Venice-born and London-based, IAKO has a deep appreciation of quiet and loud. On his debut EP he uses a rich blend of folk and ambient sounds to explore the contrasts between the bustling life of the British capital and the languid waters of his hometown. Experimenting with production techniques, IAKO – the alias of Jacopo Rossetto – creates rich soundscapes to back lyrical themes of transition and reinvention. ‘Paint’ sets the tone at the start of the EP as it tells the tale of a relationship taking place in a post-apocalyptic world. “Paint is one of the oldest songs on the record, I wrote it almost four years ago,” Rosetto said. “Back then I was at the very early stages of my experimentation and I felt uncomfortable writing about personal experiences, so I made up a story set in a post-apocalyptic world where all the colours are gone. At its heart is a couple who must try to reinvent their lives and ‘paint’ a new world for themselves”.
Queen of Balance will be released on May 25, and IAKO will play a launch gig at The Finsbury the night before.