Belgian composer Tom Soetaert returns under his OUTER moniker with the release of ‘In Limbo’, an intimate and emotionally charged new single arriving January 16th via AWAL. The track offers a poignant first glimpse into OUTER’s forthcoming album Glowing Mountains in the Sky, due for release on February 13th, and marks a deeply personal chapter in Soetaert’s evolving body of work.
Known for crafting cinematic, emotive soundscapes that sit delicately between muted electronics and neo-classical composition, OUTER has steadily built a reputation across national radio and music press for music that rewards stillness and close listening. ‘In Limbo’ continues this lineage, while also sharpening its emotional focus.
Written during a period of profound transition, on the cusp of welcoming his first child, ‘In Limbo’ captures the fragile space between anticipation and uncertainty. The track unfolds patiently, led by rich piano motifs and swelling strings, while reverb-soaked choral textures and restrained electronic elements form a soft, pillowy backdrop. Soetaert’s whispery vocals drift through the arrangement, evoking the emotional weightlessness of artists such as Jóhann Jóhannson and Ólafur Arnalds, whilst bringing the experimental ambience of Sigur Rós and Jon Hopkins.
Twinkling, delicate pianos and washes of strings open the track with cinematic, emotional depth as choral vocals dance around the soundscape. The track introduces OUTER’s whispery vocals before gradually unfurling into an ambient electronic soundscape. Pulled forward by a pulsing kick, layers of strings and pulsing synth create a dark, heartfelt soundscape which feels melancholic yet hopeful.
Speaking about the track, Soetaert describes it as the most personal moment on the upcoming album:
“In Limbo is probably the most personal track from the upcoming album. Written during the expectancy of a first child, it captures the euphoria but also fear and profound uncertainty of watching your identity shift while stepping into an unknown future.”
Glowing Mountains in the Sky promises to be OUTER’s most expansive and musically mature statement to date. Written across remote locations in Iceland, Norway, and the Czech Republic, the album is rooted in place as much as emotion. Field recordings captured during these travels form the foundation of its textured sound design, blending modern classical composition, chamber pop, alternative rock, and ambient influences, with subtle nods to shoegaze with the reverb soaked atmosphere.
“Thematically, the album explores dreams and memories – the beautiful ones, the difficult ones, and everything drifting in between,” Soetaert explains. These contrasts are embedded throughout the arrangements, where warm, organic instrumentation is set against colder electronic textures, and intimate minimalism slowly unfolds into sweeping, cinematic climaxes.
‘In Limbo’ offers an exciting taste of the musicality which can be expected on the full upcoming album Glowing Mountains in the Sky, an album where OUTER creates some of his most beautiful and heartfelt work to date.
Listen to the new single below:
