Refresh Records - Lakes - Elysian Skies

Lakes
Elysian Skies RFR-066

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Formed in 2018, ‘glock-rock’ stalwarts Lakes have turned plenty of heads since emerging from the depths of Watford’s DIY scene. Lakes quickly gained traction in 2021 with the release of their glittering second album ‘Start Again’, which saw them explore their fusion of math-pop time signatures and dual-vocals to craft a full-length steeped in their collective vulnerabilities and anxieties. Lauded by Line Of Best Fit as “a shining hopefulness at its core” and Washed Up Emo championing them as “Your new favourite band”, Lakes spent the next two years breaking ground on on the UK live circuit, headlining their biggest show to date at The Lexington in London and conquering stages at ArcTanGent and Strange Forms Festivals.

The band are settling into 2023 with their sights set on a metamorphosis, driven by a desire to forge themselves into something bigger and brighter than ever before. Step forth new album ‘Elysian Skies’. Recorded with Tom Peters (Alpha Male Tea Party, The Fall, Vennart) at Trapdoor Studios in Liverpool, Lakes took to the studio to make their sound enormous, leaning into their penchant for positivity, charm and twinkling catharsis all while wrapping their themes in echoing guitar effects and soaring vocal harmonies.

Where ‘Start Again’ saw Lakes take their darkest moments and come out of the other side, ‘Elysian Skies’ is an evolution of that woe and emerging into a realm that is full of colour, brightness and hope. It’s the band forging their own path and signalling a new phase in 2023, not quite the re-birth of their previous record, but a phase that contains the very essence of what the band have grown into — and what they do best.

Credits

All songs written by Roberto Cappellina, Blue Jenkins and Matt Shaw. Lyrics for tracks 1, 2, 5, 6 and 9 by Roberto Cappellina. Lyrics for tracks 3, 4, 7, 8 and 11 by Blue Jenkins. Lyrics for track 10 by Blue Jenkins and Gareth Arthur. Bass arrangements by Charlie Smith. Double Bass on "TLC" and “Tie Dye” arranged and performed by Marcus Gooda. Trumpet on “Leap” and "Joker" performed by Tom Hammond. Produced by Tom Peters and Lakes.

This album was constructed between February and August 2022. Drums, guitars, piano and bass engineered by Tom Peters at Trap Door Studios, Liverpool. Vocals engineered by Roberto Cappellina at home. Double Bass engineered by Marcus Gooda at home. All other instruments and sounds engineered by Matt Shaw at Lakes HQ, Hertfordshire. Mixed by Tom Peters at Trap Door Studios, Liverpool Mastered by Katie Tavini at WeirdJungle, Brighton. Cover artwork by Irie Wata. Layout and text by Roberto Cappellina.