Oceana is the new EP from London producer Dark0, out now via XL Recordings / Remote Control.
Prior to the EP’s release, Dark0 released the music video for ‘Forever’ via Fader. Directed by Sybil Montet De Doria, the video “feels familiar yet otherworldly at the same time,” Fader.
The 25-year-old’s debut for XL describes the unstable relationship Dark0 shares with his environment, narrating the story of his city’s illusions of grandeur, mired by hypocrisy and a false sense of security. Dark0 weaves this narrative into a stunningly warm, sorrowful, yet optimistic sound creating a real cinematic journey for the listener, as he explains below:
“The video represents the unconditional love I have for the city I’ve lived in forever, but knowing it’s growing ever more one-sided. It’s like that toxic relationship you just play along with because you don’t know any better.”
Dark0 has always created his music as a snapshot, a kind of journal, its sole agenda being to illustrate the thoughts, passions and frustrations of a given time and place. However, having emerged as the pioneer of melodic, grime-referencing club anthems, Dark0 breaks away from his previously known sound for his XL debut. Showcasing Dark0’s ease at creating tunnelling melodic earworms defined by their punishing percussion and refrain, the Oceana EP journeys through love sick, dark-pop (‘Forever’) and total euphoria (’Luka’), before retribution (‘Plague’) and ending with ‘Heal’’s redemptive qualities.
