KLARA LEWIS — Opening

Klara Lewis – Opening is issued by Editions Mego (catalogue EMEGO325V) as a 12-inch vinyl that delves into ambient and experimental territories. The record arrives as a continuation of Lewis’s practice of bending acoustic sources into abstract, song-like structures, offering a deceptive blend of veiled melodies and clandestine bangers that challenge conventional listening. Within the Editions Mego catalogue, Opening follows the earlier releases Finlay Shakespeare – Directions Out Of Town LP (EMEGO310V), Kmru – Kin LP 2x12″ (EMEGO319V), Peter Rehberg – Liminal States LP (EMEGO315V), The Transcendence Orchestra – All Skies Have Sounded LP 2x12″ (EMEGO304V), Dome – 3 (DOME3), Hüma Utku – The Psychologist LP 2x12″ (EMEGO302V) and Pita – Get Out LP 2x12″ (EMEGO029V). The later release Grand River – Temporary (EMEGO320V) will arrive after this entry, positioning Opening among a series of releases that explore the label’s focus on experimental sound design. The A-side opens with “Ta Min Hand 03 26”, a piece that immediately unsettles with fragmented gestures that hint at a familiar melodic contour before dissolving into abstract texture. “City 03 10” continues the tension, offering a slightly more grounded pulse that nevertheless retains a sense of disorientation. “Vaknar 04 53” introduces a subtle shift toward tenderness, its restrained development providing a brief reprieve before the side’s climax. “Hardcore 03 26” pushes the momentum forward, delivering a darker, rhythmically insistent atmosphere that contrasts with the preceding calm. “Feel 03 06” and “Fortsätt 03 18” close the side with a pair of tracks that oscillate between foreboding dread and unexpected warmth, each reconfiguring the acoustic material in ways that keep the listener off-balance. Side B begins with “Tide 11 36”, originally commissioned for the 2020 compilation Dissolving Strawberry, and it arrives here as a refined, immersive vignette that blends the earlier field-recorded origins with the album’s overarching sense of metamorphosis. “Bud 01 30” and “How Far? 02 50” extend the narrative, employing sliced rhythmic patterns that feel both ominous and deceptively simple, reinforcing the record’s theme of concealed propulsion. “Small Harp 01 40” offers a brief, almost crystalline interlude that momentarily eases the tension before “Drip 01 58”, a piece first composed for the 2024 film Failed Emptiness, re-enters with a brooding intensity. “Något Att Berätta 38” and the title track “Opening 02 54” conclude the journey, each dissolving and re-emerging in altered forms that encapsulate the record’s dual focus on intimacy and disorientation. Opening sits between the earlier FULL-ON LP (ALTER – ALT74, 2023) in Lewis’s discography and her forthcoming output, extending the artist’s exploration of deconstructed acoustic sources. The record’s relationship to the label’s recent releases underscores Editions Mego’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of ambient and experimental practice, while the inclusion of pieces originally tied to film and compilation contexts highlights Lewis’s versatility across media. For DJs, the record offers a palette of textures suitable for late-night or experimental set slots. The A-side’s evolving tension can be threaded into deep-ambient mixes, while the B-side’s more rhythmic moments—particularly “Tide” and “Hardcore”—provide moments of subtle drive that can be layered under atmospheric transitions. Collectors will appreciate the continuity of Lewis’s aesthetic across formats and the way the vinyl captures the nuanced shifts between disorientation and tenderness. The release arrives as a 12-inch vinyl, cut by Andreas Kauffelt at Schnittstelle in Berlin and mastered by Stephan Mathieu. The artwork and design are handled by the artist herself in collaboration with Nik Colk Void, reinforcing the personal, handcrafted nature of the project. Klara Lewis – Opening, Editions Mego, catalogue EMEGO325V, 12-inch vinyl, 13 tracks. Tracklist: A1. Klara Lewis – Ta Min Hand 03 26 A2. Klara Lewis – City 03 10 A3. Klara Lewis – Vaknar 04 53 A4. Klara Lewis – Hardcore 03 26 A5. Klara Lewis – Feel 03 06 A6. Klara Lewis – Fortsätt 03 18 B1. Klara Lewis – Tide 11 36 B2. Klara Lewis – Bud 01 30 B3. Klara Lewis – How Far? 02 50 B4. Klara Lewis – Small Harp 01 40 B5. Klara Lewis – Drip 01 58 B6. Klara Lewis – Något Att Berätta 38 B7. Klara Lewis – Opening 02 54