Pet Deaths share new single ‘Dragonfly Serenade No.1 in C’
London alternative folk duo Pet Deaths have released a new single, ‘Dragonfly Serenade No.1 In C,’ an experimental and mesmerizing six-minute track, along with the hypnotic instrumental b-side ‘Dreams i) Dreams ii) Dreams iii)’.
‘Dragonfly Serenade No.1 In C’ follows ‘Love has Won,’ which Pet Deaths shared earlier in the year, which marked their first new release since 2022’s Unhappy Ending, their second album in three years. After the faster pace of those records, the duo, composed of Liam Karima and Graeme Alexander Martin, set some time aside to write and record away from the city in Courtyard Studios, Oxfordshire. This retreat shows in the laid-back tempo of these two songs.
Like ‘Love Has Won’, ‘Dragonfly Serenade No.1 In C’ leans further into the dreamlike quality of their sound. The somewhat bittersweet track starts off with melancholy piano and shimmering flute, building up to a swelling chorus. Karima’s wistful vocals helm the song as the nostalgic melody bobs up and down around the steady piano notes. The track explodes into horns in the middle—with a little electric guitar added in for good measure. It’s a welcome surprise, hooking listeners without being jarring, and the horns, too, are smoothly enveloped into the music, elevating the second half of the song.
Jesse Chandler from Midlake and Mercury Rev features on the track, contributing flute improvisations. The collaboration took place while Pet Deaths were touring Europe, with Chandler sending in his parts from Woodstock, New York. Pet Deaths have recently toured with Chandler’s Midlake, as well as Elbow and Arab Strap. The trumpet was recorded on Vincent Curson Smith of Body Orchestra’s boat in Canary Wharf. Each contribution rounds off this stirring song with something fresh.
The single also features the B-side ‘Dreams i) Dreams ii) Dreams iii).’ An improvised piece, it originally featured on the concept EP Nightones II, previously only released on cassette. The three-and-a-half-minute instrumental track keeps listeners on their toes as it tips from gentle into the surreal. New sounds are added on each loop of the key riff, which seems to spring, before it distorts and reverbs. The entire track is hazy and otherworldly, with the individual sounds swirling together, creating an escapist, trance-like feel.
The two tracks show Pet Deaths’ ability to meld jazz, folk and pop in an engaging, unexpected and almost fantastical way without detracting from the softer tone or disrupting the delicate feel of their music. It also hints that they may have a few more surprises in store when it comes to where they’ll go next musically.
Alas, one thing is for certain, at this stage, they have ‘beauteous’ all sewn up.
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