In the midst of mental health awareness month, Dutch producer San Holo is partnering with the Calm meditation app for a moody new mix series.
Launching Thursday (May 19), “The Stay Vibrant Series” features three electronic mixes correlating to three different moods. The project intersects with the producer’s “stay vibrant” campaign, for which he shares his daily mood (in the form of a percentage posted in his Twitter bio) to check in with himself and be honest with his fans about his ongoing mental health journey. (“Vibrant” is Holo’s term for the most optimal feeling, and Stay Vibrant is also the title of a 2020 EP that featured tracks with names such as “Don’t Forget to Breathe Today” and “In the End I Just Want You to Be Happy.”)
But of course, as we all likely experience, not every day can be a fully vibrant one. Holo’s Calm mixes reflect that reality. The first, “Barriers” is a chill, downtempo soundtrack for days when you’re feeling low and burdened with elements of life. A bit more upbeat, “Motivation” corresponds to 60% feeling and a better, but still somewhat down, mental state. The upbeat and uptempo “Liberation” equates to feeling 80 percent for those supremely vibrant days.
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These mixes are available now in Calm. The San Holo collaboration is the latest in the app’s series of high-profile projects with musicians including Sam Smith, 5 Seconds of Summer, Kygo, Ellie Goulding and Harry Styles all contributing to the platform in the last several years.
Emotional honesty and vulnerability is a pillar of the San Holo project, with the producer born Sander van Dijck last year telling Billboard that “I always struggle to find the right words when it comes to describing memories, emotions and feelings. It just feels like whichever words I chose, it never really comes close to the essence of that experience. I think that’s where music comes into play. Musically I can express so much more emotional depth.”
San Holo will also lift the vibe this weekend with a pair of sets at EDC Las Vegas, which begins Friday (May 20) at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
