LVRA is 'soft like steel' in their new EP

LVRA has shared their new EP, 'soft like steel'.

A long-awaited released, having teased the soundscapes through gradually sharing selected tracks from the record, it includes the otherworldly, cathartic 'anxiety', blistering and frenzied 'LOOK', recently released 'venom' and new single 'clones'.

'clones' is a collaboration with industrial pop artist girl_irl, with an intense pulsating beat whilst the pair air their frustrations on living in the age of social media.

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“It always crosses my mind that I'm already living in the dystopia - it's that movie-like moment, staring out the bus window in the morning watching swarms of people on their morning commute - determined and focused," LVRA explains. "And then I realise I am one of those people. I think about what I've sacrificed in my own life for the sake of efficiency, speed and achievement - to earn my place in the rat race, and how unnatural this way of living seems in hindsight.

"'clones' is my expression of frustration at these times; we live in an age of populism, cancel culture, hyper-validation through social media - a world where we let ourselves be influenced, whether or not into the mainstream or onto the fringes. I don't think I've ever truly had the confidence to move completely against the grain, nor do I think anyone has to, but it is frightening to see how far we've gone in the other direction.”

"Pushing toward harder, more experimental, more unique sounds can often help relieve some of the burden of being compared to others," LVRA wrote on their Instagram upon announcing the EP. "Having an intense city job in London whilst creating music has also allowed me to separate my lived self from the person who stands up on the stage, and the pressure they bear. Its felt like losing sleep is the less painful option of taking a full leap of faith."

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Accompanying the EP is a short mind-bending film - dubbed by collaborator Oscar McNab as "an attempt to express the deeply psychological and personal process in a world of visible and tangible experiences" which you can check out below:

LVRA has also teamed up with Glasgow-based visual artist Soorin Shin to create a product in celebration of the release of 'soft like steel'. The 3D printed pendant is made from plant-based bioplastics and concealed a 256gb USB, pre-loaded with the new release plus additional mixes and bonus content. You can get one here, with the pendant also available at LVRA's forthcoming show in Glasgow on March 31.

'soft like steel', the new EP from LVRA, is available now. Check it out here.

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