitating to writing pop songs on his laptop. After completing high school, he moved to the UK where he completed a BA in philosophy while simultaneously trying to establish himself as an artist. Going on to achieve an MA in philosophy in London, he never lost sight of his true passion, working many jobs while still pursuing his love for music.

Grimoire is a stunning LP where Leon Seti’s voice takes center stage over deep and nostalgic electronic instrumentals produced by Pancratio. It’s a kaleidoscopic collection of Seti’s thoughts, dreams and desires, with love often at the forefront of the message. Reminiscent of artists such as BANKS, Bjork and Imogen Heap, each track is personal and introspective, abundantly rich in vocal harmonies and layers. There’s also a deep feeling of continuity between the songs, with each one standing out in its own enchanting way, while simultaneously retaining the same theme throughout. Using his voice as his main weapon, Seti wears his heart on his sleeve, inviting the listener to step into his world and resonate with his lyrics and emotive vocals.

Leon Seti’s depth and talent shines in ‘And I’m Gone’. It’s a track full of passion and intricacies, one where Seti’s voice is upfront and present, emitting a real warmth and essence that is easily felt. Instrumentally, it’s nostalgic, with a plethora of synthetic elements that hold the track together and keep the listener engaged in its rich sonic soundscape- from bubbling arpeggios to plush pads. However, the lyrics are the true star of the show, as Seti sings about self-discovery and escapism from a love that he knows isn’t right.

Leon Seti had this to say: “Grimoire” is an album I wrote about the healing of trauma. I wanted every song to feel like a spell in a magic book, where the pain feels so old it’s almost acting like a balm. ‘And I’m Gone’, specifically, is a song about wanting to escape from a place of dread and solitude, and even though I talk like I’ve already left, it was actually written while I was living in London and wanting to escape a toxic relationship.

Check out the video for ‘And I’m Gone’ below…

Dreamtronica Duo Belau Returns With Feel-Good Single, ‘Focus’ ft. Myra Monoka

One of European’s most promising electronia duo BELAU returns with a new single called ‘Focus’ featuring one of their tour singer, Myra Monoka.

The guys speaking of their new offering: “Millions of people are interested in what methods help us distinguish between what serves us and what we form in ourselves based on reflexes, traumas and conventions. In the mysticism that is the basis of all great historical religions, there are a few universal solutions that help us navigate in this world and what can give effect to our decisions. Meditation, fasting and acceptance of fate through overcoming our fears are common denominators. People have forgotten these, but if we rediscover everything that humanity has already realized, it is quite sure that we are on the right track. What serves us lies on the other side of what we fear”

In five years, they had more than 200 live performances in 25 countries. The debut LP, ‘The Odyssey’ won the Hungarian Grammy in best electronic music album category. Their long-awaited sophomore album, titled Colourwave, made their name on international level, now they release ‘Focus’ featuring Myra Monoka, which will be the part of their new album ‘Apriori’ out on 27th of October. Check it out below…

Thyra Hilden explores love & loneliness with debut album ‘LOVE DRUGS’

Following the release of her EP, ‘Lucid Dreampop’, which claimed the blog’s Album of the Month back in March and also scoops the Album of the Week title twice, visual artist/musician THYRA HILDEN continues to push the boundaries as a new singer/songwriter with album debut, ‘LOVE DRUGS’.

With the help with fellow musicians, Lucas Caddeo (Production, keys, bass, guitar), Martin Drago (Guitar) and Mads Jensen (Drums), the album goes on a journey of ironic twists and happy-sad sweet-pain paradoxes, where Thyra has a minimal and very direct language that captures the most difficult things in life.

Thyra says of the inspiration behind the album: “Love and loneliness are basically chemical processes in the brain and body, and this knowledge creates a slightly absurd twist to joy, longing and devotion”

Danish-born Thyra Hilden have attracted international media attention from Reuters, Euronews, BBC and many more for her mesmerizing dreamy sound which is widely described as existential pop.

‘LOVE DRUGS’ album is now available across various music platforms. Why not check it out below…

Must Listens: TOUCH, BLIND LOVE, LOVE DRUGS, TRAPPED IN DREAMS

Rising Electronica Duo Belau Teams Up With Massive Attack’s Vocalist For Single, ‘Unimaginable.’

Peter Kedves and Krisztian Buzas – aka BELAU – is one of the most promising electronica newcomers around the European music scene. In four years, they had more than 200 live performances in 25 countries. The debut LP, ‘The Odyssey’ won the Hungarian Grammy in best electronic music album category. Their long-awaited sophomore album, titled ‘Colourwave’, made their name on international level, now they release ‘Unimaginable’ featuring Sarah Jay Hawley, who was the vocalist of legendary Massive Attack album, Mezzanine.The vocal was recorded by Martin Smith who also worked with Bombay Bicycle Club, Bob Sinclar, Jarvis Cocker, Groove Armada.

The electronica duo shed some light on their new dreamy soulful effort.“As long as we give it to ourselves, there comes a point when we realize how much more difficult it is to sustain the unsustainable illusion around us than to simply become ourselves. Beyond this point we simply no longer wish to be other than what lies within us. From the starting perspective of this process – as the title of the song states – the end result is unimaginable, but the path of the anxious person can be purification itself, and there is certainly a way out of the infinitely hopeless.

The music video sets a fine example of this process. For us it was a huge honour that Sarah said yes to our request and we could have a really special underwater video for it. We feel that the song, the lyrics, the music video and the creators are now in a wonderful harmony”

The duo had many international successes. In the last years they played more than 200 shows in 25 countries and impressed audiences at renowned festivals like Primavera, Eurosonic, Electric Castle, Sziget, SXSW – to name just a few. Belau was supported by radios like BBC Radio 1, Triple J or KEXP and mediums like Clash Music, Billboard, The Line of Best Fit, or Rolling Stone. Their debut album won the Hungarian Grammy Award, the second one streamed by millions and had massive radio successes.

Belau who’re currently working on their third LP. Hungary’s No.1 musical export good, Belau will continue their European tour in 2023 included some clubs shows and summer festivals.

Check out the official video for ‘Unimaginable’ below…

Song of the Day: Leaving – Lee Paradise

Champion by the likes of Under the Radar Magazine, FLOOD, Exclaim, CBC Radio 3, Toronto’s Dan Lee, aka LEE PARADISE‘s ‘Leaving,’ finds him flipping the shadowy nihilism of his 2020 release, The Fink (supported at Pitchfork, Electronic Sound, FLOOD, Exclaim and more) upward into a sort of cybernetic universality. This is Dan Lee in producer mode, veering away from the pursuit of a singular musical direction rooted in personal vision, towards a process rich in collaboration, emotional expansion and tonal exploration.

Lee’s music is typically widescreen, indebted to polyrhythmic psychedelia that melts, bubbles, whirrs and clanks. ‘Leaving’ dials into this aesthetic once more welding clunky percussion with laser gun synths and a buoyant bed of electro-pop running underneath. His self-described cyborg-funk is on fine display once again as he muses, “Sunday comes so easy / Monday I just stay in bed” in a meditative, self-reflective manner before kicking into the gooey 80s-pop indebted chorus.

‘Leaving’ is lifted from Lee’s highly-collaborative album, Lee Paradise & Co. now out via Telephone Explosion Records.