the great metaphorical river has been lending itself to wise sayings for ages, usually as a manifestation of time, or in relation to how we see instances pass. it exists only as current, neither in the past nor the future, the present. rarely though do we look for guidance from the bodies of water that rest beyond a current’s reach: backwaters seen as stagnant and turbid. that they are, yet by nature they also collect, capable of shaping labyrinthine networks of canals and inlets with ecosystems all their own. backwaters let the present settle into the past, they’re a place apart from the flow where moments compile and mature.
kllo, an electronic pop collaboration between melbourne cousins chloe kaul and simon lam, waded in figurative backwater for much of 2016, amidst an extensive world tour. these were exciting times, the duo’s well worn ep furthered the promise of 2014 ep cusp, receiving millions of streams and landing kllo on festival stages as well as artists-to-watch lists. nonetheless, the stretch kept them far from home, isolated and vulnerable, treading through perpetual uncharted territory while yearning for the comforts of the familiar.
as a result, kllo’s full-length debut depicts inner adjustment to outer change. songs were written partially on the road and developed back at lam’s bungalow, a haven that harbors creative spontaneity and catharsis.
the double vinyl release includes a download code.