Without knowing it, you’ve probably heard Kelly Lee Owens work over the past few years: the 27-year-old London producer contributed vocals and writing ,,,,to several tracks on fellow UK techno wizard Daniel Avery’s debut LP, 2014’s Drone Logic, and she’s made waves with a pair of limited-release 12” singles showcasing her gifts for spectral, hallucinatory pop. On ,,,,the “Oleic” EP, ,,,,her debut release on Smalltown Supersound, Owens flexes her considerable muscle as a dance producer with four luscious, deeply satisfying slices of big-room electronic music.
If previous single "Arthur" (featured in Alexander McQueen’s Autumn/Winter 2016 runway show) tugged at the threads of expansive house music, then the “Oleic” EP finds Owens fully immersed in cavernous bass, circuitous melodical phrasing, and intricately textured synths. Featuring four songs -- “CBM,” a rework of Jenny Hval’s “Kingsize,” (previously named a “Best New Track” by Pitchfork), “Elliptic,” and the EP’s title track -- the “Oleic” 12” showcases deep range and know-how when it comes to dance music's past and present, and only draws further intrigue as to what the future holds for Owens.
Kelly Lee Owen’s “Oleic” EP is out October 21st via Smalltown Supersound and is available for pre-order now. The rework of Jenny Hval’s “Kingsize” is exclusive to the 12” (it is already available digitally). The debut single "C.B.M." wanders ominously through a thicket of rushed snares and distant synths, with Owens' vocal incantations occasionally emerging through the fog.