“Strange Ranger are “prolific, shapeshifting, and quick-working” (SPIN). Today, the New York and Philly-based quartet present their new single/video, “Wide Awake,” from their highly anticipated new album, Pure Music, out this Friday on Fire Talk. “Wide Awake” is another thrilling glimpse of Strange Ranger’s ever-evolving sonic journey, a full-blown synth-pop anthem featuring vocals from Isaac Eiger and Fiona Woodman. The accompanying video, directed by Lola Dement Myers and shot by Ben Turok, recalls the chic nonchalance of early-aughts pop stardom, with Woodman seen across fisheye malls, escalators, and NYC subways.
“Wide Awake” is the latest on an electric trail of singles: “glitchy” and “unpredictable” (NPR Music) “Rain So Hard,” the “tantalizing” (FADER) “She’s On Fire,” and the “characteristically unclassifiable” (FLOOD) “Way Out.” “I was thinking about these flashes of memory that stick in your head forever,” Eiger says of “Wide Awake,” continuing, “Bursts of senses that return every now and again but don’t lead anywhere beyond themselves like a GIF in your brain. It’s weird to think about what stays with you and if that’s at all related to how important the thing in question was.”
Introducing Strange Ranger is for indieheads not needed and they are here with a new single. This is the future of indie rock. This is the band that everyone in the indie scene will be sharing and talking about in the next few years. I hope they will play a tour in Europe and I would be at least able to catch them in Vienna. Most of the bands are not touring Eastern Europe anymore. I wish I was a promoter and I could host a show for them, but I tried and it is not my thing. Maybe some other people will have better luck with it and we would be able to see current indie stars. Btw the video is super cool.
Listen to their new album and just enjoy it. It is a masterpiece:
You can find more music on Spotify.