LISTEN/WATCH: Braids drop two new tracks, “Slayer Moon” and “2020”

Montreal band Braids have dropped two new songs today, their first new material since the release of their latest album Shadow Offering in June. The tracks “Slayer Moon” and “2020” were premiered by the band last night during their latest in a series of live streaming shows on their YouTube channel.

Braids singer Raphelle Standell-Preston shared some insight into what influenced these new songs:

“‘Slayer Moon’ is inspired by a Sailor Moon phone case I bought in Tokyo, at 3 a.m. while on tour in Japan. Growing up I was obsessed with Sailor Moon, particularly with the ability to magically transform from a normal girl into a full-on mystical and powerful Sailor Scout, battle-ready to combat the evil forces of the world.”

For so many artists, the isolation and state of being grounded brought about by the pandemic provided space for introspection. Yet, surprisingly, the roots of “2020” predate COVID-19:

“‘2020’ was written sometime in 2017, after a long period of being alone — in an abstract sense of the word — while reaching for fleeting physical closeness. I titled the song ‘2020’ in 2020. Revisiting the song’s lyrics through the eyes of our present reality struck a chord with me. I felt as close to the song as when I had first written it. I find that I am asking myself similar questions while in this pandemic, without my friends, my family, my familiar structures.”

Listen to “Slayer Moon” and “2020” here. For more about Braids, please visit their website.

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