I associate artists with specific aesthetics or landscapes, usually because I listen to different artists and genres based on where I am and what I am doing. If I am doing homework, I listen to chill, quieter songs, or if I am in the car, I listen to slightly more upbeat alternative or electronic music. Anytime in between, it can range from new-age to rap to pop, depending on my mood. Vallis Alps is one of the few artists I feel can be listened to anytime, anywhere. 

Indie electronic music duo Vallis Alps consists of producer David Ansari and vocalist Parissa Tosif. The duo is currently based in Sydney, Australia and has released two EPs since 2015. Though they have not released much music since their start, quality over quantity holds true: every song they put out is a masterpiece of its own. Their best songs come from their first EP, self-titled “Vallis Alps.”

In 2018, I was doing everything I could to find something new to listen to. I had gotten tired of the same artists releasing the same songs with slightly different lyrics and musical alterations. When I came across “Young” by “Vallis Alps,” I knew I had found what I was looking for. Its ambient, yet engaging nature was apparent from the first 20 seconds. It is listenable for every possible situation: studying, driving, going for a walk, hanging out with friends or just relaxing. There is a certain feeling I get when I listen to this song – a combination of hopefulness and serenity – from the synths, mellow beats in the background and Tosif’s graceful vocals. 

I have noticed in many musical duos and bands, instrumentals can sometimes outshine the vocals. This is not the case with Vallis Alps: Ansari’s production and Tosif’s vocals balance each other wonderfully. A perfect example of this is their song “Thru,” on their self-titled EP. There is a decent amount of purely upbeat, flowy instrumental electronic parts in this song, but it does not feel overwhelming. Tosif’s singing is not overly filtered, but rather feels natural, and blends beautifully with the instrumental. 

“Thru” has a slightly more melancholy tone than “Young”, but it still contains the smooth, underlying synths that help to establish their style. These continue to persist throughout the other tracks in this album, allowing them to flow into each other and ultimately creating a cohesive EP. 

Vallis Alps released their single “Fading” in 2016. Its tone is a happier evolution from the songs in their EP, especially in its instrumental. It carries a similar upbeat indie-electronic production to songs by artists like BAYNK and RAC, but it still carries the signature Vallis Alps style with Tosif’s voice and mellow instrumentation. It is not an overly complicated song, yet it is not simple in its culmination of vocals and instrumentals. 

With every single and EP, Vallis Alps has a slightly altered sound, but they have always been able to stay true to their style. The only fault in this duo is they do not release enough music. From 2018 to 2021, they released no new music, but they came back with a single in 2022 called “Set It Off, Set It Right.” Though I personally do not think it lives up to “Young,” “Thru” or “Fading” due to its lacking creativity, it is still a nice listen, and I am excited to hear more from them.