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Aug 25, 2022 By Caleb Campbell Photography by Sebastian Keefe

Massachusetts duo Handsome Ghost have spent the past few years in the indie underground, initially beginning as singer/songwriter Tim Noyes solo indie folk project before pivoting into intimate synth pop with the addition of multi-instrumentalist/producer Eddie Byun. Since their 2014 debut, the band have released a string of EPs along with two full-length records, 2018’s Welcome Back and 2020’s acoustic-leaning follow-up, Some Still Morning.

This year, the band have signed with Nettwerk, and today they are sharing their first tastes of their forthcoming new project with their new single, “Neptune,” premiering early with Under the Radar.

With “Neptune” the band retains the placid acoustic undertones and stark lyricism of their last album, but now infuses them with more prominent percussion and twinkling melodic touches. However, those touches make the track feel no less intimate or confessional, especially with its hazy lyrical vignettes and gorgeous instrumental details. “Neptune” feels like a song made for the twilight hours, capturing fleeting enchanted moments of nostalgia, longing, and beauty.

As the duo describes, “This song is a character sketch, more or less - basically just describing this super eccentric woman over the course of one day…or three verses. You’re not learning a ton about the narrator here, other than how he’s reacting to her. This one started with the third verse: That scene basically played out word for word down on the lower east side a few years ago. And that was the inspiration behind this character.”

From there it was just flushing things out a bit with these other little moments that the two spend together over the course of the day. I don’t see this one taking place in New York though. I picture it somewhere more gritty - a little more off the beaten path - or somewhere that’s less of a destination. The scene in the second verse seems important to me too…where she’s pointing out to him all that exists outside of their city or town. They both want more (or at least she does) and there’s ambiguity around what their relationship is…friends? More? And I think there’s a question too if they’re going to get what they want or if they’re just going to be roaming around this city, day after day.”

Check out the song below. “Neptune” is out everywhere tomorrow via Nettwerk.