Debut Album Bring Your Friends is set for release Feb 23rd

Alev & Jas is the new project that unites the talents of Alev Lenz, a versatile singer, songwriter, composer, and producer, and Jas Shaw, one half of the renowned electronic duo Simian Mobile Disco. Today, the duo share their second single ‘A World Beyond’ ahead of the release of their debut album Bring Your Friends, scheduled for February 23rd.

The album’s lead single ‘All Of The Weeds’, garnered support from BBC Radio 6 on shows such as Mary Anne Hobbs and Radcliffe and Maconie, as well as praise from John Kennedy on Radio X and The Line of Best Fit.

The duo now return with their latest single ‘A World Beyond’, premiered on Under The Radar, a mesmerising lullaby that urges listeners to dream beyond the screen. Alev’s introspective musings addresses the virtual realm as an extension to the world whilst cautioning about it, urging us to “practice to open other windows to the world and our hearts, our togetherness” explains Alev. Jas further elaborates, noting how the song cleverly repurposes tech-like slogans to gently guide listeners away from the notion that phone screens symbolise futurism. “Looking at your phone isn’t futuristic any more. Rather than ranting at the internet we can simply be reminded that it’s great outdoors, bigger than the internet, more wonderful, more connected, more futuristic” explains Jas.

Alev Lenz's musical prowess spans sophisticated pop, ethereal "vocal-scapes," and unique explorations of non-standard scales. A prolific composer, her work is a fusion of diverse musical genres, characterised by honest lyrics, catchy melodies, and intricate harmonies. Her impact has been felt across Grammy-nominated records and high-profile on-screen productions, including Netflix's Black Mirror, Dark, The Rain, and Sky's Funeral For A Dog. Collaborating with esteemed artists such as Oscar-winning composer Volker Bertelmann, Grammy-Award-winning vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth, and the celebrated nine-time Grammy-nominee Anoushka Shankar.

Jas Shaw, who has long been a prominent figure in the electronic music scene as one half of Simian Mobile Disco, embarked on a transformative musical journey in 2018, due to personal health challenges that halted touring with Simian Mobile Disco. During his time in isolation, he channelled his creative energy into making music in his converted barn home studio in Kent. This pivotal period yielded a prolific output, including his 2019 solo debut album, Exquisite Cops, a collaborative 2018 release, On Reflection, with Derwin Decker of Gold Panda, and the 2020 album Klavier in partnership with Bas Grossfeldt.

The roots of Bring Your Friends trace back to a decade ago when Alev and Jas first collaborated. Alev recalls, "Our musical orbits aligned, and we've remained in that universe ever since." Their friendship began in the tea station at The Premises Studio on Hackney road, and Jas ended up helping Alev mix some music. From there, they developed an intuitive understanding of each other's aesthetic and musical language.

Combining Jas' atmospheric, down-tempo electronics with Alev's signature ethereal vocal harmonies and intricate lyrics, the album presents dreamy lullabies that confirm the pair's perfect match. Jas notes, "Alev is a wonderful singer and writer, but what makes us most compatible is her enthusiasm to have her voice treated similarly to a synth. Things that I would be nervous to send to other singers are pretty routine for her. I hear a very natural, cohesive scene primarily featuring Alev and synths. It feels utterly convincing; the voice seamlessly melds with the synths, and there's no sense of a disjointed collage of two separate elements."

Alev describes the record as "about friends talking about the state of the world and their souls." It reflects the experiences of coming out of the pandemic, touching on themes of screens, the outdoors, patriarchy, and relationship traumas. Jas adds, "I was in lockdown much longer than most people and never really got into remote working, even with friends. I had this sense that the magic that you get when you put a few people in a room and decisions get made and something is created would not work across a video link. I really only sent Alev the tunes because I knew that she would be able to see what I was doing but would likely have a very different slant on them."

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