Out January 22nd on SectionZ Records, Withdrawal, the debut album from Colorado-based producer, vocalist and songwriter Evoke, aka Alden Groves, combines modern pop-infused electronic music with cutting edge production, setting heartfelt lyrics and emotional vocal melodies against uplifting synth lines and deep bass. In less than a year as Evoke, Alden has charted Top 10 on both Beatport and Track It Down charts, won remix competitions for Savant’s ‘How I Roll’ (featured on the album) and Fractal’s ‘Urchin,’ and has achieved nearly 400,000 plays on Soundcloud with EDM.com’s feature of ‘Alive,’ which is well above the site’s average, especially for new artists.
On Withdrawal, Evoke has a distinct vocal-driven style with sparse electronic production, similar to that of The Postal Service or Owl City, albeit with a darker edge. According to Alden, “I happen to be a very hypersensitive sort of guy, and so emotional experiences are very intense for me. I used to think it was a sort of curse, but now I realize that if I can channel that intensity into music that it’s really a gift.”
Representing Alden’s journey through life so far, Withdrawal thematically draws a parallel between heartbreak and the difficulties of overcoming addiction. Alden sees these two subjects as being related, and the lyrics to most of the songs on the album have dual meanings encompassing his struggles with both. “Tracks like Endorphin–for example–are simultaneously about not wanting to crave a person’s affection and also not wanting to crave drugs, because often for me those experiences are almost inseparable.”
As someone who has overcome so much at such a young age, Alden has a strong sense of appreciation for life and everything it has to offer, and sees writing music as an opportunity to get a fresh start doing something that he loves.
https://soundcloud.com/evokehop/withdrawal-album-teaser