• News

• All

Feb 22, 2021 By Caleb Campbell Photography by Christine Turek

Producer, singer/songwriter, and musician Russell Louder has been making waves in their native Canada for a while now with their striking performance art and hypnotic electro pop. The trans performance artist pulls from a diverse well of influences, from the experimental electronics of Danielle Dax and Laurie Anderson to dance legends like Grace Jones. Following their 2017 self-released debut EP, Think of Light, Louder returned with a series of stellar singles, each building towards their debut record HUMOR. Louder has now returned with the last single from the record, “Lavender,” premiering with Under the Radar. “Lavender” initially plays down Louder’s electronic influences, putting the focus on their theatrical crystalline vocals and gently plucked acoustic guitar. True to form, Louder’s soundscape twists and shifts, eventually allowing plucky synths tones to carry the melody as the pulsating electro pop beat kicks in. Louder flies above the fray, their soaring vocals serving as the track’s one constant driving force. The song shows a similar push and pull dynamic in the lyrics as Louder tries to resist the inexorable pull of a romance before being overwhelmed. Rather than a rush of affection, the lyrics put on display the initial fear that comes with diving into the unknown— “I’m falling faster than I think she knows / How can I run from her with nowhere to go?” Louder describes the song, saying in a statement, “The feeling driving ‘Lavender’ comes from grief and the massive transformative shifts that grief can cause us to go through. It’s subdued until it’s completely overwhelming. ‘Lavender’ is the anticipated arrival point to a deep and mysterious unknown. Like a dream space that you finally encounter in real life.” Check out the track below and watch for HUMOR, out February 26th via Lisbon Lux Records.