Listen: Lowlit Releases Debut Compilation ‘Better Late Vol. 1’

Lowlit is an artist collective, curatorial platform and now record label that was initiated in July last year by musicians Frame/Frame (Nikhil Kaul) and Soulspace (Vishnu PS) with the aim to provide a stage for forward thinking Indian electronica to grow.

A year’s hard work and efforts have finally culminated in the teams first ever release – a full-length compilation album called ‘Better Late Vol. 1’, which features a number of known names in the elctronic scene (_RHL, Ox7gen, Audio Pervert, Kumail) along with some talented newcomers.

Vishnu tells Achal Khanolkar at Border Movement that "It's a tremendous responsibility, finding the most talented, creative artists and giving them a platform, introducing them to an audience. The only goal right now, and always, is to showcase art that resonates with Lowlit and everything else will follow.”

“We want this series of releases to become about artistes who don't necessarily restrict themselves to the confines of a micro-genre - and in that Lowlit does serve as a record label. However, the last thing we want to do is restrict Lowlit to just that and grow it into something that works as an aggregator for the electronic music scene - in terms of locating and connecting both makers and listeners and grow that collective pool of people further." says Nikhil

The first compilation from Lowlit has been curated with thought and a backing idea – it’s one of the better compiled and more cohesive releases we’ve heard out of India for a while. And surprisingly, despite the range of artists and styles, the whole things flows well and sounds like an album instead of someone’s haphazard SoundCloud playlist.

‘Better Late Vol. 1' begins with one of our favourite artists at the moment, Kumail. The acts that follow, including Aerate Sound, Lowlit co-boss Soulspace and new kid on the block Schlick also take up the rhythmic, sun dappled and melodic atmosphere that forms a foundation for the first half of the album. Things get a bit heavier with The Sine Painter, Ox7gen, Audio Pervert & Da Saz, who take a darker route with ‘Zumarood’ and _RHL with a standout new tune called ‘Caves’. We were missing a new Frame/Frame number, but there’s always next time.

You can listen to the whole thing below on SoundCloud and download it here on Bandcamp for free. Follow Lowlit on Facebook for updates.