On 18th March 2022, Greece-born and Athens-based artist and producer EXHALETHEMIST will release his debut album VIOLETDREAMS. The 13-track project marks a new era of his gradual evolution, weaving elements of electronic, Lo-fi, hip-hop, R&B, and trap after years of experimenting with his sounds on Soundcloud. Embracing the love on his 2021 singles “Flows” and “Scars”, EXHALETHEMIST began carefully crafting the project which has now steadily developed into VIOLETDREAMS.
Citing the likes of Mac Miller, Kanye West, Amine, KAYTRANADA, A$AP Rocky, and Jaden Smith as his key influences, VIOLETDREAMS is an auditory experience of how we dream; moving through the journey of how we explore and endure them from start to finish. The album opens with a tranquil aesthetic led by 70’s samples from his native, Albania that reflects sonics he discovered deep-diving into old records. Transcending the listener, the project maneuvers into trap and R&B worlds driven by ethereal sounds. In the heart of the project, we hear a shift in tempo and content with jazz-driven “Violet” with guest vocals from Yama and a strong musical influence taken from Anderson.Paak. The steady groove-ridden track “Midnight” follows, which is said to be a tribute to the late Mac Miller.
Closing out the project he touches into a more aggressive tone offering drill and hip-hop styles on “One of a Kind” and “Scars” before returning to a sultry mood for “Skies”. Exploring his native tongue he closes the album with a combination of Albanian, Greek, and English - something he is dedicated to championing in his music. The album also features production credits from Quietpunkt, 8een as well as vocals from Yama and Hadja. In addition to delivering a strong multitude of genres, the lyrical content throughout relates to how we have dreams of what we want to achieve in our lives with the project brimming with manifestations and affirmations in achieving success.
“I support my hometown and country. I debated on whether to add Greek or not but decided to do both so that it’s fresh to the ears. I want people to feel more powerful in themselves by the end of the project - these manifestations and affirmations can make people feel good about themselves.”