Krystal Klear
Genre: Electronic
Origin: Ireland
Initially from Dublin but residing in New York, dance producer Dec Lennan goes by the moniker Krystal Klear. His melodic, neon-soaked tracks draw from ’80s boogie, electro, house, and new wave, all with a clear motive to make people dance. Active since 2010, he’s released acclaimed records on labels like All City Records, Rinse, Running Back, and his own Cold Tonic. He’s also remixed songs by major artists such as Donna Summer, Blood Orange, and Sky Ferreira, and scored club and festival hits with tracks like 2018’s “Neutron Dance.”
Krystal Klear’s debut EP, Tried for Your Love, was released by Dublin’s All City Records in late 2010. Recalling ’80s synth-funk more than anything else present in dance music at the time, the release immediately stood out, and its title track began receiving airplay on BBC Radio One. Remix offers from major labels came rushing in, and Lennan was accepted into the Red Bull Music Academy in 2011. “Never Thought You Would Go,” a downcast R&B single in collaboration with OlivierDaySoul, was issued by Eglo Records near the end of 2011. Subsequent singles such as 2012’s “More Attention” and 2013’s “Addiction” moved closer to house and garage influences. By 2013, Lennan was busy playing high-profile gigs at major clubs and festivals throughout the world, while maintaining quarterly residencies at Hoya Hoya in Manchester and Fabric in London. He also worked in Nile Rodgers’ studio along with Chic and Michael McDonald. Lennan founded the Cold Tonic label, which released much of his material from 2013 until 2017, with the exception of pop single “One Night Only” (featuring Yasmin), which was released by Rinse in 2014 and subsequently licensed by Island.
Krystal Klear began 2018 with the Club Studies EP on Hot Haus Records, with mixes named after several legendary dance clubs. This was followed by The Division, an EP for Gerd Janson’s Running Back which included “Neutron Dance,” a buoyant dance track reminiscent of ’80s Italo-disco and ‘s “Bizarre Love Triangle.” The track became Krystal Klear’s biggest hit yet, and remixes by producers such as Janson and Paul Woolford appeared later in the year. ~ Paul Simpson, Rovi
