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Live Review: PREMIERE: Lou Parker explores lush, cinematic electronic sounds on his debut EP

9 August 2019 | 9:15 am | Caitlin Medcalf

Lou Parker comes to us today with his debut EP, REMOVE, one that we're very excited to be premiering here at Purple Sneakers.

NSW's Central Coast has proven to be a a massive creative hub these last few years. It's a place where emerging artists have been seen to thrive, and LOU PARKER is no exception. The ex-ELASKIA member has spent the last few years honing his craft and locating a sound that's entirely his own.

Today, he comes to us with his debut EP, REMOVE, one that we're very excited to be premiering here at Purple Sneakers today.

During the day, he composes electronic music for film and TV, flexing his chops as a producer in a variety of different ways. This way of creating has really allowed for him to fluidly experiment with sound, and with a sound as cinematic as his, you can really hear how much his day job in music has allowed for him to really dive into this project with clarity.

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The EP features two tracks. It opens with the title-track, a hauntingly cinematic cut that immerses us in Parker's world straight away. The track gives us the raw collage style of cinema soundtracks, whilst drawing on influences like jazz, blues and more traditional electronic sounds, like experimental house and ambient. His voice is wobbly, vocoded to suit the elasticity of the arrangement and in the best way possible, he uses it as a vehicle to push the track forward.

The second track on the EP, 'ALMOST', pairs inklings of jazz piano with lush, Bonobo-esque soundscapes, giving carefully considered layers, but still ensuring that the track never sounds crowded. Spaciousness is on show here, the reverb and resonance slowly building on each instrument until we're left with choppy percussion and a slow descend into a haven of earth-shattering low-ends and cinematic textures.

"This release is really special to me, it comes off the back of a personal struggle with mental illness. Sonically, the production, sound design, soundscape and overall mood I guess are all representative of my state of consciousness when I created them. It’s a bit of a snapshot into my world then. My hope is that this translates and connects with people"

Words by CAITLIN MEDCALF

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