- Desert Island Cloud A warm and euphoric approach to the post-punk sound

Following on from the release of their highly-praised outing ‘Stigma’ earlier this year, which saw them collaborate with seminal artist Johan Hinders of Audionom, Swedish duo LOW-RES continue the support for their forthcoming album ‘Därför’ with the captivating new single ‘Makeup’.

Capturing more of that warm and euphoric approach to the post-punk sound they have cultivated for themselves over the years, ‘Makeup’ makes for a wonderfully rich and enigmatic listen. Inspired by the anthemic chorus of Hole’s ‘Celebrity Skin’, as well as House of Love’s ‘Christine’ and The Warlocks’ ‘It’s Just Like Surgery’, they are returning with one of their most impactful offerings to date here.

Speaking about the new cut, they said, “Makeup is about leaving a negative spirit. Someone who is holding you back… It’s about addiction, to live with someone who abuses, and daring to leave such a relationship

“It was written on a beautiful old USSR guitar we found online and was delivered in a tiny box. Of course, it sounded terrible with the exception of three chords, which are those you hear on the actual recording, captured on an iPhone. That was the only time we used it, and now it’s back on sale.”

Stockholm-based duo LOW-RES write pulsating pop tunes influenced by 90s ambient guitars and analogue synthesisers. They made their debut in 2021 with the full-length album ‘Varför’ featuring guest appearances by Jukka Rintamäki (Silverbullit) and Per Nordmark (Fireside) among others. A four-track EP ‘Du å ja’ followed in 2022 with a refined sound of analogue drum machines and Swedish lyrics.

The eleven songs on sister album ‘Därför’ drag you in, one by one, to a parallel universe where music from bygone eras like krautrock, early electronic pop/rock and psychedelia are alive and well, sounding as fresh as ever in modern-day Sweden.

“Varför and Därför belong together,” says LOW-RES. “Both records were written in the same vein and with the same approach: fast, creative and with many collaborations that colour the expression. We have a lot of fun making music and it works as an antidepressant. We just heard the term Art Therapy and that pretty much sums up why we do this.”