In the digital age, where smartphones and screens dominate our lives, Tolari’s second album, Death’s Halo, explores the tension between technology and humanity. The duo of Ed Tullett and Auryn Waring crafts immersive soundscapes that delve into themes of digital escapism and the complexities of parasocial relationships.
Reflecting on their creative journey during the pandemic, Tullett and Waring found an undeniable chemistry despite the distance—Tullett in Cardiff and Waring in Shanghai. Their collaboration blossomed as they defined their unique style, following the success of previous projects like the Ribbons EP and their debut album, Leylines.
Death’s Halo is conceptualized as a soundtrack for a fictional virtual reality world serving as a digital therapy resort. This album draws inspiration from iconic films such as Alien and Blade Runner, as well as musical influences from Orbital and Radiohead. The album features standout tracks like “Without Form,” which taps into nostalgic 90s dance vibes, and “Duplicant,” an experiment in merging analogue and digital sounds.
As Waring notes, Death’s Halo not only serves as an escape but also provides a poignant reflection on our virtual lives. The album is out now and captures the essence of our struggle to navigate an increasingly digital landscape.
“We put this mix together to showcase a combination of some of our favorite video game composers and the musical, thematic, and aesthetic influences on our new album, Death’s Halo. A lot of the tracks’ haunting melodies and immersive soundscapes bring back memories from our experiences with these games, but there are some we’ve never played or have always wanted to play. Listening to these compositions, woven in with songs we have connections with, creates a unique blur of nostalgia for moments we had and could have had.
Maybe others will be able to relate to this experience, but if not, then this mixtape should still offer a captivating backdrop of ’90s and ’00s video game synth ambiance, whether it’s for late-night introspection, study sessions, or simply to unplug and get lost in.”
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Download/stream Death’s Halo here: https://tolari.ffm.to/deathshalo
