Skrillex’s digital label OWSLA has signed New York-based electro-noise duo Heartsrevolution for the release of their long-awaited debut album, Billboard has learned. The band’s signing adds to a rapidly growing roster for the Grammy winner’s label, one that is expanding beyond the confines of EDM.
Before the album, the band is self-releasing a Just Blaze and Andrew Wright-mixed mixtape, “RevolutionRising.” Check out an exclusive stream of the raucous “Pop Heart” below:
“There is no one like [Heartsrevolution leader Lo Safai] who fits what [OWSLA is] doing currently in electronic music,” says Kathryn Frazier of Biz3, which runs OWSLA in partnership with Skrillex (real name: Sonny Moore). “She’s a lot like Sonny is. She cares about family and art and a community all doing their thing together. She’s willing to forgo more money and a bigger label. It seemed like a really good fit.”
Heartsrevolution officially consists of singer Lo Safai and producer partner Ben Pollock, but there is no question that this is Safai’s project. The group first came to prominence in 2008 with the release of their “Switchblade” EP through indie label IHEARTCOMIX Records. “We had finished our record in 2010,” says Safai. “We needed a partner in the U.S. so we signed with the first person who wanted to do it.” An introduction to Josh Deutsch of Downtown Records led to a record deal, but the label never released the album.
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While the choice of Downtown wasn’t so haphazard (Safai points to Santigold and Spank Rock as artists she saw as doing well on the label at the time), she says she felt a loss of creative control. “They were sending every one of their artists into these writing sessions with pop producers,” she explains. “The Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry kind of people – trying to find a hit.”
Safai says the OWSLA family is “super honest. They’re not out to fuck anyone” – The move has affirmed the outspoken singer’s mission and her belief in her work. “Here’s Skrillex, off of six Grammy wins being like, ‘The world needs this revolution.’”
Heartsrevolution’s debut album is scheduled for a June release on OWSLA.