Alternative electronic artist/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Robert DeLong today revealed PLAYLIST of DOOM, his fourth studio album and first on Round Hill Records. The album is available here, and a version on vinyl will be available on November 1st.
Earlier this week, DeLong released the song ‘SLOWLY’, a melancholy but funky track about relationships gone wrong, produced by Edan Dover of The Score, with co-writing contributions from indie rock darling Barns Courtney.
“The refrain from the chorus basically says it all as far as the lyrical inspiration for the track,” says DeLong of ‘SLOWLY’. “‘I’m on my knees, so let me down slowly / Good guys still bleed, so let me down slowly…’”
“Musically, I have to give all credit to the amazing Edan Dover of The Score, who is one of the only people I’ve ever trusted to fully produce a track for me and totally get my vibe. Edan showed the track to Barnes Courtney, who immediately came up with the post-chorus lead line and chord changes, which gave the track the final emotive edge to feel both heart-wrenching and dramatic.”
Currently co-headlining a US tour with Atlas Genius, (full dates here), which crosses the country through September and October, concluding with a hometown show at Echoplex in Los Angeles on October 21, DeLong has built a reputation for his incredible live performances, combining technology and performance art, as he utilizes loops and unique instrumentation to create a wall of sound. Here’s an example of his technique as he built the song ‘soft boy’.
Throughout PLAYLIST of DOOM, fans can hear subtle hints of Robert’s varied influences, resulting in an album that’s as eclectic as he is. They range from his obsession with dub, the dusty drums of breakbeat and jungle, the songwriting of ‘90s alternative music and early ‘00s Seattle indie, as well as classic songwriters like Tom Petty, David Byrne and Depeche Mode. He also nods to more modern artists like Gloomer, Post Malone, Pugilist and Om Unit.
“I started doing this in my twenties, and I was very young and at the beginning of my life,” he says. “I feel evolved from the person I was. I feel good about making music and being part of a record label that reflects where I am and who I am today. It all just feels right.”
With more than 200 million streams on Spotify and 43 million views on YouTube, Robert DeLong has established himself as an outlier in the realm of alt rock: an innovator who melds electronic music techniques with personal lyrics and captivating hooks. His fascinating, frenzied one-man live performances have engrossed audiences at Coachella, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Outside Lands and Reading and Leeds. Robert DeLong will join Atlas Genius on a co-headline tour across America starting September 8th.
WATCH THE LYRIC VIDEO FOR 'SLOWLY': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZemBDWENBM