DA Premiere: Kastle – Holographic (Feat. Sara Z)

by: Alexandra Blair Oct 12, 2016

In under a decade of releases, Kastle has made a name for himself with his eclectic sound. Originally inspired by early dubstep and other British dance movements, producer Barrett Richards’ creative evolution has taken him through a handful of fully formed aesthetic visions with more grace than most. It’s presumably this flexibility which allows the producer to operate as as the head of A&R for his young label Symbols.

Despite the dense back catalogue of quality releases and enjoyment he takes from the job, Richards’ curatorial role seemed to stunt his own creative experimentation. To fight the habitual obsession with “newness,” Richards left Los Angeles and holed himself up in the suburbs to work freely on a full length album he hoped would unite this flurry of sounds and ideas. That album, Reflections, will arrive this week via Symbols.

Said Richards of the creative process behind the LP: “I was finding a balance between all the different sounds I love and have been influenced by over the years.”

In advance of its release, the multitalented producer has shared “Holographic,” featuring vocalist Sara Z. The kinetic track radiates with restrained energy and polished cool. The tension between curation and creation is palpable throughout with splinters of UK garage, drum n bass, and deep house in the mix and lyrics that suggest an artist in flux: “everything changes, but it’s all just holographic”.

“I had a lot of fun recording this one with Sara Z,” says Richards, calling the subdued track “one of the more dance floor friendly tracks on the album” with an “uplifting message”.

The track’s soundscape is, like all else Richards touches, spare and thoughtfully nuanced. At once it evokes the dark machinery of artists like Burial and the textural depth of Balam Acab. Taken in tandem with the acidic and visceral tracks that have been released by the artist so far, the stellar track also reveals a glimpse of what’s to come in Richards’ sophomore effort: taken together, they gleam with the intimacy and history of an intensely personal document.