New Music: Alev & Jas – A World Beyond

Published On: February 5th, 2024|

Though Alev Lenz and Jas Shaw first collaborated over a decade ago, it was the vagaries of lockdown that brought their current project to fruition. Comprising complex shades, floating vocals, and uncertain rhythms, A World Beyond is like listening to early ambient works by Eno reimagined for a time when PC Music and DNB are once again filtering through the pop ether.

A World Beyond isn’t pop music, but it does use elements of the classic pop song structure, reworking them into something less straightforward, but also easily accessible to the listener.

The track is an open and intriguing taster for their Bring Your Friends EP which is set for release on the 23rd of February and is currently up for preorder on Bandcamp.

Alev describes the record as “about friends talking about the state of the world and their souls.” It reflects the experiences of coming out of the pandemic, touching on themes of screens, the outdoors, patriarchy, and relationship traumas.

Adds Jas, “I was in lockdown much longer than most people and never really got into remote working, even with friends. I had this sense that the magic that you get when you put a few people in a room and decisions get made and something is created would not work across a video link. I really only sent Alev the tunes because I knew that she would be able to see what I was doing but would likely have a very different slant on them.”

For news on Bring Your Friends and other works by the duo, you can check out Alev Lens on their website, and Jas Shaw – who is also known for his work as part of Simian Mobile Disco – on Twitter.

Header photo by Laura Lewis