Burial, Depeche Mode, Salem: London-based producer and singer-songwriter Lauren Duffus shares the tracks she’s got On Repeat.
Making a visceral and engaging mark on the Metropolitan landscape, producer and vocalist Lauren Duffus brings a swirling juxtaposition of hedonism and introspection to her eclectic sound. A new EP is coming at the end of May, “Can’s Gone Warm”, via AMF Records imprint Select Few, and if the murky ambience and vivid songwriting of its teaser singles are anything to go by, it’s going to be a body of work to take notice of.
Below, Duffus shares the tracks she’s been feeling of late in our latest On Repeat.
Check out the latest singles…
Lauren Duffus Is On Repeat…
Dreams After Death – “Genesis”
I have always loved metal – lots of the different corners of it too from the more cheesy stuff like Linkin Park and screamo to the heavier darker stuff like Meshuggah and Cannibal Corpse. When I was going through a period of grief I had this song Dreams After Death on repeat – it’s a genre called funeral doom which is made up of super super slow tempo and heavy distorted guitars layered with super reflective and end of the world feeling chords and lyrics. It’s a really beautiful slow building song with a really delicate intro and breakdown.
Evil Grimace – “Poor Mes Gens”
A gabber remix of Chopin prelude op 28. No4 – I love casual gabberz a French collective of hardstyle producers. It’s such dark, sexy and energetic music – although I really appreciate dancing and moving to gabber in half time rather than moving to every beat. It’s such a simple track but so impactful – it makes me feel patriotic and proud (I’m not even French). The ending is amazing it’s a sample from Keith Murray’s “Intro” layered with industrial building site sounds ringing like church bells – it feels like a call to battle.
Burial – “Come Down To Us”
A super gritty track that feels like a tug of war between stillness and laboured breathing in the soundscape, field recording sections and an explosion of emotion and confusion in the melodic phases. The main chord progression and slow but heavy beat puts you in a rocking trance. The icy ringing vocal sample creates feelings of despair and longing (for me anyway) for me this leads into why I love the next song so much.
Wench – “Sick”
Similar to above the rhythmic trance like chords are so hypnotic and catatonic . I find the two songs really similar in how they feel / how I respond. The chord progressions that repeat through the track feel laboured and longing paired with bright ringing , desperate vocals that feel like they’re fighting for trying to cling onto something. The key change adds to this as well.
Depeche Mode – “Stripped”
I first heard this song in year 8 or nine watching a documentary on bbc2 about top of the pops , I remember being mesmerised by the tv and looking it up straight away, I’d never heard anything like it and it was my gateway into listening to 80s synth music like Kraftwerk and also stuff like Joy Division (much to the delight of mum). It was so moody, dramatic and otherworldly. Just so cool.
ST (67) – “PCD ON THE MAINS”
One of my favourite drill tracks produced by Carns Hill — so emotive. The darkness of the genre and its history paired with the angelic but melancholic operatic vocal samples creates really reflective themes in my head of corruption of youth, depression, regret, harsh realities, disparity, unfairness and loss.
Public Money – “Inside”
My best friend Jasmine who has been integral in supporting me in my music journey started making music herself a few months ago and I was blown away by how incredible. This piece is a super emotive ambient/ classical piece that feels gut wrenchingly sad. The textured crackling and detuned piano takes you to a really special haunting place. The strings push you back and forth between hope and despair – it’s so good – she has an EP coming soon.
The Specials – “Ghost Town”
A classic song about “impending doom” , riots and a feeling of a post apocalyptic world. It depicts the aftermath of civil unrest in the UK in the 80s. I love the spookiness of the track but also the subculture it represents – Im no expert on the genre but I really love ska and the world it transports me to.
Slavonic Dance Op No2. – “Dvorak”
I first heard a rendition of this on my Yamaha keyboard that I got when I started piano lessons as a kid. It was one of the songs programmed into the machine that you could learn – from what I can remember the keyboard lit up to show you where to put your fingers (either that or the little screen showed you the placements). I was really obsessed with the journey of emotions it takes you through in the different phases of the song.
Salem – “Cream”
One of the first songs by Salem that I heard — a band that really shaped my music taste and really influence me when producing. This track is a very slow paced rhythmic track with moody chords and monotonous vocal samples that almost feel like an internal monologue of chattering in French (I don’t actually know if it’s French it might be reversed English vocals, but that’s how I’ve always heard it). You can always tell when a song is by Salem the synths, mood and chord patterns are really distinctive
