Ahead of the release of Dreamland, the fast-approaching third album from Glass Animals, the Oxford psych-pop outfit has seen fit to release their own powerful pop ode to longing.
‘Heat Waves’ is the bands fourth-released single from Dreamland, following the band’s winning
collection of Quarantine Covers in which they shared their takes on Nirvana’s ‘Heart-Shaped Box’ and Lana Del Rey’s ‘Young And Beautiful’
Photo Credit: Elliott Arndt
The release of Dreamland was delayed from its initially planned July 10th release date in recognition of ongoing Black Lives Matter protests but between the bands previously released new singles as well as the launch of their own interactive open source website - fans have had plenty to both occupy and excite themselves with.
On 'Heat Waves' the in your feelings lyrics are present from the jump and don’t let up throughout. With an earworm lo-fi opening bursting into a sequence of bass-heavy beats and drums, pitched-down vocals singing “I’m swimming in a mirror” lead straight into the chorus proclaiming the pains of being involuntarily being stuck awake thinking about a certain someone despite knowing better. Like a collection of longing AM-thoughts from many “late nights in the middle of June”, the chorus acts as a frequent returning series of concerns, testing oneself to weigh matters of the heart against what may, in reality, be best. ‘Heat Waves’ is a summer hit fit for an introspective 2020.
At its core, the song is a dancefloor-daze that aims for your heart as much as it does your feet. It’s summer pop through and through but through the lens of Glass Animals’ tight production and lush soundscapes.
The accompanying video directed by Colin Read is a timely mood piece, depicting the journey of
frontman-producer Dave Bayley as he ventures through the roads of a quarantined London, hauling touring gear with him to the venue of his destination. Equal parts hopeful and melancholy, watching him perform to an entirely empty venue will whet the appetite of some fans now starved of a live music experience but will make many all the more desperate to see a Glass Animals tour when they can. ‘Heat Waves’ is just another dazzling number that makes it so easy to understand why.
Dreamland will be released on Republic Records on August 7th.
Listen to 'Heat Waves' HERE Instagram: @glassanimals
Written by Matty Jones