Shadow Age go it alone in their latest single and video Ours — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
Marking their much-anticipated return after a lengthy hiatus, the Richmond, Va. post-punk trio make up for lost time on their first new track since 2018 — and the title cut to a new cassette EP that arrives today and includes a slate of remixes.
Shot and directed by Cat McCarthy, the accompanying Ours video sees the trio bathed in smoke and vibrant hues and features more than one moonwalk courtesy of frontman Aaron Tyree. Over the song’s five-minute arc, guitarist Tony Gloom’s melancholy strumming and drummer Patrick DeWit’s irresistible beat create a rich canvas for Tyree’s poetic, minimalist lyrics of loss, loneliness and eventual acceptance:
“So alone
Under this bloody moon
I hold no desire
I’m fine with time
Shredding me apart
I’m fine with time
With no one
I’m alone
And I dream of the way we loved
When time was ours
We shared one heart
I’m fine.”
“One of my favorite things about this song is that I can give a multitude of answers about what it’s about,” says Tyree. “The moon. Time. Being alone. Finding solace. Acceptance. I wanted to write something that was honest and real, but not too specific. Vague but tangible. The lyrics were written over the course of a week in a methed-out hotel in Salt Lake City.”
Shadow Age’s return to will be rejoiced by old fans and welcomed by newcomers familiar with the likes of Drab Majesty, Urban Heat, French Police and Soft Kill. Before the hiatus, the band released one LP and two EPs, and shared stages with the likes of The Chameleons and Modern English.
Tyree describes the chaotic state of affairs that led him to step away from music five years ago: “Everything was a mess. I was unbearable to be around. I needed time away from everything. As I was centering and stabilizing my mind and life, I was thrown into a time mostly defined by loss. Lovers, friends, family, death… the world, to a degree. I started really looking at my life and flaws and mistakes and reconciling them. After a while I just realized, ‘There’s only ever really today. Half of my friends are dead. I’m healthy. I can’t stop writing good songs. The time to do Shadow Age is now.’ Now we are here.”
Ours was recorded and mixed by Ricky Olson and mastered by Dan Randall. For the remixes, Tyree reached out to some of his closest friends and collaborators. “As soon as we left the studio after tracking Ours, I asked Tony Gloom about doing the Petrified Entity remix. I was curious to hear his take on what a remix would look like, seeing as how he co-wrote the track. I really like the bounce and optimism he brings to the track. House music extraordinaire Maude is my friend and former bandmate Aaron Boles. I like how big and theatrical his mix turned out.
“Glyphics is the solo project of Evan Sharfe, formerly of Skeleton Hands. A couple of years ago while I was visiting Evan in Cincinnati, he made an off-handed comment about completing a remix in an hour for a friend of his. I joked that he would have the same amount of time to complete a Shadow Age remix and the whole idea of him doing a remix spawned from there. According to him, his remix is essentially what Shadow Age would sound like if he produced us. Xör is the solo project of Matthew from Secret Shame. I really like how his mix feels more open and dour. I also like how he played around with the structure.”
Watch the video for Ours above, hear more of the EP below, and follow Shadow Age on Facebook and Instagram.
