Former M83 guitarist Jordan Lawlor has dropped a series of tracks in recent months under his music project J. Laser.
In the midst of a pandemic, J. Laser’s synthy, booming new track, “Sunshine,” with its heavy rhythmic stomps juxtaposed with dreamy pop flourishes, is gaining traction – presumably, as more music lovers turn to decidedly upbeat, more optimistic tracks.
Friday evening, BBC Radio One host Jack Saunders played the song on his popular show.
Lawlor, obviously influenced by M83’s sound, fuses booming percussion, mesmerizing synths, thick basslines, and melodic and psych-pop swells together with his sensual, almost whispery, vocals.
The single was featured Friday night on Jack Saunders’ BBC Radio One big indie show. Lawlor described the new track as: “Basically I had this song that sounded a little too sweet for me…the lyrics came first…but felt a little too happy so I tried to subvert that as much as I could with some psychedelic stuff.”
J. Laser also recently released the riveting R&B pop track, “Orpheus”, along with this dazzling video preceeded by “Waves & Blades,” featuring a classic kraut-rock rhythm and bassline along with Lawlor’s angry vocals decrying an increasingly dystopian world.
J.Laser’s self-titled EP is set to release May 1.
Adding to his growing skill set, Lawlor displays his chops as a composer and producer on his recent string of singles. He has proven adept at fusing modern electronic components with the warmth of classic songcraft and retro instrumentations from bygone eras.
When Lawlor joined M83 in 2011, the band was already internationally known, especially within the realms of indie music. In fact, M83 were arguably one of the first big indie bands out of France when they emerged on the scene in 2001.