Loma – “Ocotillo”

Loma – “Ocotillo”

In 2017, Emily Cross and Dan Duszynski, the two members of the Texan indie rock duo and circa-2015 Stereogum Band To Watch Cross Record got together with Shearwater frontman Jonathan Meiburg, who’d taken Cross Record on tour as openers, and formed a new trio called Loma. In 2018, Loma released a self-titled album and toured, and they figured that would be it for the band. But now they’re back with another album set to arrive this fall.

In the time since Loma, Cross and Duszynski, a former married couple, have made another Cross Record album, and Meiburg has at least been working on new Shearwater album. When Loma got back together, they wrote and recorded much of their sophomore LP Don’t Shy Away at Duszynski’s house in rural Texas, and they got help form contributors like Wye Oak’s Jenn Wasner and touring Loma members Emily Lee and Matt Schuessler. They also got one very special outside contributor: Brian Eno, a vocal admirer of the first Loma album, who produced the Don’t Shy Away closing track “Homing,” working with the band remotely.

Along with the album announcement, Loma have shared the LP’s first single “Ocotillo,” a languid and lovely piece of music that slowly builds up into widescreen catharsis. Cross’ powerful, crystalline lead vocal is a thing to behold. Below, check out “Ocotillo” and the Don’t Shy Away tracklist.

TRACKLIST:
01 “I Fix My Gaze”
02 “Ocotillo”
03 “Half Silences”
04 “Elliptical Days”
05 “Given A Sign”
06 “Thorn”
07 “Breaking Waves Like A Stone”
08 “Blue Rainbow”
09 “Jenny”
10 “Don’t Shy Away”
11 “Homing”

Don’t Shy Away is out 10/23 on Sub Pop.

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