take me where the winters are colder
let me touch my feet to the stone
Dallas chanteuse Dawson Knowles, an artist who performs under the ethereal guise of Lorelei K, is driven by her lifelong passion for singing and songwriting and uses music to navigate the complexities of her identity as a trans woman. Her powerful yet ethereal contralto voice evokes the haunting qualities of Chrystabell, Cocteau Twins, Sigur Rós, and This Mortal Coil. Through her music, she channels her emotional depth and strength, creating a poignant and otherworldly atmosphere.
Colder, a song steeped in time and layered emotions, was penned in the sweltering Texas heat, addressed to a former lover and fellow musician. This song serves as a love letter, embodying forgiveness and complex gratitude towards someone who significantly influenced her life.
The lyrics weave a tale of yearning for adventure and the allure of new experiences. There’s a desire to venture to colder climes and witness unforgettable sights, imbued with a sense of vulnerability and intimacy, symbolized by undressing underwater. The theme artfully blends nostalgia with the thrill of creating new memories, culminating in a melody that celebrates youthful exploration and the forging of connections.
Directed by Colt Matheson, the video is an exquisite dreamlike montage of slow-motion fragments and shadows, depicting two figures, perhaps in a dream, confronting unresolved issues from their past. This visual and musical pairing explores themes of loss, longing, and the quest for closure.
Watch the stunning video for “Colder” below:
Modular in nature, Lorelai K has performed in a wide variety of arrangements ranging from duo sets with producer and collaborator Michael Briggs, to her staple five-person band, to an even fuller ten-person ensemble. In these various modes, the group has toured North America supporting The Sound of Animals Fighting, Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum, and others.
Her music began as ballads with the release of Holy Holding (2016) and then erupted into synth-pop music with an avant-garde feel in the following albums, Be the Doll (2017) and Lightbender (2019). Her last solo EP, The Mythic Girl EP (2020), marked the beginning of the shift of her sound.
From there, she formed the full band Lorelei K. In 2020 she was signed to Dallas-based label Idol Records, and they’ve released the Swimming Pool Eternity (2022), and their most recent LP Gucci Doom (2023). Their most recent single, the heartbreaking stripped ballad Axe and Tree, was released in January of 2024.
Lorelei K is set to perform at the Obituary Festival in Dallas on July 6th.
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