lØve! is a chaotic, psychedelic and beautiful collage that recently I have found myself consistently coming back to it.
Originally created to be a b-side by the artist collective Ambergrove, lØve! is a song they have been sat on for some time. Having initially decided not to release it, the group unearthed it again, just as they wrapped up the recording of their debut album.
The song lØve! is actually a riff on an Ambergrove fan favourite, dØves!, taking that earlier song and reversing it. Despite being just two minutes long, dØves! moves through two distinct movements, creating an almost two-act, theatrical feel to the song. lØve! is similar, but arguably more dramatic, extending things by a minute, and adding what feels like a third act.
The crunchy, sample heavy production style clearly owes a debt to Bon Iver’s landmark album 22, A Million. Ambergrove leverage the same contrast between multi-layered electronics combined with the crisp and clean vocal that opens up here at the one-minute mark.
In contrast to dØves!, itself a distinctive and experimental track, lØve! is bolder, the sound of a group of artists pushing confidently into new sounds. This is particularly the case in the way they create the space for UK hip-hop artist Dre Ishmail to deliver a heartfelt, clear eyed vocal as the song draws to its conclusion.
Overall, I found the track affecting, distinctive and original. Check it out below: