Electronic Trio Crooked Colours Release Beautiful Sophomore Album

Crooked Colours of Perth, Australia recently released their atmospheric sophomore album Langata. Laden with masterful electronic features, the album launches the band into the spotlight within the indie electronic dance scene once again. The album was written, recorded, and produced entirely by the band, showcasing the sincere, intentional crafting behind the new record.

Standout single “Just Breathe” opens with an electric guitar methodically picked and braced by a steady bass, a soft rhythmic squeak subtly appearing in the background. The song has layer upon layer of interesting movements, effortlessly fading away to accommodate another. This effect makes the song feel alive, like a slowly evolving organism.

About the song, keyboardist and songwriter Leon De Baughn explains, "This was one of the first tracks we started working on. It was just the intro guitar loop for a long time until we added all the layers around that. Lyrically it’s about being at an after party and a past girlfriend is there and trying to rekindle an old flame."

The layering of the song not only sounds extraordinary next to the lyrics, but also feels palpable. Almost like physically walking through a party with colors, lights, sounds, and people on all sides.

“Hold On”— though not a single— is a song to pay attention to. The track morphs a meditative, structured build into a quasi dance groove. Soft lyrics nicely echo to make way for a plethora of textured sounds. Euro-dance and house elements make “Hold On” stick in the mind.

On the other end of the spectrum, “I C Light” is a surprisingly dark flipside to the rest of the album. It drips with attitude and tucks a sinister robotic voice chanting in the background. Trap-style hi hats urge the song forward creating a mesmerizing tune.

Guitarist Phil Slabber discusses the new album in more detail, saying, “For many acts the sophomore record is a very daunting task to face and we tried to approach it with as much calm and open mindedness as possible. Fortunately for us we were faced with a period of time spent extensively traveling and experiencing environments that helped us a lot creatively. The name Langata comes from a district in Nairobi that we spent some time and encapsulated that creative process most accurately. We’re very proud of the work and we can’t wait for you to take a listen.”

Since Crooked Colours’ inception, they’ve boasted touring with the likes of pop icon Billie Eilish, MØ, and Nick Murphy. They’ve gained major traction in their home country, and even caught the eye of Tom Watts and David Wrench, who mixed the album. Langata’s overall aesthetic brings artists like Alex Clare, Alt J, and Glass Animals to mind. Exotic, charged, and heavily layered wispy sounds blend together to make a delightfully dense collection.

Crooked Colors will be touring North America and playing major festivals including Bonnaroo, Firefly, and Electric Forest this summer and fall. See below for all upcoming tour dates. Langata is available now everywhere.

Tour Dates

06.14 - Manchester, TN | Bonnaroo

06.21 - Dover, DE | Firefly

06.28 - Rothbury, MI | Electric Forest

06.29 - Denver, CO | Westword

07.19 - Seattle, WA | Capitol Hill Block Party

07.20 - Mendocino County, CA | Northern Nights

09.07 - Brooklyn, NY | Rough Trade

09.11 - Boston, MA | Great Scott

09.12 - Montreal, QBC | L'AstraI

09.13 - Toronto, ON | Velvet Underground

09.14 - Chicago, IL | Chop Shop