Blurred City Lights: “Volker” – eLaB Recordings

Blurred City Lights are releasing their long-awaited ‘Volker’ album. With ten tracks on offer, this is the second full album from this maverick soundscaping duo, which is comprised of Dean Garcia (Curve, SPC ECO) and Polish protagonist and multi-instrumentalist/producer/composer Jarek Leskiewicz (Sunset Wrecks, Opollo, SPC ECO), who have worked closely on many projects and collaborations over the years.

‘Volker’ is a timely set of songs that conjures that diverse and accomplished blurring and jarring effect that we have come to expect from Blurred City Lights. This record would translate into a blissful and euphoric effect live – a minimal band with mindful projections. The powerful provocative soundscapes this music evokes are windswept by sound.

“As the room goes dark, the crowd sparks up as first flickers of light begin to take shape, your eyes hypnotically follow the random wide scattered bleeps and pulses of light fractals,” explains Dean Garcia. “When the familiar dark core drones move in the crowd is already going wild and then the bass drops, wrapping around everyone in a singular glow, more sparks, more flickers as the fuzzy sequencers jar the senses before the huge boom of the drums break through the flash of light to blur your mind and shunt you into the 5D world of Blurred City Lights. ‘Volker’ is all about these elements”.

Blurred City Lights began in 2013, debuting with the ‘Neon Glow’ EP, which was possible thanks to online file swapping. Leaning heavily on stark and monochromatic elements, that record feels how it sounds – dark, forbidding and melodic with very firm nods towards Pink Floyd and Massive Attack, among others. The duo followed up with the full-on album ‘Anamorphic’ in 2014. Blending music genres even more, that multifaceted record held a strong sense of purpose, a rockier edge, and even more epic scope than the debut EP.

“This record came to life quite naturally. We started sketching ideas and writing songs with BCL project in mind again at the start of December 2017. Early on I presented a collection of various images that I made throughout the year. Dean was always very stimulated by evocative visuals and right away pointed at the first one and said that it should be the cover art for our new release. I agreed. I think that image motivated/inspired us quite a bit and sealed the fate of the record as a creative vision that must be completed,” says Jarek Leskiewicz.

“For me, this time around, the process felt more relaxed and full of a ‘first takes are final’ approach. While we were in contact for many years, it somehow felt like getting know each other again. More patient and (for the most part) understanding. There was a spirit of exploring and experimenting – something that I enjoy very much. I hope that listeners are able to hear the dynamics of that vibrant creative relationship in the music on Volker”.

‘Volker’ also features contributions by Rose Berlin (SPC ECO), Adriana, and Filippo Gaetani on vocals, as well as Steve Monti (Jesus & Mary Chain, SPC ECO) and WomBBaby. The album is available exclusively via Blurred City Lights’ own Bandcamp page.

TRACK LIST    
1. Obstacles  05:20
2. Secrets  06:12
3. Night Crawlers  04:25
4. For A Day  04:46
5. Don’t Let Go  05:36
6. Is This It  05:08
7. Clusters  05:18
8. Starry Eyes  04:06
9. Volker  07:09
10. Argue Till We Die  05:23

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