Debut single ‘Malibu’ – released June 22 via Propeller Recordings – demonstrates Lokoy’s inquisitive approach to pop writing, combining “Indian folk rhythms, analog synth pads and cellos”, alongside more subtle sampling: “If you listen carefully, you might hear some familiar sounds from airports and cell phones as well,” says Bergen-based Lokoy. “The bass in the verse, which was the first element of the song I composed, is actually a noise I recorded inside an airplane on my way to Bodø in Norway.”
‘Malibu’ features the partnering vocal of Girl In Red (Marie Ulven), with her blog-buzzed bedroom productions tallying multi-million streams in just a few months. The track is mixed by Odd Martin Skålnes – also hailing from Norway’s West Coast, and renowned for recent works with Sigrid and Aurora.
Stream debut single ‘Malibu’ here
(or by clicking on the player below)
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Lyrically speaking, the track’s premise proves just as layered as its soundscape: “It's about a relationship which is harmed by external factors and how those surroundings can complicate a situation that is fairly uncomplicated to begin with,” Lokoy explains. “Sometimes, it’s hard to rise above your position and view things independently, because you will always be defined in relation to your surroundings,” he says, referencing lead refrain “It's not the height of the man that gives the length to his shadow, it's the height of the sun”.
Much of Lokoy’s solo output was written on the road, amidst Sløtface’s ‘Try Not To Freak Out’ Album Tour of 2017/18 – comprising international festival routing (SXSW, The Great Escape, Reading & Leeds, Øya Festival) and headline dates across the Nordics, UK/EU, US, AUS. The album was awarded a Norwegian Grammy (Best Rock), and celebrated further abroad by the likes of The Guardian, Billboard, NME, DIY, Noisey and The FADER.
Photo: August Fossmark & Otilie Brubæ
