Trans- is so excited to share the title track of Sombear’s debut album, due out on 7/23.
COS: As Sombear, Minneapolis electro-pop artist Brad Hale has only released a handful of songs. Still, with less than a full year under the project’s belt, he’s accomplished quite a bit: he was a finalist in the Bon Iver, Bon Iver remix album contest, reworked Tegan and Sara’s “Closer” for an RSD single, and put out a split 7″ with Death Cab for Cutie’s Chris Walla. (All while playing drums in the band Now, Now. Not too shabby.) On July 23rd, he’ll keep up the hard work with the release of his debut full-length, Love You In The Dark, via Walla’s own Trans- Records.
Despite his inspired schedule, Hale has struggled with his role as an artist, dating back to high school and his secretive love for house music, Britney Spears, and ‘N Sync. “I have a hard time being confident and sharing my music with the world,” Hale said in a statement. “Part of it probably stems from middle and high school where I felt like I had to hide from people all day long to avoid anything embarrassing. This whole process has kind of been a personal test. I needed to figure out if I could actually make a record. These songs were meant to kick me in the ass.”
As the first step in the highly-personal process, Hale’s unveiled the album’s title track. Amid the pulsating drum machines and barrage of airy effects, he readily separates himself from the pack with just a few simple flourishes. His heavily-vocodered singing is as emotionally cold and distant as it is joyous and playful. Even his lyrics are refreshingly abstract (“I can’t love you when you look so smooth, like the moon in the daylight”), making the effort all that more nuanced and organic.
(via dalagers)
The Lonely Forest will play Western Washington University as part of Lawnstock Fest on Sun, 6/2. Free, all-ages & open to the public. Thee Satisfaction, SOL & Odesza play too!
Trans- logos designed by Emy Storey.
An oldie but goodie of The Lonely Forest. meow
First look at the new Sombear album artwork. Isn’t it beautiful?
The Stranger: Seattle Show Preview by Megan Seling
The Lonely Forest, Now, Now, BellaMaine
(Crocodile) The Lonely Forest spent the winter writing and recording their new record, so for their first Northwest show in a long time, the band will be armed with an onslaught of fresh material. I asked singer John Van Deusen for a hint, and he replied: “It’s kind of hard to explain. The new record is called Adding Up the Wasted Hours, and I think the title sums up the overall vibe of the record. We’re still a power-pop band, and the music still revolves heavily around the strength of the songs and their melodies. I do think, out of context from the rest of the record, individual songs feel a little naked. Almost as if they need their siblings around to make complete sense.” I cannot fucking wait. Opening the show is Trans- labelmates Now, Now. Their new album, Threads, recalls both the Jealous Sound and Tegan and Sara—celestial, soft vocals and shimmering guitar riffs leading to choruses that sound like exploding stars. It’s totally gorgeous. MEGAN SELING
