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Today, Laurel Halo unveils her new single, “Atlas,” the title track from her forthcoming album out September 22nd on her own recently-launched imprint Awe. Following the piano reverie “Belleville,” “Atlas” is a gorgeously unfurling ambient epic. With processed piano and lush Hollywood string arrangements, the piece bends and sways in the desert heat.
The process of writing Atlas began in 2020 when Halo reacquainted herself with the piano, recording various sketches and improvisations. Thus began what would become a multi-year research project into electroacoustic design, spurred by an invitation to take up residency at the legendary Ina-GRM Studios in Paris. There, Halo dubbed, stretched and manipulated some of these simple piano sketches, creating the initial outline of Atlas.
Throughout 2021 and 2022, with time spent between Berlin and London, Halo recorded additional guitar, violin and vibraphone, as well as acoustic instrumentation from friends and collaborators including saxophonist Bendik Giske, violinist James Underwood, cellist Lucky Railton, and vocalist Coby Sey. Blending both synthetic ambient textures and acoustic instrumentation, Halo has created a suite of sensual and hallucinatory ambient jazz collages designed to take the listener on a roadtrip through the subconscious.
Listen to Laurel Halo’s “Atlas”
Atlas marks Halo’s first full-length album since 2018’s Raw Silk Uncut Wood, which was preceded by her highly acclaimed album Dust and followed by her contribution to !K7’s iconic DJ-Kicks mix series in 2019. Atlas is the inaugural release on Halo’s own imprint, Awe, following two-and-a-half years hosting the Awe monthly radio show on NTS. The label and radio show’s slogan parallels the mood and atmosphere of Atlas: Awe is something you feel when confronted with forces beyond your control: nature, the cosmos, chaos, human error, hallucinations.
This summer, Halo will premiere the Atlas live show in Berlin, followed by select EU/UK shows and a full run of US dates in the fall. A full list of live tour dates and upcoming DJ sets is below.
Listen to “Belleville”
Pre-order Atlas
Laurel Halo Tour Dates
Sat. Aug. 19 – Oslo, NE @ Blå *
Fri. Aug. 25 – Lisbon, PT @ Lux Fragil *
Sat. Aug. 26 – London, UK @ Venue MOT *
Thu. Sep. 7 – Berlin, DE @ Atonal +
Fri. Sep. 8 – Dublin, IE @ Dublin National Hall +
Sun. Sep. 10 – London, UK @ Barbican +
Wed. Sep. 13 – Amsterdam, NL @ Muziekgebouw +
Thu. Sep. 14 – Santiago de Compostela, ES @ WOS Festival (Opening Concert) +
Sat. Sep. 16 – Bochum, DE @ Ruhrtriennale +
Fri. Sep. 22 – Philadelphia, PA @ Making Time Festival *
Fri. Nov. 3 – Iowa City, IA @ FEaST Festival +
Sun. Nov. 5 – Chicago, IL @ Bond Chapel +
Wed. Nov. 8 – Philadelphia, PA @ Sanctuary of the First Unitarian Church +
Thu. Nov. 9 – New York, NY @ (Le) Poisson Rouge +
Sat. Nov. 11 – New York, NY @ Public Records *
Sun. Nov. 19 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room +
* = DJ set
+ = Laurel Halo presents Atlas Live
