Italian synthwave producer and multi-instrumentalist Lawrence Fancelli—better known by his moniker Mouth Water—steps back into the spotlight today with “Smoke,” a hauntingly lush single that lands like a whisper in the dark—seductive, cinematic, and quietly defiant. Out now via Through the Void Records, the track straddles the line between dream-pop, synth-laced melancholy and atmospheric electronica, enveloping listeners in a slow-moving haze of emotion that lingers long after the final note fades.
Built on glistening synth textures, crisp percussion, mid-tempo grooves, and ghosted vocal layers, “Smoke” feels like a memory you can’t quite place—familiar, yet elusive. The track unfolds slowly, letting the mood settle before pulling the listener into a world shaped by movement, memory, and muted rebellion.
“Smoke was born from the urge to tell a story of escape — a quiet rebellion,” Mouth Water shares. It’s a sonic vignette of a girl on the run, suitcase full of secrets, trying to outrun a past that refuses to stay buried. In his own words, “Smoke” is “a hymn to freedom, but also a bitter reflection: today, we can’t truly disappear. The past follows us, even when we think we’ve outrun it.”
That emotional friction—between escape and inevitability—is what gives the track its quiet intensity. It’s dreamy, yes, but never detached. The production is restrained yet immersive, allowing space for reflection: echoed vocals that drift like internal thoughts, airy synths stretching toward distant horizons, and chord progressions that unfurl like breath on a mirror. It’s the kind of song that doesn’t demand attention but slowly draws you in—perfect for a night drive, a slow dance, or the edge of dawn.
Fresh off a standout appearance at Primavera Sound and gearing up for a summer tour with Sophie and the Giants, Mouth Water continues to carve out a space that fuses analog soul with electronic elegance. Yet “Smoke” doesn’t rely on context to make its impact—it stands confidently on its own, a quiet assertion that clarity can emerge even through the haze.
If last year’s ‘Blackout’ was the warning shot, “Smoke” is the confirmation: Mouth Water’s storytelling game is getting sharper, and if this is only a glimpse of what’s coming in his 2025 album, consider it a promise worth leaning into.
Listen to “Smoke” now on Spotify:
