Belau are making waves. Having been featured both on MTV and KEXP,  the electronic duo from Budapest are back with a new album, ‘Colourwave.’ It’s a beautiful listen, with plenty of ambient textures.

I think what makes this album shine is the colourful production. There’s African-influenced sounds on ‘Risk It All’ which make me think of a walk in a sunny area. The handclaps also work very well because they could demonstrate unity and togetherness.

It is clear that Zero 7 influence Belau’s sound. Sophie Barker lends her voice on ‘Essence’. It has a beautiful guitar line running through the song, while Sophie’s voice is phenomenal on this track. The chilling vocal production works because the reverb and echo represent the protagonist being trapped.

The drum production is phenomenal because they make the tracks sound big. On ‘Breath’ it makes the song sound huge, with the bells and xylophone. There is also a huge array of vocal talent, with Sophie Lindinger’s vocals making the song shine brightly.  ‘Natural Pool’ is an instrumental song with samples of flowing water. This fits in with the ambience, while I love the chopped up samples because they make me feel relaxed.

Overall, ‘Colourwave’ is a calming listen and perfect for anyone who has had a stressful day. The production is immaculate because it draws from a variety of influences, and the vocal talent is exceptional.

Words by Ermis Madikopoulos