Naarm/Melbourne-based rock outfit Floodlights today announce their third album Underneath for release on March 21 via [PIAS] Recordings.
Written amidst extensive touring of the UK and Europe, Australia and the US, Underneath was shaped by a surreal period in each members’ lives – full of firsts, exploring new places, playing their biggest gigs and festivals yet. Despite the transience of their new life on the road, the writing process proved a starkly intimate time marked by quiet, shared moments of contemplation. The songs that emerged represent a process of reckoning, catharsis and growth within the group, fusing the incisive societal reflections they are renowned for with more personal meditations on grief, memory and place; ultimately giving shape to myriad emotions and experiences that linger beneath the surface. Through their enveloping alt-rock soundscapes Floodlights paint a metamorphosis in motion on Underneath, while sweepingly exploring, at its core, what it means to be human.
First introduced with the sweeping, definitive “Can You Feel It” earlier this year, which also announced the band’s signing with [PIAS] Recordings, today a further glimpse into the record arrives with Dan Luscombe-produced track, “Cloud Away”. Lead vocalist / guitarist Louis Parsons says of the song, “Just like a cloud, feelings come and go, life changes and so do people. ‘Cloud Away’ is a song about hope and how even in the lowest of times, we can still find a way to navigate the winding road. It speaks to the simple beauties of life and how we use projections of the future to lift ourselves from the present.
We wanted to explore different techniques in this song as a way to express our individual and collective evolution. Sarah’s soaring vocals, coupled with whispering, swelling synths and an arpeggiator are tools we haven’t used before which resulted in something desirably different. We will always be true to our sound, something that can be done whilst also pushing the boundaries of our comfort. A massive shoutout to the brilliant Dan Luscombe for playing an important role in the creation of this song.”
Directed by close collaborators Ava Clifforth (@avavavavava) and Henry Gosper (@henrygotspleez) of Good Grief Productions, the accompanying music video is inspired by Magical Realism films like Big Fish and Pan’s Labyrinth. In a rich blend of traditional craftsmanship and emerging tech, the surreal yet emotionally resonant visuals were crafted through in-camera effects, AI generative tools, and over 600 hand-crafted frames, with animation by New York-based 2D artist Ewan Creed. In the piece, the band move through brightly coloured forests, wildflower fields and lakeside dreamscapes framed by saturated colours, dancing scribbles and brushstroke textures, in a true homage to life’s small beauties.
Floodlights consists of bandmates Louis Parsons, Ashlee Kehoe, Archie Shannon, Joe Draffen and Sarah Hellyer. First gaining global attention with 2019’s EP Backyard and 2020’s critically acclaimed debut album From a View, Floodlights returned in April 2023 with their crowning second studio album, Painting of My Time, showcasing a natural progression and evolution as a band and individuals.
With an electrifying yet moving stage presence, Floodlights have evolved their live show into an unrivaled, compelling experience. They have toured Australia and the world over including countless sold-out shows, festival appearances at Laneway, Meredith Music Festival, Panama Festival, VIVID LIVE, Falls Festival, SXSW Austin and many more, plus supported The Killers, black midi, Amyl & The Sniffers, Pavement to name a few. Following a recent Northern Territory Up The Guts tour and an East Coast headline tour, the band are now performing across the UK/EU including a recent stop at Pitchfork Music Festival Paris. Watch this space for more dates to be announced.
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