Artist


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Den-Mate

Babe City / Substitute Scene Records

Hypnagogia is the experience of the transitional state between wakefulness and sleep. It is the ‘threshold consciousness’ phase where lucid thought, lucid dreaming, hallucinations, and sleep paralysis occur. Electro-pop producer & singer Den-Mate is Washington D.C. based Jules Hale – and her newest collection, Hypnagogia, is her interpretation of this hypnagogic state.
Hale isn’t a stranger to surreal worlds. Before being diagnosed with epilepsy at age 14, she experienced heightened sensitivity to light and sound. Her unique sensory perception informed her first two EPs, followed by her debut album Loceke. Hypnagogia builds upon this to showcase Hale’s fine-tuned production skills and all-encompassing dream pop soundscapes.
Lead-single “It’ll All Come Back” walks a tightrope of floating layers, creating a world to get lost in as Hale reminds us that life prevails. Opener “All My Friends” uses darkwave and experimentation to tear apart the many challenges of the music industry and question where things are going as the community feels more tenuous and uncertain than ever before. “Army on Mars” is a tribute to David Bowie, and the story of a child fighting war on their own.
“Hypnogia,” the EP’s title track, uses Björk’s “Crystaline” as inspiration to dive deep into the feelings surrounding trauma, sexual violence, and the anger that stays with you. Hales says, “The difference in the title is crucial. Not only is this song a representation of my growth and ability as a producer, but my personal story. I hope someone can listen and feel understood.”
As Hale wrote Hypnagogia, she aimed to share the importance of being your best self. “‘You’re not a victim if you choose not to be’ is the mantra of this EP. It’s about not giving power to the things that hurt you.” she says, and this collection is an opportunity not just to escape, but to find motivation and healing.

Lead-single “It’ll All Come Back” taken from Hypnagogia

Past press highlights
“…Hale excavates the complexity of her emotional landscapes, wrapping them in explosive, vibrant dream-pop.” – NPR

“Hale turns a traumatic life period into narrative songs that strike right at the heart.” – i-D

“…leaning on the aesthetic of dream-pop to render interior emotions in giant, widescreen compositions bursting with color.” – Stereogum

“…making the kind of dream pop that Beach House and Chromatics fans will probably dig…” – Brooklyn Vegan

“…dreamy form of self-help, with an emphasis on the self.” – The Washington Post