On her verdant sophomore album MYCELiUM, dance phenomenon Aluna immerses you in the ecosystem of ecstatic inclusivity that she’s spent years cultivating. She also has plans for a North American tour which will include a stop at The Fonda in Los Angeles on September 9th.
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The 14-track collection is a hypnotic sprint through palpitating 90s DJ anthems. One Aluna created while writing remotely and collaborating with an international network of Black and LGBTQ+ creatives. Like the fungal vegetation from which the album takes its name, she generates space for new life and unheard voices to thrive.
On “Underwater,” she teams up with London producer Route 94 to offer up this heartache-wrestling but melodically nourishing dance track. Caught reveling in the frenzied rush of synths and breakneck beats, that’s all it takes to find yourself entangled in the record’s euphoric energies. Aluna taps TSHA to manifest the furiously spiraling “Killing Me” and its pulsating but beguiling anguish.
For the incandescent “Supernova,” she enlisted French siblings the Picard Brothers and the beaming vocals of Kaleena Zanders that illuminate the very heart and soul of the album’s galvanizing diversity. While on the sumptuous rhythms of “Oh The Glamour,” Aluna savors all the comforts that lend life its luxuriance. One that brings together English producer Eden Prince and singer/songwriter MNEK with the stunning vocals of Brazilian drag queen and singer Pabllo Vittar
Perpetually devoted to never slowing down, “Running Blind” brings together the rapturous production of Tchami with riveting cries of singer/songwriter Kareen Lomax on a track that elevates the soul to new heights. “Sugar” (with Preditah and Lauren Faith) unwinds anxiously in the sweetness of a lover too good to be true, a desperation echoed on the oscillating “Beggin’.”
“The Mycelium is the cell network seeped into the fabric of nature,” Aluna explained. “I’m not talking about the bloom or the fruits. You need to lay the groundwork to see the fruit one day. I got burnt out from trying to work with powerful people who have lots of money and no actual genuine care for what I’m trying to do.”
“I realized there was no foundation where I was standing, and we have to build our own foundation. It’s not going to be all bells and whistles; it’s going to be substance. So, I broke some barriers and started mentoring creative fans. I built a community of Black Ravers on Geneva and by joining groups on Instagram and social media. Now, the album is my community I’ve created.”
See Aluna at The Fonda in Los Angeles on September 9th.
Visit Aluna on their website, TikTok, and Instagram to stay updated on new releases and tour announcements.
Aluna tour
07/07 – Calgary Stampede Festival – Calgary, AB^
08/05 – Bleached Festival – San Diego, CA^
08/06 – Higher Ground Festival – Seattle, WA^
08/11 – Das Energi Festival – Salt Lake City, UT^
09/01 – North Coast Festival – Chicago, IL^
09/02 – Phoenix Hotel – San Francisco, CA⇑
09/08 – The Church – Denver, CO⇑
09/09 – The Fonda – Los Angeles, CA⇑
09/10 – 916 Block Party – Sacramento, CA^
09/23 – Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO++
09/24 – Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO++
10/06 – Velvet Underground – Toronto, ON⇑
10/07 – Magic Stick – Detroit, MI⇑
10/13 – Warehouse on Watts – Philadelphia, PA⇑
10/14 – Culture – Washington, DC⇑
10/20 – III Points Festival – Miami, FL^
11/11 – Elsewhere – Brooklyn, NY⇑
⇑ Headline Show
^ Festival Dates
** Supporting Galantis
++ Supporting Louis The Child
Words: Steven Ward
Listen to MYCELiUM the new album from Aluna below!
