Songs You Need To Hear Now #39

New songs from Circles Around the Sun, Phosphorescent, Deth Rali, and more

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Happy Friday! The new music calendar is finally heating up again and we’ve got plenty of great songs to listen to this weekend. Here are a few I’d like to highlight:

Circles Around the Sun - “After Sunrise”

New CATS? Of course, I’m excited about it!

“After Sunrise” is the fresh single ahead of their upcoming EP, in which they collaborate with Mikaela Davis again. Here’s what they have to say about it:

After Sunrise, the new collaboration from Circles Around The Sun and Mikaela Davis reunites the disco cosmonauts and acclaimed harpist for further explorations of the synergy first showcased on the title track of CATS’ 2023 album, Language.

Comprised of two new original compositions, ‘Gloaming Way’ and ‘Moonbow’, and an inspired interpretation of Brazilian legend Sérgio Mendes’ ‘After Sunrise,’ the album features the first appearance of vocals on a Circles Around The Sun recording, sung by Davis. A live take on ‘Language’ rounds out the second side and brings the pairing full circle.

Once the endless night of the discotheque finally gives way to morning light, you may find yourself seaside as the sun peeks over the horizon. As the party rolls through the dawn and into the day, this is the soundtrack.

This is After Sunrise. If it’s nice, play it twice.

I’m so in! Crank this one up and kiss that cold snow goodbye (in your mind)!

Phosphorescent - “Revelator”

Matthew Houck, who performs as Phosphorescent, rarely misses in my book. We last heard from him all the way back in 2018 with the phenomenal C’est La Vie, and it’s great to have him back with the title track from his upcoming album, Revelator, which is out on April 5th. It will also be his first record on Verve, which is where Kurt Vile landed for his comeback (IMO) record (watch my moves), and I’m hoping for the same success. Damn, this baby is gorgeous.

Deth Rali - “Candle in the Dark”

Friends of the newsletter, Death Rali, continue to release a single a month, and all four have had their own personalities and are fantastic. The Denver-based band follows up last month’s “Aldebaran,” which was by far and away their heaviest song to date, with the ethereal “Candle in the Dark.” On the new song, leader Jay Maike has this to say:

We’re really excited about this one. It’s kind of the *sigh* of the album. A respite. A rest.  

Candle is a song about carrying on despite the horrors. I originally wrote this song after the Charlie Hebdo attack in 2015. It was a brazen attack by religious extremists on French cartoonists at Charlie Hebdo magazine for depicting the prophet.

I was shocked at the level of broad-daylight violence and wondering how people continue working, and going about their lives after such a tragedy?

Flash forward to 2024 - not much has changed. New year, new horrors.

New reasons to carry-on. That’s why we make art, right?

I cannot wait to hear this one live when Mama Mañana Presents hosts Deth Rali at The Mystic here in Santa Fe on March 15th and 16th!

Are you looking forward to one of today’s many new releases? What song has caught your ear in the past few weeks? Let me know in the comments!