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Laumė Waterbirth

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About

On January 17th, the synth-pop project Laumė (rhymes with Pflaum) will deliver the aptly-titled new LP, Waterbirth, by way of Carpark Records, finally sharing her most lyrically complex and musically infectious body of work to date. The New Zealand-born songwriter and former Yumi Zouma frontwoman and co-founder, Kim Pflaum, worked with French producer Rude Jude to craft a 13-track LP that broadens the scope of Laumė. The irresistibly vibrant and funky sounds of each instrumental are inspired by visionary pop artists like Sade, Kate Bush, and Grimes, but sit in stark contrast with the ideas explored in Pflaum’s writing. “Spells (Oedipusi)” finds Pflaum knocking the antagonist down a notch, and doing so in style overtop a punching kick drum and groovy synths.  Since releasing her debut EP, Bad Humors, under the moniker MADEIRA, Pflaum has renamed the project, had a stint in London, and spent the past three years working to better understand the complexity of the world around her. Her travels and new experiences shaped both the content and construction of her songwriting and recordings, giving way to this expansive new full length. 

Between 2016 and 2019, Pflaum wrote and recorded new material for Waterbirth everywhere she had the space to–from Okie Dokie studio in Auckland, to flats around London, to even a train across Poland. “I began to question human nature and who we are.” Pflaum recalls. “We’re so complex and we have these dark sides to us—I’m equally reflecting on myself at the same time” as heard of “Darkside.” Each of her new tracks began to form like Russian dolls, filled with layers of meanings that are not easy to spot at first glance. Pflaum explains “Although at one level it might sound like I’m singing about a certain thing, I’m usually singing about something else altogether on another level.” 

In late 2017, Pflaum traveled to eastern Europe, where her grandfather fled Poland during WWII, in an effort to learn more about her family roots firsthand, and examine the deeper parts of her psyche. ” Pflaum became more interested in lineage and the cycle of life, and the concept of birth and rebirth unified the new songs she was writing. “When I was a young child I drowned, so in a way the album is a reflection on getting another chance,” explains Pflaum, “The album is actually dedicated, in part, to the two people who rescued me from the water, as I’ve never been able to thank them.” Throughout the record Pflaum is constantly balancing the power of nature and the fragility of humanity, capturing the existential tension between both in songs like “Villains” and “Klara.” Slowly as Pflaum and Rude Jude worked together, each song they crafted would reinforce the record’s sonic and lyrical duality. Rude Jude’s production is reminiscent of the pop golden age of the ’70s and ’80s, but Pflaum’s writing and intentions make the album feel undeniably current.  

Artist Bio

Laumė (fka MADEIRA)

New Zealand-born songwriter Kim Pflaum professes “My creations are like my children,” while discussing the process behind her synth-pop recording project, Laumė (rhymes with Pflaum). This January, Pflaum will deliver her aptly-titled new LP, Waterbirth, by way of Carpark Records, finally sharing her most complex and infectious body of work to date. Laumė’s Waterbirth is a musically and lyrically-rich full length, inspired by Pflaum’s growing consciousness and the sounds of the ‘70s and ‘80s golden age of pop. 

After her tenure fronting the NZ four-piece Yumi Zouma, Pflaum began developing some of the personal writing and recordings she had been working on alone. Her natural talent for alluring vocal melodies and dreamy production gave way to her first solo release under the name MADEIRA, Bad Humors. The EP is made up of shimmering guitars, angelic harmonies, and a grooving rhythm section, which culminate into songs about hurt, heartbreak, and moving on. Following the release of Bad Humors, Pflaum decided to rename her project Laumė (inspired by eastern European folklore) and had a stint in London, where her songwriting began a new period of incubation. 

Over the course of nearly three years, Pflaum wrote and recorded material for Waterbirth everywhere she had the space to–from Okie Dokie studio in Auckland, to flats around London, to even a train across Poland. “Slowly, track by track, it became a bigger project,” Pflaum recalls. During a point in her life where she began refocusing her attention from her own interpersonal conflicts to the complexities of the world around her, she began writing songs with a grander scope. Pflaum traveled to eastern Europe in an effort to learn more about her ancestry firsthand, and also started examining the darker parts of her psyche. Throughout the process, Pflaum joined forces with Rude Jude, whose knowledge as a producer and arsenal of electronic instruments helped shape the sound and tone of Waterbirth. These new discoveries led Pflaum to start questioning human nature and its nuances in her writing. Her darker and more existential lyrics cast a shadow on Laumė’s typically bright hooks in the new songs she wrote. Slowly as the two worked together, each song they crafted would reinforce the record’s sonic and lyrical duality. 

Since the project’s conception, Laumė has performed alongside acts like Tanukichan, Kid Trails, and Corbu, and has collaborated with artists like Boycrush (NZ), Brett (US), Swimgood (CAN), and Zimmer (France). As her creative practice has evolved and expanded, so has her ability to learn more about herself through her work. With Waterbirth, Laumė has cultivated a vast range of musical ideas and inspirations to create something greater than the sum of its parts. 

Hi-res TIFF album art:

Photo by Johanna MacDonald:

Photo by Scott Kershaw:


Marketing Info

PRESS CONTACTS
North America: stephanie@sweisspr.com
Europe: andy@carparkrecords.com
Japan: shigeru@bignothing.net
Australia/New Zealand: jacob@carparkrecords.com, apple@carparkrecords.com 

WATERBIRTH
• North American publicity by SWEISS PR
• College/Non-Commercial radio by Terrorbird
• Digital Marketing by Terrorbird
• Pink colored vinyl
• “Darkside” and “Voyeurs” video in the works
• Vinyl includes free digital download

UPCs
LP: 677517013917
CD: 677517013924
Digital: 677517013955

Tracklist

  1. Back of Your Head
  2. Darkside
  3. Spells (Oedipusi)
  4. Neglect
  5. Voyeurs
  6. Shy Kids
  7. Conquest
  8. Villains
  9. Klara (z Bydgoszczy)
  10. Best You
  11. Are You With Me
  12. Everyone I Love Is Sleeping
  13. Saints