Raw Silk Uncut Wood signified an interesting stylistic departure for the now Berlin-based Laurel Halo, but we knew it was only a matter of time before the more dance-able stuff once again beckoned like an old familiar duvet in midwinter. Techno was Halo’s musical wheelhouse before she gained art pop notoriety through the Hyperdub label, and even in the midst of the attention that centered on her boundary-pushing rhythms and vocals, her shows internationally largely remained highlights of the DJ proclivities that apparently started it all.
Couple that origin story with the 4/4 beat that dictates the behavior of so many Berliners, and you have a recipe for a hasty return to form. Halo and Bristol-based producer Hodge are releasing a new EP on Livity Sound that dispenses with an overarching title and just uses the track names: Tru / Opal / The Light Within You.
For his part, Hodge — a.k.a. Jacob Martin — has earned a reputation as a prolific producer who has more label connections than most people have distant relatives. He’s released music on Livity Sound, Tempa, Tectonic, and Untold’s Hemlock imprint; and on the notion of coming out with an album and then going on a tropical sabbatical, he says that he prefers the idea of “storming in the room” as opposed to being “reserved” with his release schedule. His music meanders between the club-focused and the more unorthodox.
All this to say: THEY MET. THEY COLLABORATED.
And you can pre-order the new EP ahead of its November 30 release right over here. While you wait, have a listen to the track opening track “Tru” below:
Tru / Opal / The Light Within You tracklisting:
01. Tru
02. Opal
03. The Light Within You
More about: Hodge, Laurel Halo
