Lofty gave a soul-spilling lecture in emotional momentum through the downtempo lustre in the debut single, Quiet Steps –

LOFTY may have made his debut with the downtempo mix, Quiet Steps, but his entry into the UK electronica scene was anything but tentative. The emotionally lush track brings with it a tidal wave of pulsating reverberations of desire that runs deep into the most unsated corners of the soul.

If you can tear yourself away from the ethereal transcendence and the intersections of caustic bass that ripple through the sublimity in the downtempo house mix, you’ll lock into a confessional that reflects the vulnerability of anyone you could meet on the dancefloor – echoing isolation and abstraction from connection, Quiet Steps thrums with the pain of starting a new chapter with no clue how you will reach the end, but carrying the determination to write it all the same.

Finding the emotional cinematography within his instrumental textures, the UK-based producer made it clear from the opening release that he doesn’t approach sound from a shallow palette. Lofty stood up to the lectern and gave the ultimate lesson in how to gain emotional momentum by augmenting instrumental layers with the full range of human emotion.

It’s a luxe introduction that deserves to be acknowledged from the underground to the top of the electronica charts. It is enough to allow you to envisage Lofty commanding an emotionally adrenalised crowd on the prestigious UK festival circuit and far beyond.

Quiet Steps is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast