La Luz release haunting new single ‘Poppies’
Led by the eminent Shana Cleveland, cult surf rockers La Luz have returned with their latest single, ‘Poppies’.
The new song follows ‘Strange World’, the brilliant lead single from their forthcoming new album, News of the Universe, which arrives via Sub Pop on May 24th – their first on the label. It must be said that the latest track is more profound than its predecessor, despite the languid and deeply metaphysical nature, with Cleveland’s recent cancer diagnosis and coming out the other side being the central subject matter.
A deeply personal piece of haunting psychedelia, musically, ‘Poppies’ sees the group tap into the darker side of their artistry alongside the salient lyrical themes. Sonically, it’s somewhat stylistically related to the incredibly profound solo effort and naturalistic exploration of motherhood, Manzanita, that Cleveland released last year. Understandably, being a mother to a young son and suffering a concurrent cancer diagnosis are two Herculean challenges that have affected her creativity, with her perspective on the world changing markedly.
In proper form, ‘Poppies’ is spacey and evokes the heady nature of California’s musical traditions. Additionally, due to the significant subject matter, there’s a strong hint of an almost gothic atmosphere that is stoked and, indeed, a twist of pure personal chaos that adds to the multifarious flavour profile. This sentiment is evoked by the shimmering guitars, expressive bassline and Cleveland’s reverb-drenched vocals.
‘Poppies’ is a strange listening experience in the sense that while it is undoubtedly dark, there’s also a sense of relief, and it is this inherent juxtaposition that makes it and La Luz such a fascinating prospect, as they fight to reconcile the two most all-encompassing sides of human nature, life and death. Taken in tandem with the lead single, it heavily infers that News of the Universe is to be one of the most authentic offerings we’ll hear this year.
Cleveland says of the new single: “Poppies is about the surreal feeling of going through the horror and isolation of a cancer diagnosis and treatment and then suddenly being out in the bright world again, trying to make sense of it all, feeling like I’m walking through a waking dream, seeing the first wildflowers come out and feeling a similar sense of rebirth.”
News of the Universe tracklist:
- ‘Reaching Up to the Sun’
- ‘Strange World’
- ‘Dandelions’
- ‘Poppies’
- ‘Good Luck With Your Secret’
- ‘Always in Love’
- ‘Close Your Eyes’
- ‘I’ll Go With You’
- ‘Blue Moth Cloud Shadow’
- ‘News of the Universe’
- ‘Moon in Reverse’
- ‘Blue Jay’
Listen to ‘Poppies’ below.
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