Mwah

Melbourne-based electronic producer and vocalist Purient, also known as Kate Durman, unveils her latest EP, Mwah, via Steel City Dance Discs. Known for crafting immersive soundscapes that blend ethereal beauty with raw, abrasive textures, Purient pushes boundaries on this 5-track project, which explores themes of intimacy, fantasy, and disconnection.

The title track, “Mwah,” sets the tone with melancholic chords and melting basslines, offering an oxymoronic pairing that feels both tender and haunting. The accompanying video, directed by Jamie Timony, brings Melbourne’s cityscape into sharp focus, enhancing the track’s existential mood.

“Get Better” shifts the mood with lush vocals and hissing percussion. As the EP’s focal track, it captures the nervous excitement of early-stage romance, offering an introspective moment amidst the project’s heavier sonic textures.

“Like It” takes a darker turn, diving into rolling basslines and relentless drums. Purient’s ability to channel raw energy here feels like a tribute to abrasive electronic music, a space for escapism and fantasy.

The emotional complexity deepens on “I Won’t Remember You,” where dreamy pads contrast with cutting breakbeats, reflecting the bittersweet liberation of shedding toxic connections. The EP concludes with “Three Mirrors,” a track Purient began in 2021, encapsulating chaos and disorientation through ominous, abrasive layers.

Purient’s sound has drawn attention from luminaries like Eartheater and Varg2™, who’ve remixed her work, and publications such as DJ Mag and Purple Sneakers. Mwah cements her place as a standout in Naarm’s underground music scene and as a bold force in experimental electronic music globally.