Larusta, the musical alias of musician Jan Knandel, has charted an intriguing path from his origins in the small southern German town of Möckmühl to London. After an erratic journey marked by various relocations, changing jobs and diverse musical ventures, he found stability and a receptive audience in UK capital.
This city became the sanctuary where his unique musical vision, which he dubs ‘dark lyrical alternative,’ began to take shape. Alongside his band, The Dead Dogs, Larusta has been winning over audiences across the city’s venues, steadily building a reputation for their original sonic output.
First presenting the Larusta & The Dead Dogs sound back in 2019, the band dropped their debut single “In a Daze,” with singles two and three coming in 2020 and 2021. Following a hiatus of releasing original material, Larusta & The Dead Dogs are set to drop their debut full-length record, The Life You Save May Be Your Own, this autumn with a release show planned at Berlin’s Art Stalker as well as live performances in the UK.
Offering the first taste of the upcoming album and opening the next chapter in their exciting musical story, the band now brings us the title track from the LP with the new single titled “The Life You Save May Be You Own.” On the new track, the band crafts a haunting exploration of loss and madness, taking listeners through a journey of dark spheres and inner struggle, reflecting Larusta’s own experiences of isolation and depression during the pandemic.
Brought in by the bold strikes of piano notes, Larusta’s expressive voice enters to spin theatrical melodies carrying storytelling lyricism, crafting a timeless sound of progressive folk style. As the arrangement swells with the gentle patter of drums and rich cello tones, the song rises up to erupt into a rousing chorus of crashing drums and gritty guitars capped by commanding vocal leads to deliver an epic burst of anthemic rock energy.
Flowing with the delicate ebb and flow between the stripped back verses and the robust and lofty aesthetic of the choruses, “The Life You Save May Be Your Own” sees Larusta & The Dead Dogs return with a sensational new song. Paired with the single is a cinematic music video directed by Alex Christidis and Larusta himself which sees the band perform the track in a dated living room as Larusta sings while seated in an arm chair, delivering an impassioned performance to reflect the intensity of the song. Showcasing the very best of their songwriting wrapped up in a truly original sound brought to life by powerful vocals and superb musicianship, the band’s new single further builds the hype for their highly anticipated forthcoming debut album.
Watch the music video for The Life You Save May Be Your Own below
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