Following the announcement of their debut forthcoming LP Heba via Bella Union, Danish band Lowly have shared the video for their single “Word.”. The track proves restless and inventive, carried along by striking melodies and resonant intonations that eschew any one definitive genre or style. The video, ominous and engrossing, leaves room for much interpretation from the viewer.

Director Noe Morre elaborates on his approach: “There is a dangerous tendency in the way we address and discuss the humanitarian crisis is Syria and Europe. The rules of the game seem to be that the one with the loudest, most radical statements, both positive or negative, is the one who is heard – the one who is right. This creates an aggressive, noisy and un-nuanced debate that leaves no room for argumentation or reflection – the foundation of any real discussion or action.”

Lowly only came together as a band in 2014, having met at the musical academy in Aarhus, Denmark. Despite all five members being involved in different studies, and having their own pre-existing endeavors, Nanna Schannong (lead vocals, guitar), Soffie Viemose (lead vocals, laptop), Kasper Staub (synthesisers), Thomas Lund (bass, Moog) and Steffen Lundtoft (drums, percussion) soon found common musical ground; a restlessly inventive and exquisitely melodic sound that refutes easy categorization.

The band themselves call it “noise-pop, and everything in between”. In this case ‘noise’, explains Kasper Staub, refers to the textures and treatments via laptop and guitar. This gives Lowly songs unpredictable, shape-shifting qualities (brilliantly layered by the band and co-producer Anders Boll, Efterklang’s long-trusted engineer/soundman), though a core of wistful melancholy remains, further intensified by the enigmatic lyrics.

“We think of our music and lyrics more like a painting, we think it should all melt together,” says Staub. “We’re all interested in developing ourselves as songwriters, and working in new ways, with different ideas.”

Lowly
Heba
Tracklisting:

1. Still Life

2. Deer Eyes

3. Look At The Sun

4. Mornings

5. Cait #2

6. Prepare The Lake

7. Stubborn Day

8. Pommerate

9. No Hands

10. Word

11. Not So Great After All