Melbourne dream pop and alt rock quartet Arbes have given fans another preview of their forthcoming debut album, sharing new single Full Sight.
Arriving just months after the release of recent single Impasse, the new track continues the latest chapter in Arbes’ musical journey, and captures the band’s eclectic musical styles and breezy, yet assertive mode of playing.
“The song fleetingly captures a sensual attachment to life — immersive dreams of nature, loose threads in a beloved’s shirt, solitude on wintry beaches,” explains vocalist Jess Zanoni.
In between the dreamy passages and near-psychedelic crescendo the slow-burning track tends toward, Zanoni also switches between slick vocals and alluring spoken-word segments, providing an almost voyeuristic aspect to the song.
“While I was recording alone I had the idea to weave in little snippets of spoken-word, like two people whispering to each other,” Zanoni adds. “Frank O’Hara’s (American writer) book was lying closest to my desk where I was recording at the time, which felt a bit fated because his poems encompass casual, intimate dialogue and observations.”
Full Sight is the second song released from Arbes’ upcoming debut album, Counterways, which arrives on November 1st and is available for pre-order now.
The record itself is a long time coming, with its writing and recording process taking place over five years from 2017 to 2022. The result, however, is Arbes seeking to bring out every iota of emotionality in their music and giving the listener a unique experience at every turn.
“Counterways reflects the multiplicity of emotional memory. It’s both confession, and a fear of this confession,” the band explain. “Desire is the throughline across the record, manifesting in many conflicting selves”.
The group will also celebrate the release of the new single with a series of shows across Sydney, Thirroul, Melbourne, and Castlemaine over the next week. All shows to their tour are free, save for the Thirroul date, with tickets on sale now.
