Scottish duo FREE LOVE (Lewis Cook and Suzi Cook) have announced the imminent release of FREE LOVE, a project that was initially recorded and broadcasted live on Boiler Room as part of their ‘streaming from isolation’ series at the beginning of lockdown in April 2020. They’re now releasing this 30-minute session and they already shared the title track, “LOVE IS LOVE,” which sounds more or less like a trippy, spiritual meditation on LSD.

All profits from this release will be donated to GIVE INDIA – and will be used to donate food to families struggling with hunger in COVID’s second wave in India. Pre-order via Bandcamp and watch the full session on YouTube below.

Following up the video of their rave-y single “Bones” and their shortlist nomination at the SAY Award with their 2018’s album Luxury Hits, Scottish duo Free Love, formerly known as Happy Meals, have just unleashed the second single of their upcoming mini-album Extreme Dance Anthems. As the title of the album suggests it, the acid synth-driven cut “Skin On Skin” is tailored for the dance floor. Listen below.

Formerly known as Happy Meals, Free Love is a Glasgow-based duo consisting of life-partners Suzanne Rodden and Lewis Cook. Last year, they delighted us with their album Luxury Hits, which was shared on their own imprint Full Ashram. Now back to Optimo Music, the pair have just announced a new mini-album, EXTREME DANCE ANTHEMS, and shared a video for the first single “Bones”.

About this new project, which is described as “a reconnection with the magic around them”, they explained:

[su_quote]We recorded Extreme Dance Anthems in our recently moved studio, ‘Full Ashram Celestial Garden’ which is now situated in a building that holds both a church below us and a sex club next door. Most of the tracks were formed from late-night sessions that we started to kind of ritualistically hold, inspired from a particular thought or idea that we later cut down and did a live mixdown of. The music is about physicality and the metaphysical — it is about a recontextualization of the ineffable as a center point of existence which in turn influences how we engage with everything around us. [/su_quote]

Simultaneously acid and ethereal, “Bones” sounds more club-oriented and rave-y than some of their previous offerings. Like a pop cult ceremony, the accompanying visuals, which were directed by Henri Claudel, explore ritualism. Watch below.

[su_youtube_advanced url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsmS-0xHlko”]

Formerly known as Happy Meals, Glasgow avant-pop duo Free Love are readying the release of their 8-track new EP which is described as a “trans-temporal projection through pop music for dancefloors.” Following up on “Pushing Too Hard” and “July”, they have also unveiled a brand new track, “Playing As Punks”, where they show once again that they love to dig into retro influences to craft their glittering electro-pop.

Formerly known as Happy Meal, a mockery towards consumerism, Suzanne Roden and Lewis Cook have decided to to go by Free Love to fit a bit more their utopian vibes. Following up on their single “Synchronicity”, the Glasgow’s avant-pop just shared a double A-side single which combines italo-disco, krautrock, 80s French pop and acid music. Be ready for some languor and excitment on the dancefloor.

A lot of artists from the boiling underground scene are unfortunately flying under our radar. Hopefully, our Brussels-based curator Free Anckaert scours through hundreds of SoundCloud tracks to bring the best of them to the surface. Check a few of his favourites and stream the whole playlist below.

Mount Liberation Unlimited – “BODY LANGUAGE (MOUTH MIX)”

Mount Liberation Unlimited is a Swedish electro disco pop duo constisting of Tom Lagerman and Niklas Janzon. When I read ‘Body language’ was the title of they’re new baby, I though it’d be a remake of Booka Shade’s “Body Language” like Jax Jones’ “You Don’t Know Me” but WITH the reference. Instead MLU’s “Body Language” is a lovely disco song that goes with two versions: the Swedish Version and this lovely mouth mix.

88rising: Rich Brian – “watch out!” / NIKI

88rising is a musical platform and label for Asian artists. The home of artists as Rich Brian and NIKI, but also of Rina Sawayama (who conquered our heart with last year’s album “RINA”), Keith Ape and Higher Brothers. I think these artists are just the beginning of a new generation Asian artists (also looking at you Yaeji) capturing our ‘Western’ ears.

Sylvere – “Straightjacket” (Green Ray EP)

Paris based producer Sylvere is specialised in grimey synth “seduced by the staccato rhythms from UK Funky” if we may believe his Facebook page. This song – all of his brand new Green Ray EP tbh) is so bouncey, bubbly danceable it’s just a matter of time the guy is dj’ing at parties like Brussels based Los Ninos or Beursschouwburg.