Brooklyn psych-pop trio Psychic Lines have released their new single "The Darkest Mountain," out now on all platforms. The track serves as the first peek from their opulent and panoramic fifth studio full-length, SUNSET ON SUNSET, dropping August 23rd and available for pre-order now. The band will celebrate the release with an official album launch show at NYC's Berlin on September 8, featuring support from Richard Papiercuts and Garrett Devoe. Tickets for the event are on sale now HERE.
Set against melodious guitars and the band's psych-pop sound, "The Darkest Mountain" envisages a path to a brighter future even when circumstances seem unfavorable. The song is quite representative of much of the soon-to-be-released album by Psychic Lines: music rich and expansive, juxtaposed against meaningful lyricism. The name, according to bandleader Phil Jacob himself, symbolizes the main obstacle that always seems to prevent a person from reaching the point of satisfaction. "The darkest mountain is the main obstacle that always seems to be standing in the way of our happiness, no matter who we are. It's always different for everyone, and it can shift from day to day or even moment to moment. It's that self-talk that starts out with, 'If only I could overcome this one thing, life would be manageable.' This feeling is universal, and yet some people tend to assume that those with more wealth, success, or fame are immune to it. We often forget that many are struggling much more than we are, just trying to survive."
The band released a sunnier track earlier this year, titled "LA in My Mind," which toys with Los Angeles mythology and the divide between fantasy and reality. As Jacob adds: "Whenever I travel anywhere new, I'm always amused at how my imagined version of the destination is completely shattered. This is also how we go through life, making decisions based on how we think the future will play out and often being surprised by what actually happens—and I sometimes find myself preferring the fantasy."
SUNSET ON SUNSET sees a giant leap taken sound-wise from where Psychic Lines have been. Jacob describes the album as delving into the delusions we clutch onto to try to make sense of an ever-changing, chaotic world. "Lyrically, the album deals with all the delusions that we hold. They give us hope, and spur us on, but set us up for a fall when we eventually find that the world isn't how we perceive it to be. Many of these delusions are a consequence of growing up with social media, film, and TV." Jacob goes on: "To cover for the unrealistic expectations and disappointments, we lie to ourselves and others in order to escape into the same narratives and myth that enable our flawed expectations." The record moves through these self-deceptions and coping methods, creating a darkly surreal yet humorously reflective release.
Psychic Lines have been a Brooklyn mainstay since 2008's self-released debut Cubicle Puppets. They've put out such critically lauded albums as Everything Keeps Getting Brighter in 2013, Dance, Cartoon Skeleton in 2019, and the electrifying Late Nite Psychic in 2020, blending sparkling freak-folk and psych-pop to create their one-of-a-kind sound. Now, with SUNSET ON SUNSET, Psychic Lines is preparing to reintroduce themselves with a thoughtful and confident body of work that is layered with gripping instrumentation and timely lyricism.
Find Psychic Lines on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube to keep up to date with what's on the way from this exciting psych-pop trio.
Comentários