Say Lou Lou Unveils Shimmering New Album 'Dust'

The critically acclaimed duo SAY LOU LOU - composed of twins Elektra and Miranda Kilbey - have unveiled their brand new album DUST via Cosmos Music. Dust is the band’s first full-length record in 6 years, the second half of Dust Pt. 1, an EP released in April of this year. The songs chronicle a deeply layered journey through the stages of a relationship, from the euphoric beginning to the bitter end and the lingering aftermath.

Featuring ten songs, Dust intricately explores the complexities of love, longing, and self-reflection. This album not only marks Say Lou Lou’s return after six years but also sets a new gold standard in intricate indie pop, combining their signature dreamy aesthetics with velvety, vulnerable vocals for a truly unforgettable experience.

The duo reflect, “Dust consists of 10 songs about the dynamic of a relationship, from the beginning to bitter end, and the aftermath. In Dust Pt.1 we met a woman who is a disappointed, bitter and unfulfilled girlfriend who wants more, a girl who dreams she was living in another world where love is more dangerous and exciting and the ex who is nostalgic and longing for resolution and friendship.

For the final 5 songs, we are continuing the exploration but are choosing a slightly more humble and self-reflective persona, and a little bit of humour, too. Production wise, the thread that ties the record together is the acoustic guitar, and mixing acoustic and organic elements with the electronic, kind of like an ode to the UK noughties pop productions but without the higher tempos and a more suggestive and sincere Sea Change-mood.”

The lead single from the album, the lush guitar-driven opener “Blue Ruin.” “‘Blue Ruin' is a scene from a movie in the form of a song - quite literally narrating a woman’s difficult but necessary decision to admit to her partner that she’s fallen for someone new and wants to leave. She is stuck in a small car with her ex and she feels trapped, not only by his negative reaction to her betrayal, but also by her own guilt.”

Dust is a beautiful piece of immersive escapism that weaves lo-fi pop, mid-noughties forward production and licks of west coast Americana and British trip-hop to really create something unique that stands out there by itself amongst its peers. Previous single “Wish I Could Hold You” creates a melancholy daydream whilst brand new tracks “Defenseless” (a trip-hop influenced, pure pop diamond) and “Casual Man” (a bass-driven and sultry slow burner) round out the 10 track record perfectly. The majority of the album comes via a new creative partnership between the band and producer Eli Hirsch (courtship., Suki Waterhouse), mixing engineer Blue May (Blood Orange, Kano, Joy Crookes, Ghetts, Sudan Archives) and mastering engineer Joe Laporta (Miley Cyrus, David Bowie, Solange, Laufey, Björk), which has hugely influenced the sound of the record and has put the band in an exciting new creative space. The album also features the likes of Jay Blynn (Sara Bareilles), Trent Mazur (The Cab, Train), Katie Perlmann (Gryffin) and Joni Fatora (Icona Pop) on production and writing duties.

The new record was written and recorded following different creative pursuits by the twins, as Elektra was filming her AppleTV+ show, Shantaram, abroad, and Miranda was working on a screenplay, creative directing and producing for several tv projects. After this physical and creative separation (and a few other life changes and intense break-ups), Say Lou Lou was reborn in the form of Dust. “Distance makes the heart grow fonder -- of each other and music!” the twins reflected.

Photo Credit: Pete Karpushin