Extremely talented DJ-producer, multi-instrumentalist and engineer, dot serves up a breathtaking testament to her true authenticity with new EP 'begin again' on the influential Mau5trap label. Pushing the boundaries of sound design, this five track EP releases with emotion, creativity and escapist grooves.
Produced in the mountains of her hometown Sun Valley, Idaho where she skis and trial runs, dot explains that ‘begin again’ “is about finding the strength to start over when you feel like giving up”. Away from major cities and the noise of overcrowded scenes, the one place dot doesn’t feel like an outsider is ironically, outside, creating music directly in the environments that inspire it, rather than traditional studio spaces:
“'Begin Again’ is a love letter to the producer I was 14 years ago: unjaded and full of more ideas than should reasonably belong in one artist project. It doesn't neatly fit into many current genres or scenes right now, but seeing as I don't live in London, New York, LA or another major city, it wouldn't be authentic if it did. My biggest hope is that this music inspires any new artists to have the courage to create as themselves, for themselves. And if you feel like an outsider, go outside.”
Sonically, the EP is a genre bending journey, 'Millennium' is a thrilling blend of broken jungle beats and twisted synth sounds with a heart aching vocal sample making for an irresistible hook. 'Stay Forever' brings another enthralling blend of expertly designed and physical drums with tender chords and gorgeously filtered vocals. Meanwhile, 'The Search' sinks into a deeper groove with more introspective pads and signature vocal beauty. Taking experimentation to the next level in this EP, 'So Good', was formed from hauling gear up to a yurt in the Sawtooth Mountains during the dead of winter to ski and record. It encapsulates the landscape, floating away on exotic string sounds and shimmering pads before organic beats arrive to deliver a sense of escape. The title cut ‘begin again’ closes out with lush synths and piano chords that soothes the soul as persuasive drums and raw bass amp up the pressure.
Washington-born, Kate Ellwanger is behind forward-thinking producer dot who has made an indelible mark on the electronic scene. She has an ever evolving sound that is not confined to one genre, with covers on playlists like Spotify's Fresh Finds and Creamy as well as support across Spotify’s New Music Friday, Apple's Chilltronics and Amazon Breakthrough Electronic, plus support on BBC Radio 1Xtra. Her skills have also landed her scoring opportunities for TV, films and commercials for the likes of Nike, MTV, Laura Mercier and more whilst also producing instrumentals in her early days for SZA and also sharing the stage with Doja Cat at Spam n Eggs festival.
Committed to amplifying underrepresented voices in music, dot heads up her own womxn-focused label Unspeakable Records that has given many female identifying artists their first release on the scene. This has earned her a spot on the voting committee for the Recording Academy as well as a contributing role with Music Cares, and most recently led her into the Web3 space, becoming a top-selling artist on platforms like Catalog and Sound.xyz., all while laying down her unique sounds at epic events like EDC Las Vegas, Red Rocks and HARD Summer to name only a few.
Her biggest mission is to combine the worlds of music with action sports, the outdoors and ski culture with music culture and events. dot has spent over 15 years studying mindfulness practices from multiple traditions, including yoga, meditation, and breath work. Her dedication to constantly pushing herself has seen her become a triathlete and ultra marathon runner, also competing in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in 2022. This latest EP has been the result of merging her lives of music and the outdoors, in an effort to create more music directly in the environments where she’s free to be herself with no pressure to fit into any scenes or genres. If it’s throwing pop up shows in outdoor locations, or raves from her van turned mobile studio, dot is driven to bring more creative energy to natural spaces.
Showcasing growth, versatility and resonating themes whilst making for a superb electronic offering, with delicate chords, crisp percussion and guttural drops, this is an essential new EP from the boundary breaking dot.
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