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Nov 10, 2023 By Caleb Campbell Photography by Ashley Lorraine

People Museum are a New Orleans-based art pop quartet co-founded by trombonist Jeremy Phipps and lead singer Claire Givens, with the pair later joined by drummer / keyboardist Aaron Boudreaux and bassist / tuba player Charles Lumar II. Together, the band takes inspiration from their deep roots in the culture and music of New Orleans, incorporating hints of French Creole stylings and brass band energy into bright indie pop soundscapes. The band debuted with their 2018 album I Dreamt You in Technicolor, and followed with a series of EPs, including last year’s Destruction of, Vol. 1.

This year, they’ve been sharing a series of new singles, “Whole Heart,” “Saturn Rings,” and “Sleep,” teasing their new sophomore album, Relic. The album is out everywhere today, and accompanying the release the band are sharing a video for the album’s title track, premiering with Under the Radar.

“Relic” acts as an achingly romantic confession, as well as a hypnotic and heartfelt tribute from the band to their home city. Waves of shimmering and sparkling arpeggiated synths trade off with bass-heavy passages, all as warm brass accents weave in and out of the mix. Initially, the track feels like a space-faring, mystical odyssey, as if the band are taking off into unknown horizons. Yet, as the song hits its apex, that placid sheen gives way to a soaring climax. By the track’s end, emphatic drum fills and swelling brass arrangements crescendo as Givens’ vocals ascend to rapturous celestial heights.

Meanwhile, the track’s lyrics tell the story of lovers who part ways while treasuring the time they shared with one another. As Givens describes, that experience mirrors the band’s own experience with their hometown after they were forced out of the city due to storms. She explains, “if I can’t go back, I will forever be imprinted with the life I lived here.”

Check out the song and video below. The song and the full Relic LP are out everywhere now.