Though the Barcelona-based artist Lorea’s new album opens with the sounds of snoring, the record is anything but a snoozefest. In a world populated with paint-by-numbers dream pop, the sonic patina of Miel de mosca is something else entirely. Full of field recordings and other leftfield touches, it is elusive and affecting, and warrants repeat listens. The record cover’s image, too, drawn by a young child, manages to capture the music’s sense of play and mystery. We sent some questions over to Lorea about all of this and more, read it while you listen to the record, which is also below. 

Your album starts with the sounds of snoring. Where did that idea come from? Are you a snorer?

There was no specific idea but putting an annoying song like this on your album quickly makes it sophisticated and deep. Anyway, I think on the album there could be a couple sleeping together for the last time. They go to bed hating each other, barely able to stand one another anymore. In their dreams, they find each other and swim together.

I only snore if I sleep with someone.

Some of the sounds on this album trigger ASMR-like effects. Was that on purpose? Do you like ASMR?

I hate ASMR so much. It's more about field recordings and context. Sometimes I like the song to be swept away by the wind, or to happen in a server room with a river in it. 

What lyrical themes pop up throughout your record? Do you think humor is important in songwriting? 

Some of the present themes are construction of symbolic space, utopia beauty, the miracle of flying without engine, tableau vivant, mutualism, choral body, prefigurative politics, folky aura, Gesamtkunstwerk, en plein air, elkartea, supra-apostolic, eterotopia, TAZ, new pastoral, auzolan, sculpture in the expanded field, and transcendent staging. 

Yeah, humor is important for me but the difficult part is to be funny through sound, I'm working on that for the next album.

Could you tell us a little bit about the different reimagining of songs that take place on Miel De Mosca?

I love trying to copy other songs because I don't even know how to recognize a chord, so they always end up being a totally different thing, I try to take advantage of not knowing how to do things. 

Have you ever come up with a song while in a dream state? 

Yeah, as I have said before, nowadays you have to play very dirty to surprise the public.

Is religious music an influence on you at all? 

Yeah, I happen to like it.

Who are some of your favorite current Spanish artists? What about more classic Spanish artists?

I love Elbis Rever, Emilio José, Del Gesù, and Damoridemort. Also Tarara! Who has an amazing upcoming LP. About classics, I love flamenco so much in general but it doesn't show in my music. My favourite is Juanito Valderrama, he's like a figurine singing in a cake.

How did your album cover come about? We read that you worked with a six year old on it?

That was another dirty trick. We were a whole design team trying to work on genuineness and freshness, but we didn’t manage it. Bruna did it effortlessly on her first attempts.