Some tracks hit you like a warm hug the first time you hear them. While new, the tones or maybe the rhythm, the vibe, something triggers the comfort of memory. Today’s premiere from German psych rockers AUA is that perfect warm hug of a track. Everything Is Noise premiered a single off of AUA‘s previous album, The Damaged Organ, which I listened to today in anticipation of writing this. The Damaged Organ is a charming stroll into psych-rock weirdness, not so odd that it feels alien, but with enough synths and spaced-out moodiness to feel like it could be from several eras of music other than our own (think 60’s psychedelic garage rock with shades of the late 00’s and early 10’s psych revival).
On their latest single from the upcoming Painkiller No. 1 (out November 8 on Crazysane Records), AUA step up a notch in the gliding, hooky pop-sensibilities they have only teased at while maintaining their near krautrock psychedelia impulses rooted in rock and roll. Drums are snappy out of the gate with a rollicking guitar riff that reminds me of something Panda Bear or Animal Collective would build a house of crazy cards over. Instead of yawps and hand drums, however, AUA bring in a shining synth lead and a smooth bass line (courtesy of Death By Gong‘s Jobst M. Feit) to carry somewhat lo-fi vocals. The overall effect is similar to early Tame Impala. Give it a listen!
“Terminal” plays with the themes of departure and new beginnings in a lovely way. You are crossing the terminal at a space station, leaving all you once knew behind you, a death of sorts. However, in doing so, a new adventure awaits, ‘now you know/its the start of the end,’ they sing. Shortly after they finished Painkiller No. 1, a close friend of the band passed away, giving new perspective to the lyrics of “Terminal.” ‘Too hard to see, its terminal,’ takes on a new meaning. To further explore this idea, the video features organic matter blossoming and decaying amidst contrasting visuals.
This may be a departure from their past, but AUA are happy to embrace new beginnings on what promises to be their most attention grabbing album yet.
The band had the following to say about their new song:
‘‘Terminal’ is likely our most pop-focused song to date, offering more melodic accessibility while retaining some weird elements that I appreciate in our songwriting. We were intrigued by the dual meaning of the title, suggesting both the beginning and the end of a journey. The line ‘Too hard to see it’s terminal’ took on a new meaning when a close friend passed away from a lung tumor just after we finished the record. This profoundly altered my perception of the lyrics in a saddening way.
In its original sense, the song explores a journey of confronting and letting go of past burdens, much like leaving behind what’s unnecessary as one departs on a spaceship. The lyrics encourage a conscious self-forgetfulness against the vast backdrop of the universe. For the video, Belgrade based artist Mihailo Kalabic animated an organic mass floating in a vacuum, constantly fluctuating between growth and decay, and I think he captured this idea very well. The single also features our close friend and longtime collaborator Jobst M. Feit (Radare, Death By Gong) on bass, marking his first appearance on one of our albums.’
If “Terminal” is any indication of what is to come, fans of catchy millennial psych/indie rock are in for a treat, or maybe the warm embrace of sonic arms. Be sure to follow AUA on Facebook and Instagram. Pre-orders for Painkiller No. 1 are available alongside a 3LP box set collecting all three releases from AUA at Crazysane Records.
