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THELMA announces debut EP 'What We Live For' via Steel City Dance Discs

The record draws upon Detroit electro and high energy techno-leaning influences

THELMA has announced her forthcoming EP, 'What We Live For', set for release on May 16 via Steel City Dance Discs.

The announcement is accompanied by the release of the record's eponymous lead single, in which driving kicks are met with catchy, melodic synth lines resulting in a truly club-focused cut.

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As a whole, the EP draws inspiration from such techno, but also Detroit electro and breakbeat. At its core is a focus upon carefully-curated melodies and a priority on the creative process.

"I’m a melody driven person, so I always start off by writing a hook that excites me and work from there," THELMA explains. "‘What We Live For’ came to me overnight; I had a stab pattern in my head that I recorded as a voice note and wrote the next day. Other times, this may take much longer, but it’s ultimately about writing out different melodies until one really makes me feel something.

"For the breakbeat tracks, it was still fairly new territory to me," she continues about her writing process. "The main focus was on testing out different synthesisers and listening to other tracks until I achieved the exact sound and mood I was after. The two others were written much more spontaneously, after long sessions spent at a writing camp. I rode the wave of inspiration when it hit."

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Lead track 'What We Live For' is available now, taken from THELMA's eponymous EP set for release on May 16. Pre-order it here.

Niamh Ingram is Mixmag's Weekend Editor, follow her on Instagram