ANNOUNCES SECOND ALBUM ‘MENTALIZED’ COMING FEBRUARY 7 VIA 2MR / ASTRAL PEOPLE.

An evolution in attitude, sound and style, the forthcoming record is a rich sonic universe defined by hypnotic yet emotive songwriting, and organic production that draws from a vast blend of influences. From industrial and nu-metal textures, dreamlike vocals and abstracted pop arrangements, to fuzzed out guitar lines harking back to 2000s indie, punctuated by deep house and trip-hop rhythms – underlying it all is an innate inclination towards the dance music world that Skeleten comes from. Where Skeleten’s lauded 2023 debut album ‘Under Utopia’ celebrated a world of hope and beauty pushed upwards by us all, ‘Mentalized’ now posits that this push comes with a struggle. It is less about the fantastical, and more about asking how we are mentalized, and taken away from ourselves everyday. To play in this world doesn’t come without working for it, and that struggle is best when shared. Singing in his highest register, the ways that we submit our bodies to the forces of capital are questioned. It is a hand extended out to catharsis, but perhaps just not reaching it. For anyone connected to Sydney’s music scene, Russell is a familiar face; from going to shows and clubs, seeing friends DJ and play in bands. It was a few years ago that he began experimenting with music outside his existing projects, searching for a new feeling or perhaps a new way to capture a feeling. Enter the Skeleten moniker, and subsequently his critically adored album, ‘Under Utopia’. He says of the single, “Shoutout v**gra for being a useful drug for humans but also it really makes you think how the deepest parts of what makes you human are literally transformed by the forces of capital, mentalized.”

Each a masterful balance of re-engineering recorded music for a live setting, Russell’s countless live shows have evolved to become a central component in the Skeleten experience. Having supported The Streets, Tirzah, SBTRKT, DJ Seinfeld, Hot Chip, Glass Beams, he has also been booked for major Australian festivals Dark Mofo, Golden Plains, VIVID LIVE, Splendour In The Grass, and sold a number of headlines including the Sydney Opera House. With his beloved releases remixed by Logic1000, Axel Boman, Spray, Jennifer Loveless, Moktar, the Skeleten universe knows few bounds.

Photo by Imogen Grist