Robin Kester’s “Dark Sky Reserve”

Shows early in the day are one of my favorite things at showcase festivals. Listening to live music when the light outside is bright and the mind feels fresh is a treat that you cannot have often during the year.

A highlight at The Great Escape in Brighton last spring was the Robin Kester show at the Paganini Ballroom. Robin’s music uses a lot of electronics and is slightly nocturnal, which contrasted nicely with the quaint, historic space and the sunlight shining through the windows. Her live performance is ambitious: she brought a four-piece band that delivered exactly the energy that keeps you watching shows until late in the night.

Robin just released her new album Dark Sky Reserve, which we highly anticipated here at glamglare.

Robin Kester was born and raised in the Netherlands, yet attended the University College in Dublin, which gave her new perspectives on music. Since 2018, she has released two EPs and one album, all excellent listens, that sonically lead directly to Dark Sky Reserve, which she recorded in Bristol. That helped her to be focused:

“With the debut album, we had so much time, and it was during COVID, so I kept going back at things, doubting myself a lot. This time, we had such a clear period of time. In the moment, you had to embrace things as they were, which was challenging but ultimately very satisfying.”

In the creative process, the nighttime was her friend:

“When I wrote the album, that’s why almost all of that was written at night, where I felt safer and it was dark outside. didn’t feel guilty about wasting my time because it was like bonus time – no one expects anything from you when it’s the middle of the night. I could see myself for who I am.”

The album’s title was inspired by an uncanny moment at the Talybont-on-Usk Reservoir in Wales during a nightly drive:

“I was so mesmerised because it was February, but it was icy and beautiful, there was a little bit of snow in the mountains and it looked very peaceful. Then we started to walk near the water’s edge and I was imagining swimming there. I saw these signs like ‘don’t swim’, and all of a sudden I noticed how eerie the area was. For a brief moment, I was completely somewhere else.”

Robin’s inspirations include Portishead and Air, who she opened for in Eindhoven last summer. Read on to our five songs for some of the trip-hoppy vibe that fuels her music. Also check out our Song Pick of the Day features for “An Hour per Day,” “Happy Sad (It's a Party),” and “Departure.”

Five Songs: 90s Trip-Hop and More

Listen to glamglare five songs on Spotify, Apple Music, or below on YouTube.

This week‘s Five Songs accompany Robin Kester’s new album as reflections rather than comparisons. They trace a broader atmosphere, allowing her record to stand at the center.

• The Bristol trio Portishead is such an influential band (I remember a German radio host saying they were the only band in the trip-hop genre) that it is hard to find a song of theirs not overplayed.
• The iconic French duo Air became famous for their lush analog synths and innovative sounds. Like the disturbing wobbly bass line in „All I Need,“ that comes out of nowhere and yet fits in perfectly.
• Robin Kester opens her new album „An Hour a Day,“ which fits in this list beautifully.
• Sneaker Pimps are a pre-glamglare favorite of ours. Their work is generally excellent, but the first album stands out with Kelly Ali on vocals. „6 Underground“ is one of the hits of that record.
• The London trio Morcheeba added soul to the typically darker trip-hop vibes. „The Sea,“ a yearning look back at a seaside holiday, is the perfect end-of-summer anthem.

Song Pick of the Day

Listen to/watch all seven songs on YouTube. Follow our daily updated playlists on YouTube, Apple Music, or Spotify for the 50 latest Song Pick of the Day features, or subscribe here to receive them in your mailbox in real-time. Thank you for following us and sharing the excitement. 

• Everything is a journey. Maggie Baring ‘s new EP Ekphrasis closes with the beautiful “Brick by Brick.”
• With "The Lake," Emma Harner proves she can hold her own alongside folk master Henry Jamison.
• "Alone Time" by Natalie Holmes is a charming reflection on what you have and what you don't.
• "Loco Driver" finds Hilang Child at his most heartfelt: grounded, dreamy, unforgettable.
• ugly ozo channels life’s chaos into “sink or swim,” a cathartic burst of energy that leaves you feeling lighter.
• With "Feels Like Forever," Kid Bloom delivers his catchiest and most heartfelt song yet — with Toto legend David Paich steering it into irresistible yacht-rock territory.
• Azam Ali’s “To Pieces” is a slow-burning journey through betrayal, fire, and primal emotion.

Nine Photos: In the Blink of Summer

We recently decided that our Nine Photos series doesn’t always need a theme — instead, we’ll simply go with the flow of what we’ve done and experienced. The funny thing is: last week, I barely took any photos at all. I was too caught up in the moment, happily present at evenings with friends, full of thought-provoking and comforting conversations, laughter, and connection.

Of course, I did take hundreds upon hundreds of photos this summer, but almost all for Summer Camp. For myself, I barely raised the camera. So when I finally set out to gather photos of the dinners we’ve cooked and enjoyed on our terrace, or the lovely breakfasts that started our days, I realized I don’t actually have as many as I thought.

Maybe that’s telling in itself: this summer went by in a snap, and I didn’t really capture it. A little wake-up call for me to take more photos, and to get back into my storyteller’s mode. Until then, enjoy these nine glimpses!