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Kelly Lee Owens, the Welsh electronic producer known for her intricate and experimental take on techno and house music, is ready to enter a new phase with the release of her fourth studio album, Dreamstate. This time, Owens is thinking even bigger, collaborating with major names in the electronic music scene and debuting under Dirty Hit's new dance-focused imprint, DH2. With collaborations from dance music legends The Chemical Brothers and Northern Irish techno duo Bicep, Dreamstate promises to be her most ambitious and euphoric work to date.
Owens has come a long way since her 2017 self-titled debut LP, which featured a quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in the liner notes: “Whatever you dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.” That boldness and drive have led her to this moment, as she steps into new territory while staying true to the artistic vision she's cultivated over the years.
Signing to Dirty Hit’s DH2 and Collaborating with Dance Music Royalty
Owens’ journey has led her to DH2, the newly formed imprint of Dirty Hit, which is known for housing alternative acts like The 1975, Bleachers, and Beabadoobee. As the first release on the label, Owens feels the timing is perfect: “This feels like the beginning of a new phase,” she tells Billboard. “A new team felt right. I’m excited about the future because I really do believe that DH2 is going to show the world some great dance music.”
The imprint, founded by George Daniel of The 1975 and Ed Blow of Dirty Hit, offers Owens an exciting new platform for her evolving sound. Daniel also played a significant role as a producer on Dreamstate, working alongside The Chemical Brothers' Tom Rowlands, who co-wrote the track “Ballad (The End).” Owens also crafted a moving string arrangement for the song, which builds to an emotional crescendo, showcasing a new depth in her production.
The Evolution of Kelly Lee Owens’ Sound in ‘Dreamstate’
Owens’ previous work was known for its minimalism and experimental take on electronic music, blending elements of techno, house, and pop. However, with Dreamstate, Owens embraces a more euphoric and maximalist approach. The lead single, “Love You Got,” is the most radio-friendly track she’s released, combining classic songwriting with pounding drums and synths, a sound that reaches a broader audience while maintaining her signature touch.
This album marks a significant shift from her earlier work, including 2020’s Inner Song, which reached No. 30 on the UK’s Dance Charts. The follow-up, LP.8 (2022), was a more left-field, experimental record that challenged expectations. Yet, these past releases laid the foundation for Dreamstate, which fuses Owens' unique artistic identity with broader, dance-floor-ready sounds.
Joining Depeche Mode and Gaining Confidence
One of the pivotal moments in Owens’ recent career was being selected by Depeche Mode as a supporting act for their Memento Mori Tour, where she played to massive audiences in US arenas and sold-out stadiums like Mexico City’s Foro Sol, performing in front of 195,000 fans over three nights. Owens recalls the confidence boost this experience gave her: “Without knowing it at the time, they really instilled confidence in me.”
Depeche Mode's Martin Gore even provided valuable feedback on Dreamstate during its production, while Xavier de Rosnay of Justice, who Owens met over a decade ago when she was a bassist in the indie band The History of Apple Pie, also contributed crucial advice. These interactions helped shape Owens’ vision and further pushed her to embrace the bolder, more euphoric sound of her latest record.