Long time favourites of Backseat Mafia, Tan Cologne, have almost single handedly invented an entire new branch of essential dream pop/shoegaze emanating from the mystical deserts of New Mexico – a sort of desert-gaze dream pop that shimmers with all the beauty and alien mysteries of the vast desert skies. It’s been over two years since the release of their dreamy debut ‘Cave Vaults in the Moon in New Mexico’ and Tan Cologne have just announced details of their sophomore album, the enigmatically titled ‘Earth Visions Of Water Spaces’, maintaining their common themes of titles that evoke magic and mystery.
Accompanying this news is the release of a second track from the album (following ‘Topaz Wave’ earlier this year) – the appropriately named ‘Floating Gardens’ – a track that shimmers and sparkles like stars in the firmament: loaded with an element of mystery and enigma. Crystalline, jangling guitars line the wandering paths while the vocals are ethereal: distant and melancholy. The result is a warm bath of sonic bliss: dreamy, floaty and angelic that paints the endless horizons with psychedelic colours.
The accompanying video is a black and white montage of visions that capture the sense of yearning and reverie imbued in the song.
The band says that ‘Floating Gardens’ is about shallow depth ecosystems of water and was inspired by the ancient Aztec gardens of Mexico City known as Xochimilco. They comment:
A shimmery glide on the surface of water recalling past civilizations, the song tells a story of a “skin of water” covering the Earth and transforming the landscape into grasslands. We focused on imperfections and inter-dimensional existence.
Speaking on the accompanying video, they add:
We dreamed about making a video that followed a pathway of Creation, Connection, and Observation and centered it around the portal of surfing. We filmed these interactions in California through family, friends and lagoon bird life. The music video features Pat Lennon, an old school surfer, woodworker, musician, and surfboard shaper. We also followed good friend Fino Burgos in their playful connection to the element of water through surfing. We were inspired to relay these small vignettes (I, II, III) to communicate spiritual devotion to water.
Signed to Labrador Records, ‘Earth Visions Of Water Spaces’ will be released on 9 September 2022. You can download/stream the single here.
Tan Cologne is the duo of Lauren Green and Marissa Macias, based in Northern New Mexico.
