#doom dance

Wlav is back with a new studio album: "Life in Kaiju City”

Exploring Wlav's Latest Album and Doom-Dance Aesthetics.

Wlav is an artist and music producer who focuses on combining the punchy rhythms of modern electronic dance music with darker and more haunting textures, which really sets the mood. His most recent studio work is "Life in Kaiju City", and it stands out as a good introduction to what Wlav is all about. This record could be described as a “witch house“ release. However, Wlav loves to call his sound “doom-dance, “ and it is easy to see why.

Witch House, overall, is a dark, experimental genre blending occult themes, distorted beats, and eerie synths, often evoking a haunting atmosphere. However, Wlav’s one-of-a-kind Doom-dance twist offers something quite different, going for a more immersive and shadowy texture with a deeper sound that retains rhythmic intensity while exploring unsettling, brooding tones. The album itself is also quite ambitious. It features 12 original songs, which is quite remarkable in this day and age. Many artists and producers aim to release singles rather than full-length albums. While there’s nothing wrong with that, the risk is that listeners might miss out on the full experience. However, Wlav went above and beyond to make this album a complete and varied musical journey for the audience. "Life in Kaiju City" is therefore highly recommended to people looking for a more immersive release, something they can dive into. The opening track, “Some couples watch the sunset, we watch the city burn,” is a perfect introduction and a great mood setter. The song combines mesmerizing keyboard melodies with otherworldly textures and ambient soundscapes. This song represents only one of the many moods and approaches that make this album so mercurial and interesting to listen to.

The track “Sirens,” for instance, is another great example of how the artist is able to continually bring new ideas to the lineup of this record. The distorted bass sound is the pulsating heart of this particular song, as it propels the rhythm and contributes to the attention and intensity of the atmosphere it brings to the album. “The Church Is On Fire” is another opportunity for Wlav to shuffle the decks and redefine what people can expect from this release. This song has a 90s flavor, with a production aesthetic that sometimes reminds one of artists like Fatboy Slim, prodigy, or Chemical Brothers, to mention a few. The choppy synth line creates a really interesting groove, along with the breakbeat-style drums. That said, each song still retains the artist’s unique personality, although the sound is remarkably diverse and spontaneous, strongly highlighting the sense of identity that makes this release feel so dynamic. “Hide N Seek” offers yet another stylistic direction to make the album veer in another unexpected path. The drum beat has a mid-tempo flavor, making it sound very deep and bouncy. The accompaniment baseline matches the rhythm perfectly and enhances the particular groove of the song. The melodic components of the track are saddle but rich and enhance the flow of the music.

"Life in Kaiju City" is a testament to Wlav's versatility as a musician. The album is a treasure trove of exciting tracks, each offering something unique and unexpected, ready to be explored by the listener. 

Conceptually, the album is really interesting as well! Kaiju refers to giant monsters in Japanese movies, like the famous Godzilla (Gojira) for instance. These creatures are typically depicted as huge, destructive, and often fight each other or humans. The music feels like a really good soundtrack to discuss a scenario, matching the power and darkness often scene in such movies or associated with similar characters.

Overall, this album captivates listeners with a dynamic style that blends diverse ideas into a rich mosaic of sound. He masterfully combines contrasting genres, innovative rhythms, and unexpected melodies, creating a constantly evolving experience. This fusion keeps the album fresh and engaging, making each track a unique auditory journey. "Life in Kaiju City" ultimately serves as a perfect introduction to what Wlav is all about. In addition, this release is highly recommended to fans of artists such as Rebecca & Fiona, Sir Babygirl, Dead Rituals, YACHT, and Depeche Mode, just to name a few. In conclusion, this could be described as one of the darkest albums to date from the artist, and the textures in the production are very diverse, showcasing the broad range of skills and influences that make this music so special. 

Find out more about Wlav and listen to his music, which is currently available on some of the best digital streaming services.

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