Just as Apollo’s astronauts investigated the vast expanse of outer space, today, Paraleven invites fans to explore the cosmos within via his eponymous debut album Apollo—set to land September 9 on Rose Avenue.
Apollo prepares for take off with its second single, “Tidal Wave”—an apt kick-off to the exploration that ensues through the rest of the longform project. Its gentle build and pervading warmth showcase Paraleven’s penchant for conjuring sonic catharsis. Soft pads, resonant synths, and choice filtering add a spacey feel to the finished product, while the canorous vocalwork of Bien et Toi catalyzes emotional release within its listeners.
“Bien et Toi is a master at creating such vibey vocals. I had the chance to sit down with him and work with him directly on this track. ‘Tidal Wave’ is another late night song you can ‘take a ride to.’”—Paraleven on “Tidal Wave”
It was Paraleven’s own deep dives into his mind that sparked Apollo’s creation. A psychedelic ego death experience at 21 revealed the transcendent nature of music, and his purpose in harnessing these frequencies to help others. As he sought to understand the brain’s complexities and the nature of consciousness, he realized that the unknowns of the inner world equated to the mystery of space itself. This juxtaposition of the inner and outer worlds is what Paraleven seeks to capture in Apollo, with its overarching motifs of hypnotic arpeggiation and subtle sound effects representing one’s internal odyssey.
Those touched by Apollo will get a chance to hear the album live as well. Paraleven kicks off his debut headlining USA tour on September 23, where he’ll be hitting Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Chicago, and Denver. This tour also marks the debut of his live set up.
“Creating a live set was always something I wanted to eventually transition to from DJing. I want to be able to bring a unique experience to each show – and have worked to incorporate an array of new hardware that will allow me to do so. There are certain places in my sets where I wished I could remove or add things – and now I will be able to improvise on the fly.”—Paraleven
For well over a decade, Paraleven has worked hard to develop the cinematic sound he’s known for today. His labor began bearing fruit shortly into his tenure as a solo artist; in 2019, his first releases were promptly picked up by This Never Happened, where he soon became one of the label’s most beloved new talents. Direct support for label boss Lane 8 on his tour followed soon after. Meanwhile, his Retrograde Mixtapes—recorded in the rejuvenating frequency of 432hz to coincide with each Mercury retrograde—now on the 6th iteration has begun picking up steam.
It wouldn’t be long before RÜFÜS DU SOL welcomed him into Rose Avenue with open arms, where he joins the ranks of Township Rebellion, Colyn, Cassian, and others that have collectively helped the melodic house genre forward. Now with his first-ever LP on the way, Paraleven is armed with even more tools to accomplish his greater mission of healing through music.
“I couldn’t have picked a better home for my first album than with Rose Avenue, and I am super excited to finally share what I consider to be my absolute best work to date. I’ve reached a stage in production skills that allowed me to expand my creativity and I really hope it shows.”—Paraleven
PARALEVEN APOLLO TOUR DATES:
Wednesday September 22nd – The Echo, Los Angeles, CA
Friday September 24th – Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco, CA
Wednesday September 29th – Mercury Lounge, New York, NY
Thursday September 30th – Schubas, Chicago, IL
Friday October 1st – Bar Standard, Denver, CO
Tickets at: www.paraleven.com
