Boy & Bear are a veritable national institution in Australia with their brand of folk-inflected indie pop. Having recently celebrated the ten year anniversary of their double platinum album ‘Moonfire’ with a sold out gig in Sydney, the band have announced a 14 date national tour across Australia over June and July. And to whet our collective appetites, the band has released a new single ‘State of Flight’.
‘State of Flight’ is a vast expansive and cinematic delight with extraordinary soaring vocals from Dave Hosking that are celestial and yearning. The instrumentation is quite euphoric – beds of arpeggiated synths, choral harmonies and jangling guitars frame the horizons with a frenetic pace. The result is like a pop song written by Ennio Morricone with its dramatic sweep. Hosking says of the track:
The song is really a love letter to the arts, to the joys of being creative. I love making music, and even in the face of considerable challenges these last few years, it’s only further solidified my obsession and genuine love of the creative process.
The accompanying video is a beautifully shot scene of dancing lovers in a rural pastoral bliss: lush greenery and gravity defying movements that are compelling and immersive, flowing with the rhythms of the music. Director Taylor Ferguson says of the clip:
‘State of Flight’ captures a true sense of euphoria and bliss. I love the way the track builds to an unusual but compelling high sensation. I knew I had to somehow create a dreamlike world where anything felt possible. So I came up with a story about the uninhibited expression of selfhood and the explosive power of freedom. Making them fly felt like the right thing to do.
A perfect fit for the heavenly melodies:
‘State of Flight’ is out now and available to download and stream here.
Boy & Bear take off on a 14 date Australian tour, supported by Jack Botts, The Rions and Clews (tickets available here):
Friday, 3 June – The River, Margaret River, WA
Saturday, 4 June – The Astor, Perth, WA
Thursday, 9 June – Miami Marketta, Gold Coast, QLD
Friday, 10 June – The Tivoli, Brisbane, QLD
Saturday, 11 June – NightQuarter, Sunshine Coast, QLD
Saturday, 18 June – Lion Arts Factory, Adelaide, SA
Friday, 24 June – Beer Deluxe, Albury, NSW
Saturday, 25 June – UC Refectory, Canberra, ACT
Friday, 1 July – Forum Theatre, Melbourne, VIC
Saturday, 2 July – Torquay Hotel, Torquay, VIC
Sunday, 3 July – NAFA – Townsville, QLD
Friday, 8 July – Waves, Wollongong, NSW
Saturday, 9 July – Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle, NSW
Saturday, 16 July – The Enmore Theatre, Sydney
Watch out for international tour news coming soon.
