We are ever so honoured to premiere today the new single ‘Don’t Forget To Breathe’ from central Victorian Steve Lane. Floating on a bed of sweeping, weeping strings and a gentle patter of guitars and piano, ‘Don’t Forget To Breathe’ is breathtakingly elegant and mournful: an air of melancholy oozes from the crystalline cello strings and the layered harmonies floating in the ether. The theme of the song is one of positivity in the face of the vicissitudes of life – the gentle, compassionate message becoming an essential panacea for our times.
The ambulatory tone and sky scraping melodies evince a touch of Springsteen, but there are tangible echoes of The Go-Betweens and The Apartments that sparkle with an antipodean glow, burnished with imperial majesty of something from Tindersticks. Lane’s songwriting is measured and passionate at the same time, imbued with a longing and intelligence that gives its pop sensibilities a solid grounding and veracity.
This is gorgeous, light-filled and euphoric.
The track will be available everywhere tomorrow (29 September) through Bandcamp and all the usual streaming/downloading services, and is being released through the Scottish independent record label Last Night From Glasgow – along with Lane’s forthcoming album ‘The Great Imposter’ due out in November. Lane’s band includes Neneh Lane U’Ren on piano (who also co-wrote the track), Cally Bartlett’s evocative cello, Kai Lane U’Ren on bass, Peter Slater on guitars and the wistful and understated drumming of David Williams’ (Augie March).
It’s worth mentioning that Last Night From Glasgow operate as a patron funded not for profit label. They are an ethics-first business who believe in gender equality and fair pay for all and they’ve had phenomenal success with their business model since launching in 2016. Founder Ian Smith says of the label:
First off, we need to believe in you as artists. We are not concerned with your commercial viability, although such can be a sizeable bonus. For us, you have to really care about what you’re doing and be doing it for the right reasons. Anyone solely chasing fame is probably not for us. Not because we don’t want that, but pursuit of fame should not be your overriding concern.
We want artists who simply can’t imagine not being songwriters or performers. We want artists who are able to contribute to the community of LNFG, who will lend a hand when needed. We are built upon the principles of trade unionism – we are stronger together.
Lane has been a three times nominee for the International Songwriting Award and his 2011 album The Romance of Communication, released through ABC Music/Universal, was nominated for the prestigious Australian Music Prize. Lane’s band The Autocrats and numerous other collaborations have seen him work with members of The Avalanches, Paul Kelly & The Dots, Augie March and more.
Lane is also one half of Realtone, with Wayne Glenn. Both are experienced sound engineers, award-winning song writers, workshop facilitators and video producers with experience in community development, project management, alternative education, case management, mental health and the AOD sector.
Over the last 15 years, they have been responsible for the production of over 100 music videos/ video vignettes and the production of 100’s of songs compiled on many Compilation Albums recorded in prisons, youth centres, schools and communities across Australia and the Pacific including Timor Leste and Fiji.
