Loma – “Half Silences”

Bryan C. Parker

Loma – “Half Silences”

Bryan C. Parker

When Cross Record’s Emily Cross and Dan Duszynski teamed up with Shearwater’s Jonathan Meiburg to form Loma, it seemed like it might be one-off endeavor. But then last month we got news that they’d be following their 2017 debut with a new album, Don’t Shy Away. Along with the announcement, they shared a stunning new track called “Ocotillo,” which landed amongst our favorite songs that week. Today, they’re back with another one.

The latest preview of Don’t Shy Away arrives in the form of “Half Silences,” which the band shared an earlier iteration of last year. “Half Silences” was the first song we recorded for Don’t Shy Away, and we kept tinkering with it after we soft-released an early version last year,” Meiburg explained in a statement. “When you start making a record, you don’t know which songs will make the cut — but this one always seemed to belong, and we wanted to give the final mix (and its DIY video) a proper debut. People have asked if the fireworks are CGI. They aren’t.”

“Ocotillo” was an almost foreboding song, cresting into horn arrangements that teetered on the brink of chaos. In comparison, “Half Silences” is a dreamier and hazier composition. But in either form, Loma are making some gorgeous, otherworldly music. Check it out below.

Don’t Shy Away is out 10/23 on Sub Pop. Pre-order it here.

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