Lapalux – Rotted Arp (ft. Louisahhh)

The title of British producer Lapalux’s new album ‘Ruinism’ was coined to “describe the way in which blended sound palettes and inspirations interact with one another” to form his album of the same name. Hearing him expand on the processes behind his upcoming new album, and the fact that it’s his first made entirely with hardware and live instruments, it’s possible to come to the conclusion that Lapalux is searching for something a bit deeper or more meaningful with ‘Ruinism.’ That theory holds even more weight when listening to its lead single, ‘Rotted Arp.’ Almost ironically though, it’s a track that initially seems featherweight, floating along with hushed electronic tones occasionally sparking off into disjointed, abstracted synth flourishes. But in come the spoken word vocals of Louisahhh, musing philosophically that “it’s a frustration that creates desire, not the other way around, unless you let it/ Maybe I’ll let it.” Almost as soon as she succumbs to this dichotomy, ‘Rotted Arp’ gives in to its own musical desires, transforming itself into a pulsating, bass-heavy electro stormer, its sometimes squalling melodies just hinting at that idea of something obstructing a path to the object of true desire. Here, Lapalux made sure that the music and vocals don’t just occupy the same space, they interact to tell a deeper story about a very human subject. The effect is mesmerising.