When work on MONOGAMY HEAVEN, the newest EP from multi-hyphenate singer-songwriter TwoLips and producer Lightfoot, began, the two were simply collaborators. However, over the course of three years of working on the EP alongside Kenny Zhao (keys) and Annabelle Freedman (strings), the sensual cross between hip-hop and shimmering world music would become a profound project celebrating newfound love.
Previously, TwoLips established herself as someone known for wearing many hats and operating as an independent artist, the latter of which led to a residency at LA’s The Goldfish back in October. Lightfoot also boasts several credits, producing for people in their circle like Tolliver, Def Sound, and Lauren Ruth Ward.
Together, their transcendent seven-track variety of love songs takes you through a luminescent world distinguished by a genuinely sexy listening experience.
“A Chance to Paint Each Other Gold” was made a few weeks before the two openly acknowledged their feelings for one another, heard in the song’s woozy, slow seduction. Compared to the hushed blossoming love of opener “Deja U,” the realization of what’s growing between them starts to settle in amid an engrossing psychedelic beat that gets the best out of TwoLips and Lightfoot.
MONOGAMY HEAVEN is willing to reckon with the realities of love when needed, as heard on the fluttering “Wishbone.” While the song still falls into the EP’s cohesive sound, the lush electronic production becomes a stomping ground for TwoLips’ soft vocals, allowing her to dominate from the start and make her heartfelt songwriting a testament to persisting love.
The decision to title the project MONOGAMY HEAVEN came about because of their blossoming feelings and desire to commit to one another. While the sounds on MONOGAMY HEAVEN often feel recorded from the middle of some hidden fantasy oasis, the idea of keeping each other grounded formed the basis of their relationship.
“In a world with so many ways to love and fail each other, identifying as monogamous has become the more subversive preference,” said TwoLips. “MONOGAMY HEAVEN is a manifesto for anyone who loves love or wants to call it into their lives.”
Words: David Sosa
MONOGAMY HEAVEN by TwoLips and Lightfoot is out on streaming services. For more on new music and potential shows, follow TwoLips and Lightfoot on their respective Instagram accounts.
