Kwolek shares new single “Atmosphere”

Based in Boulder, Colorado, Kwolek has spent years building a musical world that glides between different moods, styles and genres. Elements of synth pop, grunge, disco, pop and punk influences all ripple throughout his sound, with his work reflecting the vision of a musician who prefers experimentation over strict boundaries. Operating as a solo artist, Kwolek handles nearly every facet of the creative process himself, shaping songs from the earliest ideas through to their final presentation.

Kwolek first developed his musical talents as part of Lima Research Society, where he cut his teeth as a multi-instrumentalist, an experience which gave him the confidence to explore a broader sonic world as a solo artist. In his current project, he takes on multiple roles simultaneousl;: songwriter, vocalist, guitarist and synth player, while also programming drums and overseeing the recording, mixing and mastering of his music.

His discography stretches back over a decade, beginning with the debut album Overlord in 2015 and three years later, he returned with the follow-up album Masks, continuing to expand the sound he had begun shaping on his first release. After that period of activity, the artist stepped away from releasing original material for a time and while the public output slowed, the creative process simmered in the backfround.

During the hiatus, Kwolek continued working quietly on new ideas, gradually building a collection of unfinished songs that would eventually form the framework for his next phase. That next chapter arrived at the beginning of 2024 when Kwolek returned with new material, leading to a series of singles and eventually to his third full-length record, T>H>I>S, which was released in March of last year.

Now Kwolek moves forward again with the release of his latest single titled “Atmosphere,” a track which offers an insight into the artist’s patient creative process, revealing how some songs require years of development before reaching their final form. In the case of “Atmosphere,” that journey initially began back in 2016 when Kwolek first sketched the musical idea, allowing it to sit unfinished, returning to it periodically over the years as his perspective shifted.

New vocals were recorded in 2023 and only recently did the artist revisit the track once more to add final guitar parts, resulting in a lively art rock outing that flows with rattling percussive energy capped by the intricate swirl of delicate instrumental elements and gentle vocals, recalling the aesthetic of artists like Baths. Rolling with uptempo drums, lightly crunching guitars and bright piano flickers, Kwolek overlapping vocal layers craft an enveloping listening experience unlike any other.

Alongside the single, the release also includes a B-side titled “Zhazh,” a lo-fi synth instrumental that originated in 2021, adding a completely different energy to the release, leaning toward a dance-oriented atmosphere while maintaining the electronic textures that often appear throughout Kwolek’s work.

“Atmosphere” also marks the first glimpse into his forthcoming album Reveal, a project that gathers together songs Kwolek penned over the course of seventeen years, many of which remained unfinished until recently. By completing them now, he’s effectively created a record that spans a large portion of his life as a musician and we can’t wait to see what the full-length release has in store.

Listen to Atmosphere below

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