Amelie Lens has released her debut album, AURA.
The Belgian techno queen’s first full-length LP arrives on her own EXHALE label today, wrapping up her musical journey in 11 tracks that speak to different sides of the sonic universe she’s built over the last decade.
From the pulsing 303 of “falling into acid dreams” to the hypnotic drumbeats of “whatever you do” and the industrial bass of “our frequency,” the album winds through a multitude of sounds inspired by her younger days on the dancefloor, playing tiny nightclubs earlier in her career, and summiting the massive festival stages she graces today.
In a fitting nod to a fellow Belgian force, the project’s sole feature comes from rising singer-songwriter Angèle, whose introspective vocals drive the melody on the album’s lynchpin single, “run.”
“AURA is my story. AURA is about the connection between the crowd and me,” Lens said in a statement. “Music has always been my escape, my way of turning my emotions and energy into something new. When I was younger, I would disappear into nightclubs and create my own world in my head. Being in the nightclubs gave me this feeling of belonging somewhere; I felt connection and freedom I had never experienced before.”
She continued: “That feeling changed my life completely. So this album really reflects that whole journey. From playing tiny local clubs and driving myself through the night for gigs, to standing on huge festival stages, becoming a mother, building EXHALE and learning how to balance it all in life.”
To celebrate the release, Lens will play a one-off show at the KSMKA Fine Arts Museum in Antwerp, Belgium, this Saturday, September 5, where 14,00 fans will hear the album played out live for the first time.
Listen to Amelie Lens’ debut album, AURA, below.
Featured image courtesy: Amelie Lens. Credit: Daniil Lavrovski.