Electronic duo Leaving Laurel, comprised of producers Pierce Fulton and Gordon Huntley, have given life to their self-titled debut album. The entrancing LP is dedicated to one half of the duo, Pierce Fulton, who died tragically at 28 years old earlier this year, following a hard-fought battle with mental health issues.
Huntley and Fulton began their friendship online before eventually moving in together in Laurel Canyon, California. First exploring music separately—Huntley behind the Canadian duo Botnek, and Fulton focusing on his successful solo project—the two finally came together after sharing their unfinished music with one another. Taking an unexpected turn, the casual sharing of music turned quickly into an all-day writing session, which led to weeks of working on a new project together. Thus spawned Leaving Laurel—a highly evocative, melodic tour de force.
Delivering this new project on Anjunabeats in 2020 with their first tracks, “sometimes it’s scary but it’s still just you and me” and “Need Little, Want Less,” the two had unwittingly embarked on a journey that would encapsulate a profound moment in time for both producers. The 11-track endeavor offers an immaculate blending of electronic tropes and instrumental ambiance, inviting listeners to dive fully into the world Huntley and Fulton crafted so masterfully. The LP is entirely free-flowing, catapulting streamers into a trance-like state that humbly offers a space of introspection and genuine rumination. Leaving Laurel, in a word, is something special.
Finishing the album in early 2021, just prior to Fulton’s passing, the LP is flooded with new meaning, and almost paradoxically, new life. Pierce Fulton’s mental health struggles were kept private, though, with his new LP out in the light of day, the release of the album is meant to instill listeners with feelings of hope. Fulton believed in the importance of taking one’s time, imparting some listening wisdom as his Leaving Lauren project got off the ground,
“Slow down and enjoy life. It’s not only the scenery you miss by going too fast – you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.”
Stream Leaving Laurel below.
