Shlohmo Releases His Sophomore Album, ‘Dark Red’

The mysterious LA-based producer Shlohmo, who in 2014 released a collaborative EP alongside hip-hop artist Jeremih, has returned with his second full-length album. The much-anticipated release, Dark Red, is a manifestation of the emotions experienced during what was a 2014 filled with deep personal loss, which despite keeping secretive from the public, took a great toll on the young artist. After overcoming these personal issues, he masterfully crafted an album that presents the dark and unique nature of his sound.

Emotive and striking, Dark Red presents us with a cohesive album where each tune expresses a different part of Laufer’s vision, from the melodic to the obscure. His music is straight up deep, both in nature and substance. “It sounds like if Electric Wizard tried to make an R&B record,” he says, “or Boards of Canada meets Burzum by the River Styx.” Ever evolving his sound, Laufer has come a long way since the enigmatic tones found in his debut Shlo-Fi EP (released back in 2009) and has continued on the path of originality ever since. Now with Dark Red, he opens up the next chapter of the Shlohmo narrative and sheds light on his innovative artistic expression.

Laufer explains, “When I started working on Dark Red about two and a half years ago, I had just moved back to LA and built a small studio in my apartment, mostly with my dad’s old gear from the 80s. I had just lost some people close to me and was dealing with another loved one’s health issues. I was all over the place mentally, and I think it reflects in this record whether I like it or not.”

“The only thing I did know going into it, was that I wanted this one to be loud, and not just loud, but really, really f---ing loud. I wanted the sound of the thing to be devastating and violent. Recordings that force you to feel something even if that something isn’t good. I’m proud to have made something polarizing, a record that’s strong and undeniable even in its moments of pure anxiety and confusion. It’s tragic and painful at times, but that’s all part of it and I want that to be heard and felt. You don’t have to like it, just listen to it.”

Purchase the Dark Red LP now on iTunes via True Panther/WeDidIt. Check out the lead single from the album "Buried" below.