Laura Groves (fka Blue Roses) shares new single and music video “I’m Not Crying”, taken from her forthcoming album Radio Red, available August 11 via Bella Union.

On the new track, Laura recalls: “A love song about being completely alone and completely together. Reaching for calm and understanding in the chaos of heartbreak. All is not lost!”

Much of Radio Red, the first full length album Laura Groves has released under her own name, was written, produced and recorded by Groves in her studio, watched over by two radio transmitting towers. “I became very drawn to them and they became like symbols to me; they were always awake, sending their messages, the red lights always came on at night and watched over whatever was going on in my life.” The album deals with themes of communication – missed and intercepted signals, chance meetings, synchronicities, the channels through which we try to express our true feelings, the outside interference that can get in the way and the joy of letting go and allowing the messages to flow freely.

Working its way through years of Laura’s life as an artist – early experiences of releasing music, live performance, touring, build up and breakdown, the record was a way to tune in to the many, often conflicting signals of fragmented memories. “I’ve always been very sensitive and open to what’s happening around me, and also struggle with the sheer amount of noise sometimes. There was a radio tower on the hill opposite the house where I grew up – I would look out at the network of streetlights winding up towards it and it all had a sort of mystery to me. It was a kind of escapism and a comfort, with an undertone of melancholy that was hard to put into words. I think that glow, that strange feeling, is what I’m always searching for and exploring through making music and artwork.”

A singer all her life, Groves has spent over a decade developing a practice as an autonomous multi-instrumentalist and recording artist as well as a collaborator (Darkstar, Sampha, Jamie Leeming), releasing EPs on DEEK Recordings and the 2020 EP A Private Road on Bella Union. Much of the creation of Radio Red was solitary, but a small group of people helped bring it to fruition. A meeting with mix engineer TJ Allen (Portishead, Adrien Utley) through her work in Bat for Lashes’ live band led to an important creative relationship. “Working with Tim provided me with a safe and nurturing studio environment in which to finish the record. It also means a lot to have Sampha’s voice on “D 4 N” and “Good Intention”, because we first met near the beginning of this journey and so much has happened since then – singing together again feels like coming full circle in the most positive way and a reminder that there are constants running through it all.”

Laura Groves
Radio Red
Bella Union
Traclisting

1. Sky at Night
2. Good Intention
3. Synchronicity
4. D 4 N
5. I’m Not Crying
6. Any Day Now
7. Time
8. Sarah
9. Make A Start
10. Silver Lining

Order Radio Red by Laura Groves HERE