Lilya Mandre is on a Path to Self-Love with Debut on Crosstown Rebels

**Lilya Mandre’s transformative debut on Crosstown Rebels, Exi(s)t, solidifies her place as a force with which to be reckoned in the melodic and minimal side of house music.**

Moroccan DJ and producer Lilya Mandre has made her mark on the electronic music scene. In just three years, her unique blend of melodic, deep, and minimal sounds has resonated deeply within the community, making her one to watch. Her newest offering, Exi(s)t, showcases the transformation she’s made in her life and as a DJ. The three-track EP debut is expressive and emotive, and lands on Damian Lazarus’ imprint, Crosstown Rebels.

Though a three-track EP, Exi(s)t packs an incredible punch while only featuring two original songs. The third is an incredibly well-done remix by Francis Mercier. In true Mandre fashion, she’s poured her heart and soul into the EP.

Exi(s)t is a snapshot of one of the most transformative chapters of my life — the end of high school in Morocco and the beginning of my college years in Montreal. I was 18 when I left, stepping away from the comfort of home, family, and everything I knew. I felt like I had to exit one world in order to exist in another.
Lilya Mandre

Teaming up with Zac Martel and Jono McCleery, “A Part of Your Soul” takes the best of all three artists and seamlessly blends them into pure deep house magic. With Mandre’s minimal grooves combined with McCleery’s dulcet tones and Martel’s lush synths, the result is a complex masterpiece that is a chef’s kiss. As if it couldn’t get better, Haitian DJ and producer Francis Mercier came in and remixed the track, taking it into an Afro-house direction that makes it even more club-ready.

Mandre closes out her EP with “Malou,” a song that encompasses elements of the previous two tracks while showing growth and self-love. An Afro-house tune that pays homage to her North African heritage, it’s vibrant, raw, and full of joie de vivre.

Lilya Mandre puts her all into everything she does, and Exi(s)t is no different. A pensive, yet forward-thinking EP, it will be exciting to see where Mandre takes her music next.

To experience a taste of her current musical state of mind, listen to Exi(s)t on Spotify or on your preferred streaming platform, and follow her on social media to catch her next musical venture.