Aluna has today released her latest album. The house-focused LP sees her team up with a range of talents to deliver an exceptional mixture of good beats and her stand-out, memorable vocals. Since starting her own side project, outside of AlunaGeorge – Aluna has delivered track after track, rebuilding her profile with several notable offerings. MYCELiUM is a collection of Aluna at her best and is a must-listen for all that have come across her works over the years.
Aluna reveals, “This is an unusual track on the album because Tchami actually sent me this beat and I wrote to it remotely. The irresistible sound just immediately made me think of the insatiable pull that freedom has on me. I met Kareen Lomax on the night that Beyoncé became the first Black woman to win a GRAMMY for Best Dance/Electronic Album and we celebrated together. The next morning, I knew she had to tell this story with me. In my experience, freedom is not something you win on your own, just like I wasn’t able to single handedly change the industry for Black women. When Kareen effortlessly added her poetry, the song took on a whole new level and I finally felt like it was doing the job it was meant.”
The multi-award-winning British (of Jamaican and Indian heritage) artist naturally began to build this ecosystem that would later become MYCELiUM, one move at a time, throughout 2022 in London, Paris, and Los Angeles. This time around, she emphasized the use of analog gear, infusing her music with organic and raw energy, and collaborating with likeminded visionaries worldwide, attracting a cohort of Black and LGBTQ+ collaborators and allies. These ranged from KOOLDRINK in South Africa, Roofeeo in Panama, Pabllo Vittar in Brazil, and Picard Brothers in France to TSHA, Chris Lake, and MNEK in London and many more. The result, MYCELiUM, a timeless celebration of 90’s era dance music and the communities and cultures that helped impact its movement and message to this day.
On her latest album, Aluna shares: “The Mycelium is the cell network seeped into the fabric of nature. I’m not talking about the bloom or the fruits. You need to lay the groundwork to see the fruit one day. I got burnt out from trying to work with powerful people who have lots of money and no actual genuine care for what I’m trying to do. I realized there was no foundation where I was standing, and we have to build our own foundation. It’s not going to be all bells and whistles; it’s going to be substance. So, I broke some barriers and started mentoring creative fans. I built a community of Black Ravers on Geneva and by joining groups on Instagram and social media. Now, the album is my community I’ve created.”
Photo Credit: Maya Fuhr
