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Standout Track: Leading single “An Iris,” featuring Justin Vernon of Bon Iver fame, is a collage of vocal textures, synth arpeggios and acoustic guitar that plays like a trippier, more electronic take on Vernon’s “Flume.” Its yearning feel is anchored by frontman Thomas Wincek’s heavy texturing and guitar looping, with Vernon’s seraphic coos giving the track just the right amount of distance and psychedelia to keep it floating along Panda Bear-style.
Musical Motivation: With a short tour in the works to support their appearance at the Hopskotch Music Festival, the band opted for a mixtape to pad the new single, recording an additional five tracks in the same key and tempo as “An Iris”—in two days, no less. Wincek describes each extra track as “another phrasing of the song,” where more ambient jogs of previously used melodies and ideas from “An Iris” could run free.
Friends with Benefits: After the critically hailed Volcano Choir collaboration between Vernon and Wincek in 2009, it seemed only natural for the two Wisconsin natives to pair up again. “I just asked him to contribute…everything I had done previously was instrumental so I wanted to incorporate vocals this time,” Wincek said. “It worked well once, why not give it a second try?”
Access the track here.
All Tiny Creatures plays Velvet Lounge tonight. Doors 7:30 p.m. / Show 9 p.m. $8. 21+