Kyle Lux — Projectors
words by Sasha Rtishchev
Kyle Lux’s new EP, Projectors, explores his feelings as he falls in love and lives through the tumultuous year that is 2020. He started crafting this release while procrastinating a paper for school, noting “A lot changed between writing that paper and actually putting the EP together.” This was partially due to how he wanted this work to elevate people’s mood by having them relate to these songs in a positive way.
Lux centered this EP around the disconnect he felt in his relationships due to a lack of communication. He noticed “a general absence of presence paired with an abundance of emotions,” which was exacerbated by the unexpected growth he was experiencing. Lux stated, “this project creates a space for the feelings to live without me having to directly address them.”
Similarly, he hopes that listeners “discover any barriers of communication within themselves, and are encouraged to be patient as they deal with their feelings.” His lyricism, on top of soft R&B beats, truly illustrates this theme throughout the release. Lines like, “Wrote a whole song so I could say/ That I been dreaming of our flow,” portray the barriers he felt within his relationships due to an inability to be open and explore the emotions beneath the surface.
Another theme explored throughout this EP is what freedom means to Lux and how he found it within his life. He said, “I leave behind the insecurities that ultimately hindered me and appreciate the time I shared with this person for all that it was.” Freedom to him is trusting the universe and understanding that it will always work out in the end.
Supplementing this October drop is the music video for the opening track, “222.” The backgrounds of the beach and desert perfectly encapsulate the feeling of this song. Lux’s dancing matched with his eccentric outfits show off the playfulness of the backing and instrumentals. But the juxtaposition against the darkening blue sky, barren land, and rough waves makes this video feel like a metaphor as the backdrop highlights the vulnerability within the lyrics.
This video practically transported me to the beach, as I felt like I was dancing alongside Lux as the waves splashed. That, mixed with effects like fisheyes to cloning Lux, kept me invested in my screen for the whole two minutes and when it finished had me craving more
The Projectors EP calls listeners to break any barriers that prevent us from truly expressing our emotions, as well as those that tear down the foundations of relationships. However, the emotional themes explored do not stand in the way of this release being uplifting and fun to play.
The entire release feels like the embrace of a cool breeze on a warm summer’s night. Some tracks are slower and more bittersweet, but like the wind, it is a welcomed cool down that complements the energy of the upbeat moments. Overall, this EP is beautifully crafted and is perfect to stream when missing the ups and downs of summer nights.
