B-Side Guys

In the creative trajectory of electronic artists, geographical shifts often herald sonic evolution. For Berlin-born, Porto-based Liam Mour, the Atlantic coastline has become more than backdrop—it’s a collaborative force shaping his latest focus track “Altered Reality” from the EP All Set Let’s Swim.

Released in late March 2025, “Altered Reality” documents a musician in mid-transformation. Having traded Berlin’s industrial aesthetic for Porto’s coastal luminosity, Mour demonstrates how environmental immersion rewires creative impulses. The track maintains his established electronic foundation while introducing organic elements that breathe with tidal regularity—string arrangements wash over programmed percussion with deliberate contradiction, creating productive tension between natural and constructed soundscapes.

This balancing act reflects Mour’s unique position within contemporary electronic music. His background as merchandise seller for compositional pioneer Nils Frahm provided technical education that informs his approach, yet “Altered Reality” resists becoming mere homage. Instead, it establishes conversational distance from influences like Four Tet and DJ Shadow, acknowledging their contributions while pursuing distinctly personal terrain.

The track’s structure mirrors psychological adaptation to new surroundings—building cautiously before embracing unexpected directions with increasing confidence. Early passages establish safe territory through familiar electronic textures before gradually incorporating string elements that signal vulnerability and openness to unfamiliar influences. This progression creates narrative momentum without relying on conventional verse-chorus architecture.

Particularly striking is how “Altered Reality” navigates between shoegaze’s textural density and dream pop’s melodic accessibility without surrendering to either. The production maintains chillwave’s emotional distance while introducing warmth that reflects Portuguese cultural influence—a subtle integration rather than tourist-like appropriation of local sound.

As Mour embarks on his 13-date European tour in April 2025, “Altered Reality” serves as both artistic statement and emotional documentation. Having accumulated over 40 million streams across previous EPs, this track suggests an artist resisting algorithmic stagnation by embracing geographical, personal, and artistic evolution simultaneously. The result offers listeners more than escapism—it provides a map for navigating life’s necessary relocations, both physical and psychological.