New York-based singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Dorian Williams II, known professionally as Skateland, releases his new six-track EP “Ultra Kitsch.” Marking a sonic reset following a period of reflection, the project blends ambient dreampop, witty artpop, and indie electronic textures into a vibrant collection of songs.
Originally from Las Vegas before relocating to study at the University of Texas, Williams developed the Skateland moniker from bedroom multi-instrumental experiments. Combining melancholy lyricism with new wave instrumentation and pop production techniques, his sound bridges past, present, and future aesthetics. Having built a strong presence across the indie-pop landscape, Skateland has shared stages with Foster the People, Major Lazer, and Two Door Cinema Club, alongside performances at Austin City Limits Festival and SXSW.
Speaking on the personal evolution behind the new record, Skateland shares, “I think in the past I had this masochistic obsession with being some elite, avant-garde, voice of a generation poet-type with all of this depth and nuance, and to be honest it made me boring and grumpy and not a very fun person to be around. But at the end of the day, I’m from Las Vegas Nevada. Vegas is neon, goofy, fun, sleep-deprived, and extremely unserious in the best way possible, and for as much as I try to fight it, that city is in my DNA. I knew that the next project I did needed to reflect that. I wanted kitsch! So this EP is Ultra Kitsch. Fun songs that are equal parts electronic dance, ambient dreampop, and witty artpop, but 100% me.”
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Ultra Kitsch is out now: https://linktr.ee/skatelanding
