Brooklyn, NY – The Formalist, the dynamic duo known for seamlessly blending elegant, interpretive, experimental electronic pop with shoegaze ambience, is set to release their highly anticipated and delicately detailed new album, ‘A Trace of Yourself’. Released via Mother West, this 10-track project promises to take listeners on a profound journey through the labyrinth of the human psyche.

Formed by Brooklyn-born Stephen Krieger and Norwegian Erik Laroi in 2006, The Formalist offers a distinctive exploration of self-discovery and the passage of time with their latest offering. Drawing from decades of indie rock, dream pop, and trip-hop inspiration, ‘A Trace of Yourself’ weaves together a tapestry of emotions, inviting listeners to delve into the depths of their own consciousness.

Conceptually, the album revolves around the idea of what lingers from our past and what might survive into our future. Each track offering a unique and intricate perspective on themes such as coincidence, loss, memory and connection. Whilst initial single ‘Happenstance’ explored the notion of the traces we leave behind in life, second single ‘Finite’ delved deep into personal loss and longing. Leaving the most recent single and prelude to the record, ‘A = N’ to envelope listeners in a future-noir atmosphere, inviting them to contemplate the cyclical nature of memory and nostalgia.

“Lyrically, A Trace of Yourself is a record about struggling to see the world through clear eyes, Realizing the past and the future can both sneak up on you in unexpected ways.”

The focus track of the album, ‘In Slow Motion’, serves as the centrepiece for ‘A Trace of Yourself’ encompassing all that The Formalist represents. Its iconic, thumping baseline immediately seizes the listener, embedding them into each and every soundwave. Focusing on how memories work, it flirts with the idea of being able to dive back into every moment ever experienced, both shame and pleasure, with repercussions equally as terrifying and addictive. It asks the question, if you could relive one cherished memory in slow motion… Would you do it? Featuring a cold glitched-out beat reminiscent of Joy Division, with a warm chorus which continuously expands, ‘In Slow Motion’s atmospheric nature is a nod to classic Sigur Rós and the enduring influence of Brian Eno.

Mixed by Erin Tonkon and mastered by Simon Scott, ‘A Trace of Yourself’ revives the concept of a hidden-layers "headphone album," delivering emotionally resonant tracks that reward close listening. Drawing inspiration from Radiohead, Aphex Twin, My Bloody Valentine, and more recent artists like Broken Bells and James Blake, The Formalist creates a sonic dreamscape that transports listeners to another realm. Make no mistake, there is more here than meets the eye and those who go digging will certainly find gold.

“You want a record to take you out of your ordinary place, like a sonic dreamscape…A meditative thing; a way to lose yourself.”