A few years ago, I moved into a dormitory in Copenhagen, Denmark that housed 100 university students. 99 of them were Danish. And one was American (me!). Needless to say, we would have some differences. Or at least I thought we would. Regardless of how different our backgrounds and upbringings were, I could find a connection with most anyone if I was patient enough. People I wouldn’t have given a second thought to became my closest friends because we were in the unique circumstance of being forced to spend an enormous amount of time together. Connecting with people you would never have imagined is what I would consider to be the rarest of connections.
And the rarest of connections is what Hollowlove aim to celebrate. That and existential angst, despair, vulnerability, hope, love, dance — these “frayed edges of life.”
Producer Keith Gillard and vocalist/illustrator Ryan Slemko have been making music together for years as Fidgital. Now, they have come together as Hollowlove, where they have turned their backs to samples and rather embrace acoustic and analog sounds.
The duo hail from Vancouver, Canada where they are making moody electropop that I would also brand as psychedelic and spacey. Their latest single, “Diamond Mine,” truly embodies the psychedelic and spacey, being an ambient, pop single with breathy vocals over synths and tribal rhythms.
Hollowlove states that the single was inspired by “‘Moments in Love’ by Art of Noise, Jean-Michel Jarre, and Vangelis’ best works, and the vocal style of Sade.” There are two versions of the track that cater to all on the ambient pop spectrum — a longer version for those leaning to the ambient side and a shorter version for those leaning to the pop side.
Hollowlove Stun With Music and Visuals
Beyond the music itself, the illustrations that accompany them are stunning, some of them even being wistfully created live onstage during performances. You can absorb them Hollowlove’s Instagram and get a hold of their pay-what-you-want releases here.