House of Feelings - New Lows (2018) [Hi-Res]

New Lows is the full-length debut by House of Feelings, a Brooklyn-based recording artist, radio show, and ongoing dance party. The record updates classic house grooves with lyrical introspection and elements of pop songcraft, while featuring vocal contributions from some of the most distinctive voices in contemporary music—including Meredith Graves (formerly of Perfect Pussy), Shamir, and Strange Names’ Liam Benzvi.

The record builds upon the success of the Last Chance EP, which Pitchfork called “as intricate, elegant, and surprising as the [early] work of Tim Goldsworthy and James Murphy.” Here, HoF’s core group of producer-writers —Matty Fasano, Joe Fassler, and YVETTE’s Dale Eisinger — return alongside a new lineup of guest collaborators, with Denitia and Parlor Walls’ Alyse Lamb each co-writing two tracks. The result is a record that captures the energy and inclusive spirit of House of Feelings’ “immaculately hip” parties (The New York Times), featuring guest DJs like FaltyDL, Mr. Twin Sister, and Helado Negro.

New Lows is Graves’ contribution to Joyful Noise Recordings’ “White Label Series,” where high-profile curators spotlight their favorite overlooked and undersung artists. In nine tracks, the record explores modern anxieties against a backdrop of exuberant dance music, forever toeing the line between tension and catharsis. “There’s a light that never goes out,” Graves sings on “Touchscreen,” a backhanded ode to the technology that soothes and rules us—an ambiguous image that could represent the toxic glow of our omnipresent iPhones, or something much more hopeful. It’s a line that distills the album’s concerns as well as any: how we love what makes us sick, but will keep trying to get better.