Jai Paul has released music from two brand-new artists on his Paul Institute Label.
The songs, ‘Masquerade’ by Reinen and ‘Red Light Drive’ by HIRA marks a long awaited return for the producer who works alongside his brother, A.K. Paul. HIRA had previously collaborated with A.K. in 2018 on the song ‘Eve’.
Details of the new musicians are provided on the website, with HIRA being described as “a self-taught artist from London, who left film school to pursue a vision inspired by generations of music from Prince and Nirvana to The Neptunes and Frank Ocean.”
New song ‘Red Light Drive’ is described as “a cyberpunk symphony set in that night club in Strange Days. That bass sound is a copper/silver ’99 hayabusa ripping a tunnel and those harmonies are every colour in Cyber City Oedo 808.”
Meanwhile, Reinen is described as a “wayward newcomer” who “cordially invites you to revel in a ballroom time trap, with the bombastic head spinner Masquerade.”
The Paul Institute describes ‘Masquerade’ as “a trigonal tale inspired by Red Curtain Cinema & Gothic Romance” and outlines Reinen’s sound as something that “sways and bends the boundaries of theatre, fantasia and soundscape in a combustible marriage of baroque synths, electric operatics and pulsating groove.”
They add: “This unique alliance with shapeshifter A. K. Paul, bound by a shared passion for new wave and the vanguard storytellers of pop – Annie Lennox, Tears for Fears, Grace Jones to name a few – synchronically dares to immerse and paint scenes of worlds uncharted.”
The songs mark an unexpected resurgence in new material for the famously elusive Jai Paul. Only last week, other new Paul Institute songs were also released: ‘Shimmer’ by Fabiana Palldino and ‘Hypothalamus’ by Ruthaven.
Late last year, artist was pictured for the first time in three years as he purchased property at the old BBC Television Centre in West London.
The venue in West London became the new base for the Paul Institute according to Property Week, who said that the artist would use the premises as a base for his mysterious “musical project” which sees the cult artist work alongside brother A.K Paul and collaborator Muz Azar.
Details about the project still remain scarce. After it’s launch in March 2016, the track ‘Landcrusin’‘ was described by Zane Lowe on his Beats 1 show upon release as “Blade Runner pop”, before the DJ played it three times.
On the website, the only details given are that the Institute “continues to develop and support new music.”
In 2013, Jai Paul’s debut ‘Jasmine’ was released on Bandcamp to critical acclaim, with singles ‘BTSTU’ and ‘Jasmine’ being widely played and sampled by artists including Beyonce and Drake.
The new songs are the sixth and seventh releases from the Paul Institute respectively.