On her newest EP cover, London-based artist, Laura Groves, is pictured walking along a narrowly lit path—surrounding her, only shadows. It feels like a representation of listening to A Private Road as an outsider. I feel the need to say outsider due to the mesmerizing yet concealed quality unmistakable in Laura’s production. To me, her music is not something to be needlessly explored or avoidably scrutinized, but instead, guided through—such as along the secluded passageway her album cover details.
In this recent release, Groves crafts her lush walls of synths and vocals purposefully, judiciously leading you through the inner world of each track. The result is a connective experience between the music and the listener—one where even if you may not know where you’re headed, you’re willing to trust where you’ll end up.
We asked Laura to craft a playlist for us following the release of A Private Road. She compiled a mix for us surrounding the theme of “romance”—how it manifests, how it can evolve, and its lasting impact. Check out the playlist below.
Romance takes many forms. I’ve always been interested in music with atmosphere, with an undercurrent of something intriguing, otherworldly, or strange—that could be in the form of a melody, a chord change, a certain type of reverb on an old pop song, a certain synth sound, a lyric. Sometimes these things just chime with a memory or a love or a sadness, or something on a soul level that’s hard to explain. It’s like a reminder that love is rarely straightforward but it’s precious in all its complexity.
Listen to Laura Groves’s latest release “A Private Road” out now via Bella Union below:
Don't Sleep on These
