Kelly Lee Owens releases her blistering new single, 'ASCEND', alongside the announcement of her upcoming EP KELLY — out November 21.
‘ASCEND’ reaffirms Kelly’s position as a cultural architect of the UK’s electronic scene. Blending hypnotic beats, analogue textures, and glacial vocal echoes, the track offers a spiritual high, a sharp, emotional climb toward collective release.
KELLY is her most direct and dancefloor-ready project to date, a tight, urgent body of work designed for the clubs. It follows the success of Dreamstate, her fourth studio album, and continues Kelly’s celebration of nightlife and togetherness as a force shaping culture and cities, while grounding her sound once again in techno.
Listen to ‘ASCEND’ on 1Rebel Radio.
Speaking about the EP Kelly said, “This EP is about embodying sound and those collective, physical experiences we only really have in clubs or at music events. Sonically, it’s very visceral. I’ve been drawn to sounds that sit on the edge: ominous, uneasy, sometimes even uncomfortable. That’s just where I’ve been emotionally, and I think the world reflects that too. There’s this constant push and pull between wanting to rise above the chaos, and sometimes, willingly sinking into it.”
The EP builds on Kelly’s mission to amplify the spaces and people that exist outside the mainstream, whether through sonic experimentation or cultural impact. From her Girls Love Techno t-shirts – which have become a rallying point for women in electronic music – to her ongoing work with Music Venue Trust, Owens continues to champion independent club spaces and the communities that sustain them.
@kelly.lee.owens ASCEND next week. Call me (again)
♬ original sound – Kelly Lee Owens
The past 12 months have marked a major chapter for Kelly. Her headline live tour across the US, UK, and Europe was met with huge fanfare and critical acclaim, shining a spotlight on the underground scenes she’s long championed — and platforming unsigned female DJs throughout. Festival appearances at Glastonbury, Primavera Sound, Portola, and Dour placed her at the heart of the global electronic circuit.
Alongside her live performances last year, Owens also delivered standout DJ performances supporting The Chemical Brothers, Bicep, and Caribou including a free community show in North Wales and she appeared at Boiler Room x Amnesia as part of Charli XCX’s PARTYGIRL takeover.
