Photo by Calina Walker
Arcadea returns with The Exodus of Gravity (Aug. 22, Relapse Records), a futuristic synth-rock odyssey unfolds in a world where gravity no longer holds us down and emotion rises in its place.
With Brann Dailor (Mastodon) stepping into the lead vocalist role and João Nogueira joining Core Atoms on synths, the newly revamped trio dives headfirst into a new kind of psychedelia: groovy, danceable, and emotionally resonant. “Up is down, down is up,” says Atoms.
A preview of the twelve-song collection arrives today with the release of “Fuzzy Planet” and its mesmerizing intergalactic, Bryan Bankovich-directed video. The clip transports viewers to Prom 5039: A Nightmare to Remember, where synths swirl, the Prom Queen is a little green, different alien species flirt, and love blooms.
“It’s about that first fuzzy feeling you get when you fall in love,” says Atoms. “Our lead character is recognizing that the spore has gotten in them and they’re starting to change. They’re awakening to all the beauty that’s around.”
“There’s something really hopeful and uplifting about it from a musical aesthetic,” adds Dailor. “The object was to get a little more dancey and a little more fun. As much as we liked how proggy the last Arcadea album was, it reminded me of what I already do in Mastodon. We wanted to explore the idea of doing something different. So, I wanted to really concentrate on groove and dance and embracing the electronic aspect of it.”
Recorded at West End Sound, in the basement of Mastodon’s practice facility, Ember City, The Exodus of Gravity is self-produced by Arcadea and engineered by Tom Tapley. The collection is available on a variety of limited-edition vinyl colorways, cassette, and digitally.
Arcadea is Core Atoms (synthesizers, guitars, bass, vocoder, Taurus pedals, mellotron, Hammond, theremin, samples), Brann Dailor (vocals, drums, acoustic percussion, toy piano), and João Nogueira (synthesizers). The Atlanta-based trio released their self-titled debut album in 2017. Atoms and Dailor first played together in the cult prog-funk outfit Gaylord.
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