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Jul 23, 2020 By Samantha Small Death Valley Girls

LA goth-rock outfit Death Valley Girls have announced they are releasing a “space-gospel” record, Under the Spell of Joy, on October 2 via Suicide Squeeze. Today, the band has shared the album’s first single fittingly titled, “The Universe,” along with a trippy music video. Watch it below.

The track is an eclectic and electric piece. Full of terrestrial-like synths, whopping sax solos, slow, but gated drums, and echoed, airy vocals (even a kids choir!), “The Universe” is a terrifyingly sleek track. And the music video packs on the punch even further, featuring newspaper clippings about everything from UFOS to witchcraft. Oh, and it’s accompanied by kaleidoscopic visuals, of course.

“‘The Universe’ is a song to sing, a space to be, a time to think, remember, and truly feel that not only are we all connected, but we are also being guided,” says lead vocalist Bonnie Bloomgarden in a press release.

According to the same press release, the album title is named after a T-shirt Bloomgarden received from San Diego psych-rock group Joy. Legend has it, she wore it for five years straight.

“I read it as being about manifesting your biggest dreams and responding thoughtfully and mindfully to everything that comes in your path with joy and compassion first,” she says.

With inspiration from Ethiopian funk records, the band tapped into their “magical cosmic energy” to produce a fresh, but refined psych-rock sound. They hope to bring people together during this crazy time, and encourage them to sing along and come together through the age-old-tradition of listening to music.

“The world is crazy right now and it feels like we should be doing more than just trying to perpetuate joy,” Bloomgarden says. “I think music becomes a part of you. Like Black Sabbath’s first record is as much a part of me as my own music. I think you can listen to music or song to get lost in it, or you can listen to music to find something in your self or the world that either you never had or just went missing. I want people to sing to this record, make it their own, and focus on manifesting their dreams as much as they can!”

In June, the band released an EP, Breakthrough, featuring a cover of Atomic Rooster’s 1971 song of the same name, along with a cover of the late Daniel Johnston’s “Rock ‘N’ Roll / EGA.”

Under the Spell of Joy Tracklist

1. Hypnagogia

2. Hold My Hand

3. Bliss Out

4. Hey Dena

5. The Universe

6. It All Washes Away

7. Little Things

8. 10 Day Miracle Challenge

9. I’d Rather Be Dreaming

10. Dream Cleaver

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