Awir Leon - Maybe We Land
Minimalist electronic composer and singer Awir Leon reveals ‘Maybe We Land’ the second of a trio of single and video packages in the lead up to his forthcoming debut LP ‘Giants’. Set to drop on 14thOctober, the album will be released on the pioneering label of the burgeoning Parisian beat-scene Nowadays Records.
Building layers from the most delicate percussive glitches into all consuming atmospheric textures, Awir Leon is fast proving himself as a master of intricate sonics. Toying with your emotions and disabling your senses, he perfectly portrays the sense of exhilaration and panic felt when losing the ground beneath your feet. ‘Maybe We Land’ relates to the artist’s move from Amsterdam (where he was part of the experimental trio UNNO) to Paris, and how the period of transition often felt destructive and chaotic. Awir Leon explains that he “didn't want to care about landing, I only wanted to break that balance and see what comes from it. I still do it today, only difference is I open my eyes a bit more.”
Awir Leon’s observation of “the feeling of your feet moving faster than you” is reflected in Ian Robinson’s mesmerising visuals. Footage of dancing silhouettes set against the late night city back drop of Tel Aviv was captured by a camera attached to a moving skateboard. Speaking of his collaboration with Robinson, Awir Leon explains that “Ian has an original approach, and knows how to translate the sensations of dancing, which is important for me. I wanted this feeling of rush and I love what came from it.” Beyond the beautiful combination of avante garde music and contemporary dance, the video tells a story – whilst the earthy, minimalist visuals for ‘Sitting So High’ were filmed near to the songwriter’s birthplace, ‘Maybe We Land’ sees Awir Leon look for balance in “the big city” in his attempt to find his feet Paris.
With past support coming courtesy of BBC Radio 1’s Phil Taggart who complemented the dark, macabre style, European culture television channel Arte recently covered a Berlin performance of ‘Sunny’,a collaborative live music and contemporary dance project featuring music from Awir Leon’s upcoming LP.
Nowadays Records, who also count recent success from Sekuoia among their artists, continue to lead the French scene by championing innovative dance music that is at once experimental and accessible. ‘Maybe We Land’ stands as a shining example of this balance. Building on the success of ‘Sitting So High’, Awir Leon’s latest single draws comparisons to the most avant-garde elements of acclaimed works by James Blake or Nicolas Jaar.
‘Maybe We Land’ marks the midway point of Awir Leon’s audio-visual triptych, illustrating the fully immersive experience that is his forthcoming ‘Giants’ LP, when it drops this autumn.
