Just in time for the solstice, London shoegazers Whitelands have welcomed the Summer with their first new music since last year’s Night-Bound Eyes Are Blind To The Sky, available to stream or as a limited edition flexi-disc. Musically, it’s a short, jaunty – almost buoyant – tune suited to the season, and the production is cleaner and more direct compared to Night-Bound Eyes.

But the inspiration and themes of the song were inspired by more than just welcoming the rise in the mercury, which is reflected in the accompanying video. Says the band via label Sonic Cathedral on Threads:

“It’s about a community of people coming together to overthrow a tyrant, whether it be a city, a town, or a nation. I was very upset about Trump when I started writing it last summer, then the take-down of that CEO by Luigi Mangione was my encouragement to finish it. The Spike Lee movie ‘Do The Right Thing’ gave me inspiration, too – heat representing rising tensions.”

Etienne Quarty-Papafio, Whitelands
@SonicCathedral

And about their evolution in sound/style:

“Chappell Roan, Rachel Chinouriri, Sabrina Carpenter… they’ve shaped how I sing now. I don’t want to get left behind! A few people on Reddit have been complaining about the state of shoegaze singers, but I think that’s where Whitelands shines.

“We’re coming back with a lot more maturity and realness and it shows in how much more emotional our music has become.”

Etienne Quarty-Papafio, Whitelands
@SonicCathedral