It has been six years since Oli XL released Rogue Intruder, Soul Enhancer, an album considered by some to be a defining work of its decade [[1]]. The album’s blend of glitch and techno influenced many and marked a high point for the mid-2000s electro revival. however, the path to a follow-up has been challenging. After releasing two singles in 2021, oli XL stated in 2023 that he had been “writing rewriting & rerewriting an album.” [[1]]

More recently, Oli XL suggested that Warp Records was preventing him from releasing new music [[1]]. On august 27, he promised fans and warp that he would release something by 3 p.m. U.K. time, either officially or through a leak [[1]]. He has now officially released a seven-track project called Lick the Lens – Pt. 1.

The new project includes features from Ecco2K, Chanel Beads, james K, Ouri, and Valeria Litvakov. According to Oli XL’s artist page at Warp, this is the first part of a multi-part series [[1]]. Oli XL writes, “No singles!!! These songs belong together – so instead, I’m releasing the album in episodes. This is Part 1!! [+ I’ve always loved K-pop’s mini-album format of 6-7 tracks: a perfect little world to step into.]”

A music video for “Love & Pop” is available, along with streams of the full project.