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Apr 30, 2025 By Caleb Campbell Photography by Joey Wharton

Later this week, Richmond, Virginia-based outfit Rikki Rakki are set to share their new EP, Sing, Cicadas! The band debuted with their 2023 LP, Breaking Skin, and their latest record represents a turn into more earthen and sun-dappled shades of alt country, folk, and indie rock, steeping their songwriting in the ambient noise and hazy textures of a Virginia summer. The band shared “Snaggletooth,” the album’s lead single, earlier this month, and ahead of the EP’s release, they’re sharing an early listen to another track, one of its thematic centerpieces, “James River,” premiering with Under the Radar.

From its first moments “James River” encapsulates the warm naturalistic tone of the record, opening on woodsy fingerpicking and the gentle ambient din of the forest. Lead vocalist Erika Blatnik lilts her way through the track, her feathery voice blending effortlessly with the keening pedal steel and pastoral acoustics. As the song winds on it settles into an ambling alt country groove. Nostalgic vocal harmonies give way to dextrous and dreamlike instrumental breaks, sweeping the track along with a soft-hued glow. Meanwhile, the lyrics tour through moments of teenage bliss and summertime afternoons spent by the titular river: “Take me to the James / Where we took a swim on the way to Lexington / Summer don’t last long / So we abandoned all our plans and filled our shoes with sand / Oh, take me to that river / Oh, take me to that shore / Oh, sweet Virginia / Oh, honey take me home.”

Blatnik says of the track, “Sing, Cicadas! examines the resiliency of nature and its reflective impact on the human spirit: the inspiration, joy and determination that we are able to take away from time spent in communion with special outdoor spaces. One of these places for me is the James River, a consistent undercurrent of inspiration running through my life and many of my songs. It has been a constant companion, flowing from my hometown near the Blue Ridge Mountains to Richmond, Virginia where I live now. I believe that a strong connection with nature is a crucial catalyst for environmental action and stewardship, and I hope the songs can help inspire similar feelings of hope and determination in others.”

Check out the song early below. The Sing, Cicadas! EP is due out everywhere on May 2nd.